A day after indicating the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund would be ‘refocusing’ its efforts in Northern Ontario, the provincial funding agency has announced more than $1.6 million for five projects in the Timmins area.
In a June 17 news release, Timmins MPP George Pirie, the province's minister of Northern Economic Development and Growth, said the move is a direct response to tariffs imposed by the U.S. government and the trade disruption they've created.
“To build an economy that is stronger, more competitive and self-reliant, our government
is refocusing our investment priorities,” Pirie said in the release.
“The NOHFC’s new focus will help keep workers on the job and create more opportunities for businesses in Northern Ontario to thrive and grow in the face of U.S. tariffs.”
The province said these changes, which are being put into place immediately, will “protect northern industries and jobs, mitigate the impacts of trade disruptions, and secure new opportunities for the long-term prosperity of the northern region.”
It's expected the NOHFC will have a “renewed focus on driving prosperity, boosting
competitiveness, securing new opportunities and ensuring the region remains a leader in Ontario’s economy,” the province added.
This is in addition to an announcement, in January, that Ontario would add an additional $30 million over the next three years to the NOHFC, bringing the agency's total annual budget to $110 million.
In one of its first announcements following the change, the NOHFC announced more than $1.6 million for projects in northeastern Ontario, which will support projects in the areas of mining, construction, manufacturing and aviation.
The projects and their funding allotments include:
- $400,000 for The Bucket Shop Inc., located in Timmins, to purchase and upgrade equipment to improve efficiency and increase its production and field services capabilities;
- $400,000 for Superior Grading, located in Timmins, to expand its shop through the purchase of a new building, allowing for more shop space and new equipment to diversify its customer base;
- $383,949 for Kilmarnock Enterprise, located in Haileybury, to redevelop a recently purchased facility, add new welding and machining equipment to improve its service offerings, and develop a larger Northern Ontario customer base;
- $343,825 for Caron Equipment Inc., located in Timmins, to purchase new equipment to support mining activity in the area with a wide variety of services; and
- $125,916 for the Town of Iroquois Falls to enhance Iroquois Falls Airport infrastructure by installing a new jet fuel tank and dispensing equipment, as well as replacing the hangar door header.
The province said that, since June 2018, the NOHFC has invested more than $905 million in 7,309 projects in Northern Ontario, leveraging more than $2.8 billion in investment and creating or sustaining over 11,210 jobs.
