Partnership launched with companies in Mississauga, Scugog Island First Nation

Site prep at the SMR project at Darlington Nuclear

It’s been a busy couple of years for Mississauga-based Cooper Equipment Rentals and Voyageur Services, an Indigenous majority-owned company headquartered in the Mississaugas of Scugog Island First Nation that specializes in the clean energy sector.

The two companies entered into a strategic supplier agreement this month as Voyageur, which was founded just four years ago, has already earned several major contracts with Ontario Power Generation, including site preparation work at the Darlington nuclear plant for the small modular reactor project, a water treatment project – also at Darlington – and dredging work at the nearby Pickering nuclear plant.

Voyageur President Clint Keeler said the partnership with Cooper Equipment Rentals will help supply all its clients’ equipment requirements, backed by the Mississauga company’s logistical and operational support.

With about 50 employees and a head office located in the Mississaugas of Scugog Island First Nation, Voyageur is trying to bring “lasting, positive change” to Indigenous communities while supporting OPG’s nuclear operations and new nuclear development, he added.

“When we started Voyageur, we wanted to structure the company so that the community owns a portion of the business and we had a management team in place that was familiar with clean energy and working with nuclear power,” said industry veteran Keeler. “We said, ‘Let’s try to build something … to bring true lasting benefit to some of the communities in our local area.”

Dredging work at Pickering Nuclear

Voyageur works closely with other Williams Treaties First Nations, including Alderville, Hiawatha, and Curve Lake, providing employment and economic opportunities for community members and businesses by bringing them on as subcontractors.

“We really see Voyageur as the best fit to be that bridge of trust for Indigenous communities, to act as the mechanism for these new opportunities when larger energy projects come into the communities,” said Keeler. “We’re still early in the journey, still building out our capacity, but we’re making good progress.”

Cooper Equipment Rentals Limited has also been busy of late, acquiring Rent All Centre and Skyhigh Platforms in Ontario and Big Stick Rentals in Alberta, extending Cooper’s reach across the country and ensuring companies like Voyageur always have access to the equipment it needs.

Rent All Centre has locations in Cobourg, Port Hope, Peterborough, Belleville and Trenton while Skyhigh’s aerial speciality location in Whitby – familiar to Highway 401 commuters – will now fly the Cooper’s banner.

Cooper Equipment Rentals was established in 1972 and is now a full-service construction equipment rental company with more than 80 branches in six provinces.

Cooper specializes in the rental of compact, aerial, heavy construction, pump and power, and trench safety equipment, while providing a wide range of supplies, along with service and support.