Degelman lands $720K federal grant to blunt US tariff hit
What's the deal? Degelman Industries has received a C$1 million (about $720,000) grant from the Government of CanadaDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → to strengthen manufacturing capacity and improve productivity. The award comes through the Regional Tariff Response Initiative (RTRI), which is distributing $5.3 million across six Saskatchewan companies.
Why now? The farm-equipment maker sends 45 to 50% of its sales into the US market, leaving it exposed to the ongoing Canada-US trade dispute. Components routinely cross the border during manufacturing, compounding the strain.
What's the endgame? The RTRI aims to help manufacturers adopt new technology, strengthen domestic supply chains, and expand into new markets. Ottawa says the six Saskatchewan projects will support more than 70 jobs.
Degelman has some room to manoeuvre because it also runs a facility in North Dakota. "We have the luxury of having a facility in North Dakota," president and chief executive officer Blair Flavel said, adding that the company now shifts production to wherever it makes economic sense.
What could go wrong? Uncertainty remains the core problem. Flavel says shifting tariff rates — 10% or 50% — complicate pricing and long-lead-time procurement, and unsettle customers weighing purchases.
His preference is a return to stable trade. "Our goal is no tariffs. We'll get back to free trade, CUSMA working well like it did, and I encourage both governments to get back to the bargaining table and get a deal that's going to work out," he said.
The signal: The grant sits in the upper tier of comparable awards, roughly the 68th percentile by amount. With Saskatchewan's manufacturing sector employing about 30,400 workers in June 2026 — around 4% of the provincial workforce — Ottawa is using targeted funding to keep exposed producers competitive as trade rules stay in flux.
Read more: discoverweyburn.com
Image credit: History Trust of South Australia
