The Ontario government has announced a series of investments in Sault Ste. Marie area businesses that are aimed to support economic development and growth.

“As part of our plan to protect Ontario, our government is making targeted investments that will drive economic growth and prosperity in Sault Ste. Marie,” said George Pirie, Minister of Northern Economic Development and Growth. “By collaborating with local entrepreneurs, we are enriching the lives of those who call Sault Ste. Marie home and do business here.”

Delivered through Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation (NOHFC), the investments are worth a combined $3.7 million.

They include:

• $1 million for the Sault Ste. Marie Airport Development Corporation to fund the construction of a 11,250-square-foot storage facility to house aircraft maintenance equipment,
• $1 million for Palmer Construction Group Inc. to purchase asphalt recycling equipment that will allow for more efficient and environmentally friendly asphalt production,
• $593,926 for China Steel Inc. to purchase new production equipment,
• $522,422 for Ontario Concrete Finishing (Soo) Ltd. to purchase a new concrete pump and surveying equipment to expand its market base in Northern Ontario,
• $312,535 for Norquay Trusses Ltd., a manufacturer of prefabricated wood building products, to expand its business and create a dedicated facility focused on the production of panel products,
• $153,507 for Wolowich Tool, a family-owned business providing tool repair services, to relocate its operations to a newly built service center to increase production capacity,
• $121,869 for Rolling Pictures, an audio and video postproduction company, to expand its machine room and purchase new equipment, and
• $45,277 for Hardwood Hill Enterprises, a family-operated manufacturer of cedar-barrel saunas, to purchase new equipment and construct a new building to increase production capacity.

"Norquay has expanded operations to include a dedicated modular prefab panel production line at our facility in Sault Ste. Marie,” said Norquay Trusses Ltd. president Scott Beaumont. “This support from the Ontario government has allowed us to grow, create local manufacturing jobs, and bring high-quality prefab rapid housing solutions to communities in Ontario."

The NOHFC fosters economic growth, job creation and workforce development throughout the North, benefiting communities of all sizes, both rural and urban, including Indigenous communities. Since June 2018, the NOHFC has invested more than $905 million in 7,309 projects in Northern Ontario, leveraging more than $2.8 billion in investment and creating or sustaining over 11,210 jobs.