Province says there is more money available for the north

Minister of Northern Development, Greg Rickford, gathered key stakeholders and leaders from around the region in Timmins Thursday.

Rickford was there to announce new investments in the north but also to advise that there is more money available to take communities even further.

“Twenty million dollars of investment from the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund (NOHFC) actually means $50 million in leveraged dollars, by businesses and by communities and that’s the multiplier effect,” said Rickford.

About $4 million from the latest round of disbursements from the fund are going to businesses and municipalities in the northeast with Université de Hearst receiving more than $1.2 million. The remainder will help both companies and communities with projects and equipment.

Rickford told CTV News he hopes that the $4 million being “dolled out” now will bring more economic benefits to the businesses and municipalities that have applied.

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Kapusaking will see more than $800,000 come to the community to renovate its civic building and a local steel fabrication shop.

Mayor Dave Plourde said many northern economies are starting to bounce back from difficult covid times and these types of investments will ensure that this good trajectory continues.

“The fact that they’re applying for these grants, to build their businesses and taken advantage of the money that the government’s put out there, I think show a positive light for northern Ontario,” said Plourde.

Moonbeam will see more than $650,000 flow into the community for equipment and construction for three area businesses and Attawapiskat will receive over $30,000 to build a new community pharmacy.

Mohammed Goda, owner and manager, Attawapiskat Pharmacy Inc. said, in a news release, that community members will now have access to a full services pharmacy thanks to this support.

“We want to fix those civic assets, and some of those community centers, some of those recreational facilities,” said Rickford.

“We want to build new training centers. We’re prepared to buy equipment for service companies in the mining and forest sectors.”

Rickford said the NOHFC is willing to invest in projects that will help build up the north.

“It’s building and growing in northern Ontario,” said Timmins MPP and Minister of Mines, George Pirie.

“And every mayor in every community in northern Ontario wants to see growth in their communities.”

Both Rickford and Pirie said all it takes is for businesses and communities to apply.

The money invested in Université de Hearst the teaching facility upgraded and modernized.

Hearst Mayor Roger Siguin said smaller communities need to band together and advocate for the NOHFC to approve proposals in their area.

“We have to work as a region more, more likely, right now,” said Siguin.

“If we want to have more pressure to the government and talking in one voice and bring our issues together and supporting each other.”

Officials all said they hope these investments will bring more people to the north and improve people’s quality of life.