What are ya wearing, Kodiak or Royer? Canadian soldiers will soon have the choice after the government announced last week the award of two contracts totalling $11.7 million to Kodiak Group Holdings and LP Royer for two types of new Canadian-made boots.
Cambridge, Ontario-based Kodiak received a contract for approximately $4.2 million to provide 28,000 pairs of boots, which will be manufactured in Harbour Grace, Newfoundland. LP Royer received the second deal, valued at $7.5 million, for 52,000 pairs, which will be manufactured onsite in Lac Drolet, Quebec.
Both contracts include options to buy up to an additional 70,000 boots over four years, which could bring the contract value up to an estimated $22 million. The Kodiak Group Holdings boot is a lace-up; the L.P. Royer has a zipper as well as laces. Both styles will be a shade of brown.
According to DND, soldiers were consulted during the selection process and the two companies were selected following user trials in Quebec, Ontario and Alberta. Soldiers will now have a choice of boot when the two variants are introduced in early 2015.