September 2014
Stephane Lévesque and Ross Fitzpatrick, formerly President and Vice-President of SRB Technologies (Canada) Inc., who purchased the company from four offshore owners in 2012, have been named the winners of the “Members’ Choice Award” at the Ontario Association of Community Futures Development Corporations Annual Conference. Mr. Lévesque and Mr. Fitzpatrick were nominated for the Award by Renfrew County Community Futures Development Corporation, from which they first received an advanced loan in 2010, and subsequently in June 2013.
SRB Technologies (Canada) Inc. received the prestigious Award out of many nominations from across the province. It was honoured at the Annual Conference of the Ontario Association of Community Futures Development Corporations. Over 250 guests and delegates from Community Futures Development Corporations (CFDCs) recently met in Huntsville for the event. Many of the CFDCs had nominated successful businesses they had assisted with business counselling and loans. Renfrew County Community Futures Development Corporation is one of 61 CFDCs across Ontario. On hand to accept the award on the company’s behalf, presented by Sponsor Sharon Wilson, was Diane McKinnon, Executive Director of Renfrew County Community Futures Development Corporation.
SRB Technologies (Canada) Inc. manufactures tritium-powered light products, which are used in EXIT signs, emergency lighting in the aerospace industry, in various military applications. (Tritium is a radioactive isotope of hydrogen.) In 2007, the company had its licence suspended, due to the detection of contaminated ground water around the immediate area of the facility. Until 2012, SRB Technologies (Canada) Inc. was owned by four offshore individuals, who took a hands-off approach and were no longer prepared to fund the company. It was the vision of Lévesque and Fitzpatrick that piloted the company through this period, with no personal gain at the time except a job. The company focused on improving their manufacturing processes, and developed monitoring and detecting procedures to minimize the risk of releasing contamination into the environment. During this period, the company could not manufacture products using tritium. Realizing the importance of maintaining contact with their customers, Lévesque and Fitzpatrick negotiated the purchase of tritium-filled light sources from the two competitors, and installed the tritium light sources into SRB products. While this strategy caused a tremendous drain of the company’s cash flow, it allowed SRB Technologies (Canada) Inc. to remain active in the market, while addressing its issues with the Nuclear Safety Commission.
In 2010, the company was granted a 5-year licence by the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission, and it returned to manufacturing tritium-filled light sources. The company had exhausted its cash reserves making the necessary changes and was referred to the Renfrew County Community Futures Development Corporation, where it received its first loan to assist in the purchase of an initial supply of tritium to begin production. “If Community Futures had not been able to provide funding, SRB would have closed,” Mr. Lévesque says.
The company has returned to becoming one of the world leaders in the production of tritium-powered light source products; it is now considered a model of excellence by the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission, and several of the company’s practices are used by the Commission in its monitoring guidelines.
Under the ownership of Lévesque and Fitzpatrick, the company has returned to profitability, and the work force has increased from 14 to 41, with plans to hire 6 additional employees in 2014.
Community Futures Development Corporations (CFDCs) offer free business counselling, loans for start-up and expansion of small business, strategic planning on local projects, and community economic development in rural areas. Each CFDC is locally managed by a volunteer Board of Directors, funded with the support of the Government of Canada’s Economic Action Plan through FedNor and FedDev Ontario. To learn more about Community Futures Program in Ontario or the OACFDC, go to www.oacfdc.com. Voting for the Members' Choice Award was conducted online at the OACFDC website, when Association members could read about all nominees and cast their vote.
Photo: SRB Technologies, nominated by Renfrew County CFDC, received the “Members’ Choice Award” at the recent Ontario Association of Community Futures Development Corporations Conference. On hand for the awards ceremony, were Darrel Ryan, Board Chair, and Diane McKinnon, Executive Director, both of Renfrew County CFDC with Award Sponsor Sharon Wilson, “The Benefits Lady”.
For more information about the Renfrew County Community Futures Development Corporation, contact:
Diane McKinnon, Executive Director
Renfrew County Community Futures Development Corporation
2 International Drive
Pembroke, ON K8A 6W5
E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Phone: 613-735-3951
For more information about SRB Technologies (Canada) Inc., contact:
Stephane Lévesque and Ross Fitzpatrick
320-140 Boundary Road, Pembroke, ON K8A 6W5
E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Phone: 613-732-0055
For more information about the Community Futures Program or the Ontario Association of Community Futures Development Corporations, contact:
Brenda LaGrandeur, Communications and Professional Development Officer
Ontario Association of Community Futures Development Corporations Inc. (OACFDC)
300 South Edgeware Road, St. Thomas, Ontario N5P 4L1
E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Telephone: 519-633-2326, ext. 125
Toll Free: 1-888-633-2326, ext. 125
Fax: 519-633-3563