Timmins tire business expanding into mining vehicle repair

With the help of a $400K provincial grant, a Timmins tire shop is expanding to offer repair services for mining vehicles. Lydia Chubak reports.

A family-owned tire business in Timmins that’s been operating for more than 40 years is expanding service to include mining vehicle repair with the help of a provincial grant.

Construction is underway at OK Tire Timmins at a time when the city needs it most.

“With all the exploration and the projects taking off around Timmins, we definitely, we want to be ready for that,” said Yanick Murray, one of the shop’s owners.

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The business is known for its tire services, but the owners are buying equipment to be able to repair mining vehicles.

“We’re doubling up on the square footage to help clientele with the faster turnaround, to hire more people and grow our team here,” said Murray.

“The mechanical services is where we’re kind of prioritizing. So, definitely need … some licensed techs and more staff to help us out.”

The province is giving the company $400,000 to make it happen.

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“It’s a very rigorous application process that the companies and agencies go through before they’re … awarded any grants or any monies or loans and we invest in companies and organizations all across the province of Ontario that grow the economy,” said Timmins MPP George Pirie.

“And we invest with, especially family-owned companies, like this one here that’s been in business for over 40 years. So, success breeds success.”

OK Tire Timmins said it plans to hire three or four people to join its team and perhaps even more employees, depending on demand, when the new building opens.