The Kootenay Outdoor Recreation Enterprise (KORE Outdoors) and College of the Rockies (COTR) are launching Canada’s first outdoor gear repair and advanced manufacturing centre.

The Rehub Circular Technology Centre is a unique initiative that will strengthen rural manufacturing, expand workforce training, and advance circular economy innovation in British Columbia.

The project is being supported by $1 million in funding from the Province of British Columbia through the Rural Economic Diversification and Infrastructure Program (REDIP).

“This partnership is another example of how we can work together with businesses and post-secondary institutions to create new, innovative, and sustainable opportunities for businesses, while training more people for good jobs in their communities,” said Ravi Kahlon, Minister of Jobs and Economic Growth. “This is our Look West strategy in action, as we work to build a more resilient economy for communities across the province.”

Located at COTR’s Gold Creek Campus in Cranbrook, the new Centre will feature the latest in repair and prototyping technology and will support hands-on learning in areas such as industrial sewing, technical gear repair, upcycling, and small-scale production.

It will also give regional companies greater access to local manufacturing and testing capacity, helping to shorten supply chains while keeping more production in-province and creating new opportunities for students, entrepreneurs, and skilled workers in the Kootenay region.

In short, the Centre will serve as both a training hub and a social enterprise, connecting education and industry in a way that does not currently exist in Canada.

“This is a transformational investment in rural innovation,” said KORE Outdoors Board Chair Matt Mosteller.

“The Rehub Circular Technology Centre will help build the skilled workforce, shared infrastructure, and business support services needed to grow B.C.’s outdoor gear sector from within our region. It will allow more companies to design, repair, test, and manufacture products closer to home, while creating new economic opportunities in the Kootenays.”

The Centre builds on momentum generated by KORE Outdoors’ Rehub Mobile Repair Tour in 2025 and is a direct response to the growing demand from outdoor gear makers, designers, repair specialists, and educators for permanent infrastructure that supports both circularity and competitiveness.

The Rehub Mobile Repair Tour will hit the road again in summer 2026, providing pop-up gear repair in communities across the Kootenays and raising awareness about the new Centre.

For COTR, the project represents a major opportunity to deepen its role in regional economic development and provide learners with new kinds of applied, industry-connected experiences.

“We’re doing something that is unique in Canada,” said Michael Crowe, COTR President and CEO. “For decades, College of the Rockies has been a leader in adventure education and outdoor recreation, rooted in the landscapes and industries of our region. This partnership with KORE builds on that legacy by connecting our outdoor expertise with advanced manufacturing, applied research, and circular economy innovation.

“It opens new pathways for learners, entrepreneurs, and outdoor recreation companies, and we’re incredibly proud to be part of an initiative that will have impact not only in the East Kootenay, but across the province and the country.”

The Centre is expected to strengthen B.C.’s capacity for circular manufacturing by extending product life, reducing waste, and supporting the development of value-added products in the province. Over time, it will also strengthen applied learning opportunities, support small-business growth, and position the Kootenays as a leader in outdoor gear innovation and sustainable production.

Project implementation will begin this spring.

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