Maple Ridge adopts homegrown welding safety system after Innovation Challenge win

A homegrown safety innovation is moving from pitch to practice in Maple Ridge, with the City of Maple Ridge adopting a locally developed welding system for use in its day-to-day operations and infrastructure work.

In an April 23 press release, the city said its engineering operations team is now using the Safe-T Torch.

Mayor Dan Ruimy said the adoption reflects the city’s focus on protecting frontline staff while supporting local innovation.

“Frontline staff drive the maintenance and infrastructure advancement in our community, and their safety is our top priority,” Ruimy said in the release. “It’s rewarding to see a Maple Ridge business move from Innovation Challenge winner to City supplier with a product that supports safe and effective operations.”

The product, which won the Business-to-Business category in the city’s 2025 Maple Ridge Innovation Challenge, is designed to give operators greater control over pressurized gases used in cutting and welding.

Its automated “quick stop” handle and shut-off mechanism allow workers to immediately halt gas flow when work is paused or completed – an added safety feature the city says reduces risk on job sites.

Municipal staff have completed training and implementation, and the system is now being used in fabrication, repair and maintenance work tied to infrastructure upkeep across the city.

TorchRite Solutions president Armen Jeknavorian said the partnership highlights the benefits of municipalities testing and adopting locally developed technology.

“When municipal governments are open to locally developed innovations, it gives companies like ours the opportunity to show how homegrown solutions multiply the benefits for all parties,” he said.

The purchase also underscores the broader intent behind the Maple Ridge Innovation Challenge, a city-led program aimed at helping local businesses bring new products and services to market.

TorchRite’s success is being held up by the city as an example of how the initiative can connect emerging companies with real-world applications in the public sector.

Karen Hansen, the city’s business outreach specialist and Innovation Challenge coordinator, said the program is designed to spotlight companies solving practical problems while strengthening the local economy.

The city said details for the 2026 Innovation Challenge will be released in the coming months, with businesses of all sizes encouraged to apply.