Municipalities across Canada are always looking for smart, efficient ways to deliver services and support their communities. Portable structures offer a practical and flexible solution—ideal for everything from seasonal storage to long-term infrastructure support. With quick installation and long-lasting durability, they help public works and parks departments stay responsive and resourceful.

At FastCover, we specialize in manufacturing high-quality fabric buildings that serve the evolving needs of towns, cities, and rural municipalities. Whether you’re storing road salt or creating a facility for community events, our buildings are engineered for reliability, fast installation, and adaptability.

Why Portable Structures Are Ideal for Municipal Use

Municipal operations benefit from structures that are not only cost-effective, but also easy to relocate, scale, and maintain. Our portable fabric shelters deliver on all fronts:

• Rapid deployment: Install in days, not weeks—ideal for municipalities needing quick turnaround on projects like storage, temporary staff stations, or event infrastructure
• Budget-friendly: Lower up-front and long-term maintenance costs than permanent buildings.
• Built for Canadian weather: Engineered for snow load, wind resistance, and UV protection.
• Reusable and mobile: When your needs change, FastCover buildings can be moved or reconfigured.

5 Common Municipal Uses for Portable Fabric Buildings

1. Salt & Sand Storage

Protect road materials from rain and snow while keeping them easily accessible during winter operations. FastCover buildings offer durable protection with proper ventilation to maintain material quality.

2. Public Works Equipment Storage

Safeguard essential vehicles and maintenance equipment—like graders, plows, and skid steers—under durable, weather-resistant shelter. Our high-clearance buildings allow for easy drive-through access and efficient use of space.

3. Parks and Recreation Facilities

Use portable shelters to support seasonal activities like skating rinks, agricultural fair grounds, or equipment rental kiosks. Structures can be customized with roll-up doors, insulation, and lighting to suit specific recreation needs.

4. Temporary Operations Centers

During infrastructure upgrades or emergency situations, municipalities can use portable structures as field offices, command centers, or rest areas for staff—without needing permanent construction.

5. Event Support and Storage

FastCover buildings are a great solution for storing bleachers, fencing, tents, and signage used for community events. Some municipalities even use them as staging areas or sheltered gathering spaces for festivals and farmer’s markets.

Built for Long-Term Value

Our portable buildings are manufactured in Canada using powder coated steel frames and high-quality fabric covers. They’re designed to perform year after year—even in harsh environments—and can be customized to meet your operational requirements.

Whether you’re a small town managing snow removal or a city running multiple recreational programs, FastCover has a solution that works for your site.

Ready to Equip Your Municipality with a Reliable Shelter?

Contact FastCover today to explore how our portable fabric buildings can help your public works and parks departments operate more efficiently, season after season.

FastCover tension buildings are built to withstand harsh Canadian winters, offering reliable protection against heavy snow, freezing temperatures, and strong winds. By adding fabric building insulation, you can enhance thermal performance, maintain a stable interior climate, and improve energy efficiency, making them an ideal choice for a variety of applications in extreme conditions. Giving you the benefits of a permanent structure, without the associated costs and construction time.

Continue reading “Enhancing FastCover Fabric Structures with Rigid Styrofoam Insulation” →

Outdoor hockey rinks (ODRs) bring communities together, offering a classic Canadian experience that many players and fans cherish. However, because they’re fully exposed to the elements, ODRs can be tough to maintain. Snow, rain, high winds, or even too much sun can make the ice challenging to manage and create less-than-ideal conditions for skaters and spectators.

That’s where fabric buildings come in. Designed to withstand weather while preserving the open-air feel, these shelters can create a fantastic environment for outdoor hockey. With retractable sides, they’re a flexible option for keeping the rink protected when necessary while also keeping things fresh and accessible on milder days.

Continue reading “The Perfect Solution for Outdoor Hockey: The Covered ODR” →

As the days get shorter and temperatures begin to drop, preparing your canvas building for winter is crucial to ensure it stands strong against the elements. Whether you’re using your fabric structure for storage, livestock, or equipment, proper winterization will extend its lifespan and protect its contents. Here’s a comprehensive guide on how to get your canvas building ready for our harsh winters.

Continue reading “Winterizing Your Canvas Building: Essential Steps for Harsh Winters” →

First Mining Springpole Project | Mining in Northern Ontario

Mining operations in Northern Ontario face unique challenges, especially when it comes to warehousing and storage at remote sites. Harsh weather conditions, limited access, and the need for secure storage solutions make finding the right building essential. With multiple remote sites and 800 hectares to cover at this site, First Mining required portable fabric buildings that could easily be transported and erected on remote sites.

The Requirements | Portable Storage for Remote Mining Sites

In the mining industry, core samples are one of the most important assets. These samples provide critical data on the value of mineral rights and future profitability. FastCover portable buildings are designed to meet the requirements that the mining industry demands. The building needed to have the ability for storing the samples while maintaining security, protection from harsh elements, and room to comfortably move within the structure.

Our 38’ wide x 104’ long fabric structures provided a robust solution for secure storage for up to four sets of core sample racking, keeping these valuable samples safe from the elements and unauthorized access. The tight seal of our buildings ensures protection from moisture and temperature fluctuations, safeguarding the integrity of the samples over time. But what sets the buildings apart is their portability.

Custom Features of the Portable Storage Building

• Due to the remote mine locations, limited on-site supervision and the potential for extreme snow and wind conditions the truss spacing on all of First Mining’s storage buildings were tightened up to 8’ spacing as opposed to the standard 10’ spacing on this type of FastCover. This will ensure that the structures have the ability to withstand much harsher conditions especially when access to them is limited to air or water transportation during certain times of the year.
• The overhead doors are 16’ wide x 14’ high Accutrack steel reinforced fabric roll-up doors c/w 4:1 aspect ratio chain hoist lift mechanisms on all buildings. This style of door remains cost-effective but adds a greater element of security from the elements. Steel tubing encased in pockets at 2’ intervals on the fabric door riding inside C channels on each side of the opening providing excellent protection from the harsh elements.
• The building covers feature green trim with the majority of the main cover white to match the other buildings on the property.
• No lighting was required in this application as the white fabric lets 80% of natural light through for great working conditions during daylight hours
• A 36″ x 80″ man door was installed in each building to allow the on-site personnel easy access to the interior when the larger door is not required for equipment access. The steel insulated pre-hung door include a sill and brickmold for a clean installation and a keyed lock.
• The ground conditions varied from site to site. In some instances, we were able to secure the customer’s structures using our larger screw anchors. Some sites were more challenging as we encountered not only large boulders but areas of bog. In these instances we devised a system of hardware, cabling and turnbuckles, drilled into the rock and anchored the buildings appropriately.

In some instances, the FastCover buildings are being flown in by float plane when winter roads or barge travel is not accessible. The design of the components, when unassembled, make FastCover buildings a perfect choice to get into remote sites, easily erect them with no permanent foundation, and relocate them in the event their service is required elsewhere. If you’re facing similar challenges at your mining site and need a reliable building solution, FastCover has you covered—no matter how remote or rugged your location.

We purchased our first structure from Fast Cover back in 2016 and are now up to 8 structures located on 3 of our northern Ontario mining/exploration properties where they are used to securely store the core samples out of the elements. The structures needed to be able to withstand the harsh winters yet be easily transported and erected at even our remote sites. Fast Cover assured us that they could deliver and erect the portable structures to our sites on time and budget. Fast Cover’s company rep looked after our account from sale through delivery to the logistics of the construction schedule and all went smoothly. We are very happy with both the product and service that we received from Fast Cover and look forward to working with them again in the future.

– Laird T, Manager, Mineral Projects & Properties