Canada's $8M Surrey Investment Includes Mass Timber Hardware Maker

A Surrey engineering firm that makes the metal connectors holding mass timber buildings together is among the businesses receiving federal investment aimed at helping BC manufacturers withstand trade disruption and grow their market reach.

The Government of Canada announced on July 13, 2026 that it is investing over $8 million in Surrey businesses through Pacific Economic Development Canada (PacifiCan). The funding flows through the Regional Trade and Routes Initiative (RTRI) — a program designed to help businesses in trade-exposed sectors diversify exports, reduce costs, and build more resilient supply chains.

The announcement was made by Randeep Sarai, Secretary of State for International Development.

MTC Solutions: A Mass Timber Supply Chain Investment

The investment with the clearest wood products angle is the $630,250 awarded to MTC Solutions, a Surrey-based engineering company that designs and supplies connection systems for mass timber construction projects across North America.

The funding will allow MTC Solutions to establish an advanced research and manufacturing facility, equipped with new testing and machining equipment, to produce Canadian-made mass timber hardware.

For BC’s engineered wood sector, that detail matters. Mass timber construction — cross-laminated timber (CLT), glulam, and related structural wood systems — has been one of the fastest-growing segments of BC’s value-added wood products industry. But the connection hardware that holds these buildings together has often been sourced from European suppliers. Building domestic manufacturing capacity for that hardware keeps more of the supply chain value in Canada and reduces exposure to import costs and logistics delays.

MTC Solutions expanding its manufacturing footprint in Surrey directly supports the broader push to deepen Canada’s mass timber supply chain from forest to finished building.

What Is the RTRI Program?

The Regional Trade and Routes Initiative is a PacifiCan program created to help businesses in Western Canada navigate the pressures of global trade disruption. It specifically targets sectors that have faced significant headwinds from shifting trade conditions — including forestry, manufacturing, steel, and aluminum.

In practical terms, RTRI funds investments that help businesses do three things: reach new export markets, reduce their production and operational costs, and build supply chains that are less vulnerable to a single trade partner or route.

For BC’s forest sector supply chain — which has been navigating US tariffs, shifting lumber markets, and increased competition for decades — programs like RTRI represent one of the federal tools available to help companies adapt rather than contract.

Four Surrey businesses in total received funding through this announcement. While only MTC Solutions was detailed in the public release, the program’s eligibility criteria signal that other manufacturers with forestry, wood products, or industrial manufacturing operations could qualify for similar support.

Why It Matters for BC Wood Products Businesses

The announcement lands at a moment when BC’s forest sector is under sustained pressure. US tariffs on softwood lumber have been a persistent drag on BC producers, and businesses across the supply chain — from primary manufacturers to secondary wood products makers — are actively looking for ways to reduce dependence on a single export market and diversify their customer base.

Federal programs like RTRI are designed precisely for this environment. They are not emergency relief but strategic investment: money that helps a business build capacity, access new markets, or improve its productivity in ways that make it more competitive regardless of trade conditions.

For manufacturing businesses in the wood products and forest sector supply chain, the key takeaway is this: federal investment is available for companies looking to expand manufacturing capacity, reduce costs, and diversify exports. The MTC Solutions award is a concrete example of what that looks like in practice — a relatively targeted investment in new equipment and facility development that positions a company to grow its North American market reach.

Surrey’s Place in BC’s Industrial Landscape

Surrey is one of BC’s most industrially active municipalities, home to a significant base of manufacturing, construction-related, and technology businesses. Its location in the Lower Mainland gives businesses easy access to the Port of Vancouver and the logistics networks that connect BC producers to export markets.

For the wood products and forest sector, the Lower Mainland’s manufacturing base plays an important role in the value-added segment of the industry — from engineered wood products and prefabricated building components to specialty hardware and construction materials. Federal investment in this geography supports businesses that are often the downstream customers and partners of BC’s primary forest producers.

What to Watch

PacifiCan has not released the names or details of the other three Surrey businesses that received funding in this announcement. A follow-up inquiry to PacifiCan’s media office or a review of PacifiCan’s public project database may yield additional details on businesses operating in manufacturing or forest sector-adjacent industries.

BC wood products manufacturers and forest sector supply chain businesses interested in RTRI or related PacifiCan programs can contact Pacific Economic Development Canada directly to assess eligibility and upcoming intake periods.