Federal govt. invests $100K in Yukon’s Northern Garments
October 31, 2024
by CM Staff
Through this two-year project, SKOOKUMbrand will upgrade its production equipment to include computer-aided design technology so it can build capacity.
DAWSON CITY — Dr. Brendan Hanley, MP for the Yukon, on behalf of Dan Vandal, Minister of Northern Affairs and Minister responsible for PrairiesCan and CanNor, announced a federal investment of nearly $100,000 in Northern Garments, a Dawson City-based small business widely known as SKOOKUMbrand.
“Supporting small businesses in rural areas to grow is essential to building strong economies and resilient communities. SKOOKUMbrand is contributing to the territorial economy, providing jobs, and designing clothing made in the North for northern weather. By investing in projects like this, our government is supporting northern businesses to expand, adopt new technology and address northern challenges, said Vandal.
Through this two-year project, SKOOKUMbrand will upgrade its production equipment to include computer-aided design technology so it can build capacity. This investment will also support the purchase of small capital equipment to enhance productivity at the rural worksite and help address challenges with staff recruitment. Additionally, this project includes upgrades to the company’s website to increase its reach and expedite order processing.
“Small businesses contribute so much to the Yukon. For nearly 20 years, SKOOKUMbrand has produced high-quality Yukon-made outdoor clothing for Yukoners and have shipped its creations to people around the world. By implementing digital technologies, enhancing their online presence, and building capacity, this company can access wider markets,” said Hanley.
“Doing business from the North is always challenging. We operate in isolation from our industry peers and face skilled labour shortages, so we need to be resourceful and look to technology to for solutions that enable us to fill the demand for our products. The assistance we’ve been able to access through CanNor and the Yukon government is helping us to expand to become fully digital in sales and manufacturing, provide employee transit to our workplace and scale up to the next level of development. We are extremely grateful for this timely and focused assistance,” said Megan Waterman, owner, Northern Garments.
