The Ontario government is investing nearly $1.5 million to help Huntsville-based company MBRP expand its manufacturing operations, reshore critical supply chains, and create new jobs in the region.
The funding, provided through the Ontario Together Trade Fund, will support MBRP’s nearly $3 million investment to launch a new line of truck accessories, bring flat-cut and bent component manufacturing in-house, reshore exhaust tip production from China, and upgrade infrastructure to increase production capacity.
According to officials, the Ontario Together Trade Fund is part of the province’s tariff relief and support plan and helps businesses invest in growth, strengthen operations, and protect jobs.
MBRP Chief Operations Officer Joshua Barkey said the funding comes at a critical time as the company continues to navigate the impacts of U.S. tariffs and broader economic uncertainty.
“We were hit massively with the tariffs last year,” said Barkey. “It was just up and down of what’s coming and how we’re going to manage the company to ensure everyone is keeping jobs here and how we’re going to keep profitability and keep investing in our team.”
Barkey said the company applied for the funding amid ongoing trade uncertainty and viewed it as an opportunity to bring more manufacturing closer to home.
“At the end of the day, it allowed us to double down and ultimately grow here in Muskoka, which is important to the family,” he said. “That’s our dream, to keep growing here versus going down to a city and just becoming another big building.”
The project is expected to create 18 new jobs while protecting 125 existing positions across the Parry Sound-Muskoka region. Barkey said the company hopes to fill the new positions by the end of the year and continue hiring as the business grows.
The new roles will be well-suited for college and university graduates, as well as individuals with mechanical engineering backgrounds. Barkey said attracting younger workers is an important part of the company’s long-term vision.
“Equipment is important, but the real investment is in people,” he said. “We need to create the jobs, we need to create that pull to get people interested in working here and be part of the growth here.”
In addition to reducing the impact of tariffs, Barkey said reshoring production will give the company greater control over its supply chain and production schedules.
“We want the control, we want the flexibility to make what we want when we want,” he said.
The investment will also allow MBRP to expand into new product categories, including side-by-side vehicle bumpers, rock rails, lighting products, and bracketry.
Ultimately, Barkey said the company’s goal is to keep manufacturing and economic benefits close to home.
“Our focus is to use Ontario or Canadian-based service providers…to keep the dollars within Ontario,” he said.
