TIMISKAMING – The Ontario government is providing more than $944,000 through the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation (NOHFC) for 34 job placement opportunities in Timiskaming–Cochrane. This investment will help businesses expand operations and develop Northern Ontario’s workforce.

“The Ontario government is making targeted investments in Timiskaming–Cochrane to create real opportunities for diverse local talent to gain essential skills and build meaningful careers,” said Greg Rickford, Minister of Northern Development. “Together with our northern partners, we are creating highly skilled, good-paying jobs that will boost economic growth and prosperity in the North.”

Investments include:

• $50,857 for the Corporation of the Township of Black River-Matheson to hire a Medical Recruiter to plan and implement a physician recruitment strategy and an Economic Development Assistant to assist with marketing, communications and updating the township’s economic development strategy
• $37,544 for Northwood Recovery Clinics Inc. to hire a Registered Practical Nurse Intern to provide addiction treatment and mental health support services to patients
• $35,000 for the Northern Policy Institute to hire a Big Data Analytics intern to identify potential private and public sources of alternative data to inform policymaking and allow deeper understanding of social and economic issues in northern communities

• $16,760 for the Northern Ontario Farm Innovation Alliance to hire a Marketing and Development Intern to assist with marking and project management and develop new projects related to crop production and niche agriculture

The Ontario government is supporting local internships through the NOHFC’s People and Talent Program. The program supports a wide variety of internships, including skilled trades, and addresses the unique needs of other in-demand jobs. Program candidates include new entrants into the workforce, those transitioning to a new career, the unemployed and underemployed.

“Our government has removed barriers to participation so more businesses can provide on-the-job career development, address skilled labour shortages and create more opportunities for a broader range of interns, including more opportunities for Indigenous youth,” said Minister Rickford.

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 $608 million in 5,070 projects in Northern Ontario, leveraging more than $1.93 billion in investment and creating or sustaining over 8,100 jobs.

Quick Facts

• 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

• Download a listing of all internship projects related to this news release [XLS]

Quotes

“Agriculture is a major driver of economic activity in Northern Ontario, supporting over 7,835 jobs and contributing over $522 million in GDP to the provincial economy. The Northern Ontario Farm Innovation Alliance (NOFIA) works to advance agriculture across Northern Ontario through applied agricultural research and innovation. Thanks to support from the Ontario government, NOFIA is able to continue supporting economic development across the industry.” – Yves Gauthier, President, Northern Ontario Farm Innovation Alliance

“The NOHFC’s workforce development internship program is a real competitive advantage for organizations in Northern Ontario and a perfect complement to Northern Policy Institute’s summer student program, Experience North. We often use the summer program to identify and attract talent for lasting employment post-graduation.” – Charles Cirtwill, President & CEO, Northern Policy Institute

Media Contacts

Erika Robson, Minister’s Office — 416-450-1309 — erika.robson@ontario.ca

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