Quebec is to have its own forklift championships.

The inaugural event will be held at Valcourt Arena on May 30 where forklift operators from the Eastern Townships (Estrie) will compete for CAD5,000 (USD3,650) worth of prizes.

The event is being developed by Quebec-headquartered forklift dealer Techlift, with the newly-formed Valcourt and Region Industrial Promotion Committee (CPIVR), which has been founded to promote economic development in the Valcourt region and to support new and expanding businesses in the area.

In each round of the Quebec forklift championship, two operators will compete simultaneously using Heli lithium-powered forklifts on technical courses supervised by referees. (Techlift is Heli’s Canadian distributor.)

The winner will receive CAD2,500, second place receives CAD1,500 and third CAD1,000.

“This type of competition, already popular in Europe, will be a first in Quebec,” organisers state. “The goal is to highlight regional talent, promote local businesses, and recognise the expertise of these workers who are essential to the manufacturing industry.”