ONE OF the growing number of companies coming to the northwest in response to an improving industrial development climate officially opened its doors in Thornhill near Terrace with a ribbon cutting Sept. 24.
Driving Force, which provides vehicle rental services, is based in Edmonton and the Thornhill location is its 18th outlet in Western Canada and the Arctic.
This is its second location after Fort St. John in northern British Columbia and it also has an outlet in Whitehorse, Yukon.
Approximately 80 people attended the grand opening.
The location, which began doing business in March, has already exceeded projections, with more than 170 vehicles already on rental, and plans for fleet expansion to keep pace with demand, indicated a company press release.
John Wiebenga from the Terrace Churches Food Bank was also on hand to accept a $1,500 cheque from the company.
The outlet has two employees and is overseen by Tammy Hamilton, the company’s Whitehorse branch manager.
“There’s a really good fit between Driving Force’s entrepreneurial attitude and the economic growth in the northwest,” she said.
Those at the official opening included Conservative Senator Richard Neufeld who once sat in the provincial legislature as provincial Liberal MLA and who also served as provincial energy minister.
His wife manages Driving Force’s Fort St. John branch.
Also at the opening was Al Hamilton, a defenceman in both the NHL and WHA. He was captain of the Edmonton Oilers WHA franchise for four seasons.
