SUDBURY – The Ontario government is providing more than $1 million through the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation (NOHFC) to two economic development projects in the Sudbury region. This investment will expand company operations and create jobs in the Northeast.

“The NOHFC is a crucial partner that First Nations, entrepreneurs, and municipalities rely on to make their vision for the North a reality,” said Will Bouma, Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Northern Development. “Ontario’s future prosperity is fundamentally based in the North and everything that benefits Northern Ontario benefits the entire province.”

The NOHFC is funding the following projects:

• $869,000 for Reliable Maintenance Products to expand its business by redesigning and expanding their facility and building an additional warehouse to provide more inventory and storage space
• $191,755 for Softub Canada to grow its business by expanding its operating space, buying new equipment and investing in information and communications technology.

“The modernization of the NOHFC programming is helping our government make a significant impact on business growth, job opportunities, and economic development here in Greater Sudbury and across the Northeast,” said Greg Rickford, Minister of Northern Development. “The two projects we are recognizing today demonstrate the positive difference our investments have on improving business efficiencies and promoting economic prosperity in communities throughout Northern Ontario.”

The NOHFC promotes economic prosperity across Northern Ontario by providing financial assistance to projects—big and small, rural and urban—that stimulate growth, job creation and skills development. Since June 2018, the NOHFC has invested more than $790 million in 6,464 projects in Northern Ontario, leveraging more than $2.3 billion in investment and creating or sustaining over 9,930 jobs.

Quick Fact

• The Ontario government launched new and improved NOHFC programs that support more projects in rural northern communities and make it easier for more people and businesses to apply. The programs target existing and emerging markets, provide more work opportunities for Indigenous people and address the skilled labour shortage in the North.

Additional Resources

• The NOHFC, Northern Development Offices and Small Business Enterprise Centres are available to support northern communities, businesses and other stakeholders in identifying economic development opportunities and assist in accessing government funding programs.
• The NOHFC’s Invest North Program boosts economic growth and attracts more investment by supporting business development, expansion and innovation.

Quotes

“The NOHFC funding has been instrumental in enabling Reliable Maintenance Products to expand our warehousing capabilities, a critical step in the growth of our local manufacturing branch. This support has allowed us to expand our manufactured product line, increase our employee base and storage capacity, and better serve our customers with improved efficiency and speed. We are incredibly grateful for NOHFC’s investment in our vision, which has not only bolstered our business but also contributed to the economic development of our community.” – Alex & Robert Bertuzzi, Owners, Reliable Maintenance Products

“With the assistance of NOHFC, we have been able to purchase state-of-the-art equipment. This investment has led to increased efficiency and improved quality in our manufacturing line, allowing us to continue growing while supporting the North.” –

Tom Lalonde, Director of Operations, Softub Canada

Media Contacts

Curtis Lindsay, Minister’s Office — 437-240-7317 — curtis.lindsay@ontario.ca

Media Desk, Communications Branch — mediadesk.ndm@ontario.ca