Ontario Investing Over $950,000 to Support Northern Farmers

Province expanding grain storage capacity in the Algoma District

DESBARATS — The Ontario government is investing $953,032 through the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation (NOHFC) to assist Bauman Agri Services Inc., a grain elevator and transportation business, establish a new facility in Desbarats. The funding will help protect Northern Ontario’s agriculture sector by ensuring the company can better meet the needs of farmers in the Algoma District and surrounding areas.

“We’re proud to announce the successful funding and completion of a state-of-the-art grain elevator complex in the Algoma-Manitoulin region—a game-changing investment in agricultural growth, food storage capacity and logistics efficiency,” said Bill Rosenberg, MPP for Algoma-Manitoulin. “Thanks to critical funding from the NOHFC, this project marks a significant milestone for local farmers, transport operators and agri-businesses. This development supports not just local producers but the broader agricultural economy of Northern Ontario. It positions Algoma-Manitoulin as a hub for scalable, sustainable farming—laying the groundwork for long-term prosperity.”

Bauman Agri Services Inc. will use NOHFC funding to secure and set up a yard, truck scale and elevator system, grain dryer and containers for storage and shipments. The new upgrades will allow the company to accept larger amounts of grain from farmers, prepare more for storage and transport the grain, helping to preserve northern crops and expand access to new markets.

“Facing economic uncertainty resulting from U.S. tariffs, our government is investing in projects that help protect Ontario’s key industries and businesses,” said George Pirie, Minister of Northern Economic Development and Growth. “This investment will help Bauman Agri Services Inc. reach new farmers in the North, helping to grow the agriculture sector and ensure Ontario farmers can continue to sell their crops and feed communities across the province.”

Announced in June 2025, the Ontario government is refocusing the NOHFC to prioritize investments that protect northern industries and jobs, mitigate the impacts of U.S. tariffs and trade disruptions and secure new opportunities for the long-term prosperity of Northern Ontario. The renewed focus is boosting competitiveness and ensuring the North remains a leader in Ontario’s economy. This new direction is in addition to the Province’s recently announced investment of an additional $30 million over the next three years, bringing the NOHFC’s annual budget to a total of $110 million. Together, these initiatives will benefit communities of all sizes, both rural and urban, including Indigenous communities.

Quick Facts

Through its funding programs, the NOHFC offers support to public and private sector economic development projects across Northern Ontario.
Since June 2018, the NOHFC has invested more than $939 million in 7,563 projects in Northern Ontario, leveraging more than $2.8 billion in investment and creating or sustaining over 11,900 jobs.

Additional Resources

The NOHFC, Northern Development Offices and Small Business Enterprise Centres support northern communities, businesses and other stakeholders in identifying economic development opportunities and government funding programs.

Quotes

“Our government is proud to support the exceptional team at Bauman Agri Services Inc. and invest in Northern Ontario’s agriculture and food sector. Strategic investments with proven partners in Ontario’s private sector will ensure farmers across the region can grow and contribute to the sustainability of our local food supply chain. Together, we will protect and realize the immense potential of agriculture in Northern Ontario.” – Trevor Jones, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness

“The funding has helped us build a grain elevator that provides reliable service to farmers in the Algoma region and also the North as a whole. Being able to dry and store grain gives producers the peace of mind that they can harvest their grain without worrying that a truck from southern Ontario will make it on time. It also has allowed farmers to expand their farming operations and created an opportunity for new farmers to begin. Having storage in Algoma allows us to truck grain more efficiently directly to end users when they require it, rather than rushing around trucking grain to southern Ontario during harvest and then turning around and hauling it back to end users later.” – Lowel Bauman, Operations Manager, Bauman Agri Services Inc.