VANCOUVER, British Columbia — Finning, the Caterpillar dealer for British Columbia, Alberta, Yukon and the Northwest Territories, last month opened a Cat Rental Store in North Vancouver.

“The future looks bright for Vancouver and the lower mainland and through the Cat Rental Store we hope to fully participate in the economic renewal of the region,” said Ian Reid, Finning president.

The rental center was the fifth Cat Rental Store that Finning opened in 2003. It also opened Vancouver, Port Kells, Cloverdale and Coquitlam, bringing to nine the total of Cat Rental Stores in British Columbia, Canada's westernmost province. Finning operates 14 Cat Rental Store locations in Alberta.

The company also sold $30 million worth of Caterpillar heavy equipment to three large Chilean mining contractors, according to The Canadian Press.

The company said its South American mining division sold the equipment to Chilean companies Movitec, Cerro Alto and ICV.

Vancouver-based Finning is No. 17 on the RER 100.