R. Robbins Trucking Keeps On Trucking

PORT HARDY – When the Island Copper mine closed in Port Hardy over two decades ago, many people chose to leave the North Island to look for work. 

Rob Robbins decided to keep on trucking, and remains today, operating R. Robbins Trucking Limited, which primarily serves the aquaculture industry and counts Mowi Canada West as its largest client. 

“I started in 1995 with one truck, and I was doing any trucking I could find in the north end of the island when the mine shut down and things were slowing down,” Robbins recalls. “That’s when the aquaculture industry started to grow. Now we have five trucks and support four families besides myself.” 

Robbins Trucking began with Stolt Sea Farms, which is now Mowi, and the owner says,“I’ve been working for the same company, with different names, since 1995. The people are the same, and most of the people I dealt with at the start are still around. 

“The aquaculture industry is what’s kept us alive all these years, and Mowi was and still is our main customer. They’ve been a good company to support our family and they’ve done wonderful things for our small community.” 

Robbins Trucking looks after Mowi’s North Island’s trucking needs, moving live product from hatcheries in Sayward to well boats to be taken out to the ocean farms. 

“They keep us pretty busy doing that,” Robbins says. “In winter time, we help move their live fish, and the rest of the year we bring their nets into the net stations to get cleaned, then bring them back out again.” 

Trucking is something Robbins always wanted to do, and was a natural choice once his 18 years at Island Copper (BHP Utah) Mine came to an end. 

“I’m one of those owner/drivers/managers all rolled into one,” he says. “My son, Cody Robbins, is also a driver and a mechanic as well. We have to be jacks of all trade in order to survive. We not only drive, but we fix everything that we own.” 

Robbins Trucking is on Steel Road in Port Hardy.