Northern food producers ready to return to the big stage
Some northern Ontario agri-food producers are getting set to return to the world's largest exhibition.
Wednesday, FedNor announced it was cutting a cheque to help 45 businesses show off their wares at the 2023 Royal Agricultural Winter Fair in Toronto.
Nickel City Cheese was the backdrop as FedNor announced $680,000 to help 45 businesses participate in the fair and break into the Toronto market.
"It's a big demand, we're helping small businesses to grow their business and we got to Toronto to the Royal Winter Fair and it's amazing to see all the people from the north,” said Nicole Paquin of Nickel City Cheese.
"It's one of the great things about northern Ontario and all the things we do, but specifically in the agriculture sector,” said Neil Fox of Economic Partners Sudbury East/West Nipissing.
“There is an inter-dependency between all the businesses."
Fox said businesses here rely on each other not only for products and services, but their general knowledge on how to grow in this environment.
"For the people who are not familiar with it, it's like everything else,” he said.
“They think northern Ontario is lakes, rivers and rock cuts but it certainly is a thriving agricultural sector and we love bringing it to the people of southern Ontario.”
- Download the CTV News app now and get local alerts on your device
- Get local breaking news and updates sent to your email inbox
Nickel Belt MP Marc Serré said investments FedNor has made across Greater Sudbury and northern Ontario are important.
"Small businesses, you know we've got more high-speed connectivity now so that's important for small business,” Serré said.
“How can FedNor support that in a bigger way? And now you've got businesses in the area raising families, having children and growing northern Ontario like we need to do."
Since 2015 -- and excluding two years for COVID-19 -- businesses at the Northern Ontario Agri-Food Pavilion in the fair have generated $7.2 million in on-site and projected sales.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy set to arrive in Ottawa for first visit since war
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is set to arrive in the national capital for his first official visit to Canada since Russia launched a full-scale invasion in February 2022.
Law firm awarded $4.5 million contract for David Johnston foreign interference probe
A Toronto-based law firm was awarded a nearly $4.5 million contract to work on former special rapporteur David Johnston's ill-fated foreign interference probe.
U.S., India talking about Canada murder, no 'special exemption': Biden adviser
The U.S. is in touch with Indians at high levels after Ottawa said Indian government agents had links to the murder of a Sikh separatist leader in Canada, and Washington is giving India no 'special exemption' in the matter, U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan said on Thursday.
B.C. First Nation research finds 158 child deaths at four facilities
An investigation into unmarked graves and missing children by British Columbia's Sto:lo Nation has revealed at least 158 deaths, most of them at an Indigenous hospital.
Is a 'no-tipping' policy ready to be adopted by Canadian restaurants?
As Canadians report their frustrations with 'out-of-control' tipping culture, some wonder whether it is time to remove the option to tip at restaurants and is it even possible amid rising food costs?
Man admits to fatally poisoning Toronto toddler's breakfast cereal in 'obsessive' plot against married woman
A Toronto man has admitted to fatal poisoning of a toddler's breakfast cereal at a Scarborough residence in 2021 as part of an "obsessive" plot against a married woman.
'I don't know when we'll go': Travel plans upended amid fraying Canada-India ties
Members of the Indo-Canadian community are reeling after the Indian government suspended visa services for citizens of Canada, upending travel plans for those set on visiting the country but now caught in the crossfire of a diplomatic blowup.
'It was a mistake': Ford reversing Ontario government's decision to open Greenbelt
Premier Doug Ford said he will be reversing his government’s decision to open up the Greenbelt to developers, calling the controversial land removals a “mistake.”
'They were good men': Colleague remembers 4 B.C. wildland firefighters killed in head-on collision near Kamloops
A team leader at Tomahawk Ventures, a company contracted by the province to fight forest fires, is remembering four colleagues who died when their pickup truck crashed into a semi truck on the Trans-Canada Highway near Kamloops early Tuesday morning.