BELLEDUNE (CNB) – The provincial government is forming a partnership with the Belledune Port Authority to establish a modular fabrication and component construction centre in the community.
“Identifying modular fabricated and component construction industries is one of the main cornerstones identified in our government’s Action Plan for Self-Sufficiency in Northern New Brunswick," said Premier Shawn Graham. “Our plan lists specific actions to stimulate the northern economy and seize opportunities to create jobs in the region. Today’s investment shows we are building infrastructure capacity to attract investment to the region.”
Education Minister Roland Haché; Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour Minister Donald Arseneault, who is also minister responsible for the Northern New Brunswick Infrastructure Initiative; Belledune Mayor Nick Duivenvoorden; Rayburn Doucett, president and chief executive officer, Belledune Port Authority; and community and business leaders also participated in the announcement.
A total of $7 million under the Northern New Brunswick Infrastructure Initiative will be used to construct a 3,600-square-metre (40,000-sq.-ft.) modular fabrication building and acquire another 8,100-square-metre (90,000-sq.-ft.) facility to establish a $13.2-million modular fabrication and component construction centre in Belledune.
“The Belledune Port Authority board of directors unanimously support this project as it not only complements the new infrastructure at the port but also provides a platform for northern New Brunswick companies to bid on large projects that would provide high levels of employment of skilled and non-skilled workers in the area,” said Doucet. “I congratulate and thank all those who have worked to bring it to this stage.”
The new facility, to be located close to the port, will consist of a 30-metre by 120-metre (100-ft. by 400-ft.) footprint with a free working height of 19.5 metres (65 ft.) under two, 20-tonne overhead wireless operated cranes. A 19.5-metre by 24-metre (65-ft. by 80-ft.) wide aircraft type sliding door at the east end of the building and a 15-metre by 18-metre (50-ft. by 60-ft.) wide aircraft type sliding door at the west end.
A few of the many features include: 28 welding stations with full ventilation, solar wall heat augmentation, two 20 MT overhead bridge cranes to allow for the moving of large modules and allowable space for work on three to five modules at the same time.
Last January, Graham unveiled An Action Plan for Self-Sufficiency in Northern New Brunswick, a three-year regional economic development plan.
LINK:
• Regional Development Corporation : www.gnb.ca/rdc
21-08-10