A $611,750 contract has been awarded to A.L.P.A. Equipment Ltd., a forestry and construction equipment company, under the New Brunswick First Procurement Strategy and Action Plan.
“Awarding government contracts to local suppliers, like A.L.P.A. Equipment Ltd., helps create jobs and strengthen the economy of our province and communities,” said Service New Brunswick Minister Mary Wilson. “In 2021-22 we surpassed our target for the number of contracts awarded locally and are already two per cent over our 2022-23 target for the dollar amount awarded to New Brunswick businesses.”
Wilson made the announcement in August during a tour of the company’s facility in Eel River Crossing.
In the 2021-22 fiscal year, 88 per cent of goods, services and construction contracts were awarded to local suppliers. This represents a nine per cent increase from last year and resulted in about $100 million in increased spending within the province.
In the first quarter of 2022-23, 82 per cent of government contracts were awarded to New Brunswick businesses, which represents over $1 billion in spending within the province.
“My father’s vision was to have wood in our province harvested by New Brunswick-manufactured machines,” said A.L.P.A. Equipment Ltd. vice-president and general manager Serge Landry. “The New Brunswick First Procurement Strategy has helped to make his dream a reality by raising the profile of our business as a local manufacturer of harvesting equipment.”
In November 2020, the provincial government launched the strategy and action plan to support local businesses and reduce barriers to obtaining government contracts.
The strategy and action plan are the result of a collaborative effort among Service New Brunswick, Opportunities NB and the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure. They are based upon extensive consultations with suppliers and industry associations in the province.
