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Province provides $3.5M for northern Ontario businesses

Nipissing MPP Vic Fedeli previously announcing new funding from Northern Ontario Heritage Fund  in February 2020. (File photo) Nipissing MPP Vic Fedeli previously announcing new funding from Northern Ontario Heritage Fund in February 2020. (File photo)
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The province unveiled money for the mining, manufacturing, digital economy and forestry sectors in North Bay and Mattawa on Friday.

In Nipissing area, the Ontario government said it is providing more than $3.5 million through the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation (NOHFC) for nine projects.

“By investing in projects from varied sectors, our government is promoting a more diverse economy and supporting job creation in Nipissing,” Vic Fedeli, MPP for Nipissing, said in a news release.

“It’s one more way we are signalling to the world that Northern Ontario is open for business.”

Projects receiving funding include:

  • $1,132,558 for Miller Technology Inc. to purchase new equipment, to expand operations and to develop prototypes of the EV low-back grader to be used for underground mining.
  • $523,345 for Think On Inc. to create a security operations centre in North Bay and expand operations.
  • $353,040 for Driller’s Edge to purchase automated equipment to modernize its operations.
  • $241,500 for Pneuma-Tools Inc. to test new clean-tech rock-drill oils for use in underground mining to increase production and improve health and safety in its operations.
  • $158,855 to North Bay Machining Centre Inc. to purchase new equipment to expand operations.

The NOHFC provides financial assistance to projects big and small across northern Ontario to promote economic prosperity.

“Strategic investments will help strengthen economic development in the region,” Fedeli said.

All recipients indicated they were grateful for the funding.

“This is a huge help in increasing our production capacity, export sales, research and development, as well as job creation in the north,” said J. Daniel Bachand, president of Miller Technology Inc.

Nordic Minesteel Technologies Inc. (NMT), a mining industry service provider working to decrease environmental impact in the sector, will receive $250,000 to develop a tool to safely install and remove heavy haul truck tires.

“NOHFC funding has helped NMT grow and diversify our business by offsetting a portion of the financial risks associated with designing and manufacturing innovative and new products,” said the CEO of NMT, Ronald Elliott. “This growth has been accompanied by a change in our local employment needs as we have experienced increases in the areas of skilled trades and professionals.”

Pneuma-Tools Inc. will receive more than $240,000 and Boart Longyear Canada will receive over $50,000; both companies will develop clean-tech drilling technology to improve mining production and safety.

And the province is providing almost $850,000 in Mattawa for two forestry sector projects.

The money will be used to purchase new equipment and expand operations for both companies.

“All forestry companies are facing many challenges in the forestry sector with a shortage of skilled workers, safety concerns, higher costs of operating and the ever-rising cost of acquiring new equipment,” said Denis Janveaux, owner of Janveaux Forestry Products Ltd., in the news release.

Janveaux Forest Products, a land clearing and harvesting contractor, will receive more than $800,000.

Rejean Bedard Logging Ltd., a logging company, will receive $43,000.

Since June 2018, the NOHFC has invested more than $559 million in 4,748 projects in northern Ontario, leveraging more than $1.82 billion in investment and creating or sustaining more than 7,500 jobs, according to the news release.

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