SUDBURY – Avery Timber Limited, a Sault Ste. Marie lumber company, is getting close to $400,000 which should help create seven new jobs.

Ross Romano, MPP for Sault Ste. Marie made the announcement on behalf of Greg Rickford, Minister of Energy, Northern Development and Mines.

With this funding, Avery Timber, a subsidiary of Avery Construction Limited, will expand its production capacity by purchasing a feller-buncher and a log trailer. The two pieces of timber harvesting equipment help harvest more trees and bring more products to market.

"The forestry sector plays a critical role in Ontario's economy and is a vital economic contributor to Sault Ste. Marie and across the North," said Romano. "This investment will help create good, well-paying jobs in the Sault and strengthen Avery Timber's reputation as a responsible and productive harvester in Ontario timber. This is just one more way we are signalling to the world that northern Ontario is open for business and open for jobs."

"We are grateful for the NOHFC and MPP Ross Romano's support of our wood harvesting expansion," said Amanda Williams, representative of Avery Construction's management team. "Responsible harvesting of northern Ontario's sustainable resources is important for our area, and the Ontario government's assistance allows us to continue to create valuable and ongoing employment opportunities."

Officials say helping northern businesses expand is part of the government's balanced and prudent plan to build Ontario together. They say this plan is already creating more jobs, putting more money in people's pockets, making communities healthy, our streets safe, our commutes shorter and our government smarter.

Since June 2018, the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation has invested more than $120 million in 916 projects, creating or retaining over 2,600 jobs.