Nanaimo Steel Plant Creates 26 Jobs With $900K Investment

Niik Steel is tripling its production capacity and bringing dozens of good-paying jobs to Nanaimo, thanks to a $900,000 boost from the provincial government.

The south Nanaimo steel manufacturer will use the funding to expand its facilities and purchase new machines that require 26 skilled operators. President Amir Jamshidi says the timing couldn't be better, as the investment helps buffer against uncertainty from U.S. tariffs while strengthening the local economy.

"It's going to benefit our city and our province when we expand to help larger projects," Jamshidi said during a tour of the facility with MLA George Anderson.

The expansion includes building a new 8,000 square-foot facility and growing the current site on Maughan Road. Beyond the 26 immediate positions, Niik Steel plans to expand its workforce to 200 employees within the next year.

Anderson says the investment does double duty: it creates jobs while making British Columbia more self-sufficient. The steel produced in Nanaimo will supply infrastructure projects across the province, from schools and hospitals to new homes.

The Ripple Effect

This funding is part of British Columbia's $1.2 billion Manufacturing Jobs Fund, designed to build economic resilience and diversify Vancouver Island's economy. The program has already created 2,100 jobs across 156 projects throughout the province.

Each new manufacturing job typically supports additional positions in the community, from service workers to suppliers. When factories expand, entire neighborhoods benefit from the economic activity.

For Nanaimo, the investment means more than just job numbers. Jamshidi emphasized these are "family-sustaining" careers with skilled trades and competitive wages that allow workers to build futures in their own community.

The expansion also strengthens provincial supply chains, reducing dependence on imports and creating stability even during trade disruptions. When British Columbia produces its own steel, construction projects move forward regardless of international market volatility.

Twenty-six families in Nanaimo are about to find new opportunities, and an entire province gets a little stronger in the process.