‘This (enlargement) will give us the capability to continue to grow and over time double but once more, bringing useful expertise jobs to the Cochrane space’
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COCHRANE — Bucking a development of contraction and mass layoffs within the tech sector, Garmin Canada says it’ll double its workforce in an enlargement of its Cochrane headquarters.
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The software-wireless agency, greatest identified for its bodily health sensing gear, says it’ll add a 22,000-square-foot third flooring to its Cochrane facility — a 50 per cent enhance in flooring house that can accommodate workers development from 200 to 400 over the subsequent few years.
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It comes 22 years after CEO Jim Rooney started the enterprise in his Cochrane storage, and as most of the sector’s largest gamers are shedding tens of 1000’s of jobs.
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“What’s benefited us is having slightly extra of a conservative kind of firm — rising in a gradual kind of style,” mentioned Rooney.
“This (enlargement) will give us the capability to continue to grow and over time double but once more, bringing useful expertise jobs to the Cochrane space.”
The announcement comes fewer than 5 years after Garmin moved with fewer than 100 workers to a website that was a contamination reclamation venture.
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Rooney mentioned the neighborhood 13 kilometres northwest of Calgary has remained a really perfect surroundings, with its rising community of trails within the shadow of the Rockies and residents keen to place his merchandise to the take a look at.
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“We’ve extra people who find themselves testing our merchandise than work on this constructing — we’d like that engaged dedication, and we’ve acquired that right here,” he mentioned.
The power will develop and take a look at wi-fi merchandise and equipment corresponding to coronary heart fee straps and bike energy pedals, together with a spread of biosensors.
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“5 or 10 years in the past, we solely made equipment (right here),” mentioned Rooney.
Layoffs a priority in tech sector
There have been issues over setbacks in Alberta’s tech sector, with Calgary-based Benevity final month saying it’s shedding 14 per cent of its workforce, or 137 workers, citing modifications within the financial local weather.
On the similar time, Alphabet Inc.’s analysis lab DeepMind mentioned it’ll shut its Edmonton outpost and lay off some operational workers within the U.Ok., a part of the tech large’s latest program of value cuts.
Late final month, NDP Chief Rachel Notley mentioned that with out investment-targeted incentives within the sector, the province is susceptible to shedding its aggressive benefit.
“All of it comes all the way down to how we do inside that (international) context,” mentioned Notley, saying Alberta’s fee of development within the sector remains to be properly beneath the nationwide common.
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Tech sector a spotlight for the province: minister
Some within the sector have warned the province was shedding out on potential enterprise with out tax credit, even whereas the province has seen record-breaking capital investments in tech, together with a complete of $561 million in 2021.
Municipal Affairs Minister Rebecca Schulz, who attended Monday’s Garmin announcement, was requested if she’s involved these developments will have an effect on the province’s drive towards financial diversification.
“The tech house is an area our authorities is working very laborious to place ourselves once we discuss financial diversification . . . that is an space we’re dedicated to rising, and a part of that’s actually being open to working with completely different buyers and completely different firms,” she mentioned.
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“At the moment’s instance, working with municipalities to spur on that funding and development, that may be a essential function for our provincial authorities to play.”
She mentioned highlighting Alberta’s high quality of life, low tax regime and making certain there’s an informed workforce are key to sustaining and attracting tech firms and others.
‘A pivotal time in Cochrane’s historical past’
The province’s Neighborhood Revitalization Levy, which permits municipalities to borrow towards future tax income to develop companies, has led to a 2,638 per cent enhance in taxable evaluation development and has been a consider Garmin Canada’s development, mentioned Schulz.
“It’s been extraordinarily profitable . . . the enlargement of Garmin Canada’s facility is an indication of future funding to return,” she mentioned.
Garmin’s enlargement ought to herald related enterprise developments within the quickly rising city of 35,000 folks, mentioned Mayor Jeff Genung.
“That is actually a pivotal time in Cochrane’s historical past,” mentioned Genung.
“We are able to see two or three extra tech buildings arising from this (previously) contaminated website.”
— With recordsdata from Lisa Johnson
Twitter: @BillKaufmannjrn
