There are many worthwhile charities for companies to partner with. Yet there are very few that offer a local and personnel connection like Make-A-Wish Canada. The Make-A-Wish Foundation is a charity in Canada whose grants wishes to critically ill children each year. The amazing work they do changes the lives of these children and their families for the better! This dedication to children and community aligns directly with the core values the Northern Strands Group of Companies holds. We have committed to grant the wish of one child each year for the past several years and everyone chips in to make this a reality. Our teams take this commitment to heart, and we work throughout the year make this donation possible each year.

With fundraising events not possible this year, our team became creative in their fundraising efforts. Our staff rose to the challenge this year and we collected recycling from all locations to send to SARCAN as well as having a silent auction with donation items from companies we work with.

This last year we sponsored a 7 year old girl named Alexis. She loves swimming, Lego and animals. Her wish was to have a puppy! Through our donations and fundraising this year we have been able to grant this wish for Alexis. She welcomed home a Cocker Spaniel puppy this year.

The creativity of these kids and amazing strength and spirit makes working with Make-A-Wish so much fun! There are quite a few children in Canada waiting for a wish so check out their page at: https://makeawish.ca for ways you can get involved or donate! It’s an amazing organization doing work to make the world a softer and gentler place for critically ill children in Canada. 

If you like Saskatchewan's outdoor action videos with hunting, fishing, and trapping, then you have probably watched Tytan Ventures videos. They are two local brothers that create great homegrown outdoor action videos with thousands of views on youtube. Northern Strands sponsored their most recent bowhunting video on youtube by donating some often used equipment for hunting, a Vitali-Intl Mini Lever Hoist, Soft Shackle, and our Dyneema ATV Winch Line.

Their latest hunting video will have you on the edge of your seat! Here is the link to, "Long Bow Hunting Huge Whitetail in the rifle Season?!" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xtfJNj149K0

video sponsored by

Visit Northern Strands e-commerce store to purchase the items seen in the video

Vitali-Intl Lever Hoists https://shop.northernstrands.com/material-handling/hoists/lever-hoist/

Synthetic Winch Lines https://shop.northernstrands.com/towing/atv-winch-lines/

Synthetic Soft Shackles https://shop.northernstrands.com/towing/soft-shackles/ 

Northern Strands is locally owned and one of the largest suppliers of Rigging, Equipment, and Industrial Supplies in Western Canada.

How to inspect your ATV winch line and when should you replace it?

As the fall leaves are changing and the smell of winter is on the air, it’s the perfect time to head out on the trails with your ATV. Whether you are heading to snap some beautiful fall photos, enjoy the crisp fall air, or if your ATV is the equipment you use for hunting it must be in peak condition. The top of everyone’s mind is often making sure that mechanically everything is up to scratch and while that is critical it’s the other gear that is often overlooked. Many ATVs come equipped with a winch line or the ability to connect a tow rope in case you get stuck or need to haul something out. This tool is critical for an enjoyable and successful trip but is often overlooked when we do a walk-around of our equipment before we head out. Here are a few tips on checking over your winch and line.

1. Fully extend your line from the drum and inspect the line. Make sure that it's in good condition and there aren’t any spots on the line which are showing wear or damage. i.e. kinks, splinters or curls.
2. If your line is in good shape, make sure the mechanism to rewind the winch is working properly and the mechanics on that is also in good working condition.
3. If your line is showing wear and tear it's time to investigate replacing it.

Northern strand carries a full line of lines both synthetic and wire rope that is specifically manufactured to be used in winch lines. Did you know our Dyneema synthetic winch line has many benefits over traditional wire rope. Dyneema rope will not splinter, kink or curl. It’s also much easier on the hands in cold weather.

With the education and training relied on by some of the largest mining operations in Saskatchewan for their wire hoisting needs. Our experts are uniquely positioned to help you find the right line got your equipment and one that will work for you and your needs.

Our products are spliced and tested on-site with the top industry ratings in place. Each one of our synthetic ropes comes with the hook correctly spliced onto the end as well as the metal thimble and comes packaged with all the specifications of the specific line, including tensile strength, length and material. We have many standard sizes and lengths in stock and ready for pick up. We are also able to make any specific size and length you might need to order.

So if you are looking to replace your current line or upgrade to a different type of line that will better suit the work you need to do come and talk to our incredibly knowledgeable team or shop online at shop.northenstrands.com

Did you know the Occupational Health and Safety act of 2020 says that to operate a hoist, crane or lifting device you need to successfully complete a training program! (Section 16-6). This means that if you are operating one of these types of machines for work you need to hold that certificate to be in compliance with OH&S regulations. This is one of those lesser-known regulations and includes machines like lifts and winches. 

Many professions and sites will see the use of machinery like this including but not limited to: Construction, Mechanics, Fabrication and more. If in the regular course of your duties you need to use machinery to lift a heavy item or need to use a winch to complete a task you might be missing a critical safety training course and could be fined

Northern Strands offers a one-of-a-kind Air Winch safety Training Course. This course is exclusive to Northern Strands and follows  the standards set by Occupational Health and Safety Saskatchewan.

Air Winch Safety Training:

• Teaches you anchorage procedures for a variety of foundations.
• Instructs you on basic pull testing methodology.
• Provides you with effective communication tools.
• Contains a review of important rigging concepts.

The Air Winch Safety Training course also contains a practical hands-on demonstration where you will receive training on rigging up and using a pneumatic tugger.

The air winch is then used to demonstrate the dynamics of anchor point and sling loading.

After completing the course you will be issued a Air Winch Safety Training certificate, valid for three (3) years.

So if you or you employees are needing this certification or you are just wanting to insure you are operating these potentially dangerous equipment correctly Contact us at (306) 242-7073 or email training@northernstrands.com for more information.