With the prospect of an early provincial election looming large, Northern Ontario Heritage Fund (NOHFC) worked overtime in making a spate of announcements in the last week.
More than $16.8 million has been dispensed in recent days to fulfill the infrastructure to-do lists for many municipalities and Indigenous communities, to give tourism and cultural events a boost, and to broaden the footprint and outfit of a number of successful businesses.
A number of Far North and Highway 11 communities and businesses landed a $2,544,579 bundle from the province, as announced on Nov. 20.
The largest allocation of funding went to Moose Cree First Nation with $500,000 converted the community’s heating system from one reliant on fossil fuels to one that’s biomass-powered. It stands to substantially lower heating cost for the community.
“Not only will the conversion to green energy reduce our heating costs, but biomass energy allows the opportunity for economic development in our area as it creates local employment in fibre acquisition, transportation, administrative roles and systems operation and maintenance,” said Stan Kapashesit, Moose Cree’s associate executive director, in a news release.
Other regional projects to receive funding were:
- $460,769 for Kapuskasing Golf Club to purchase equipment and complete renovations to improve the club’s offerings and extend the useful life of the clubhouse
- $435,006 for the Town of Smooth Rock Falls to repair the Reg Lamy Cultural Centre to help maintain the facility to support local sports, such as curling, golf and hockey
- $271,614 for Diversified Forestry Inc. to purchase equipment to meet the growing demand for mulching, brush clearing, land clearing and line cutting services in Northeastern Ontario
- $200,000 for the Township of Opasatika to renovate and upgrade The Community Hub to provide residents with access to modern and accessible social, recreational and fitness amenities
- $179,872 for the Township of Moonbeam to build an addition to its cultural centre, improving the space to allow for more exhibits and hands-on art experiences for community members and tourists
- $150,000 for Cedric Lacroix to purchase forestry equipment
- $103,600 for a numbered company, 2796866 Ontario Inc. to purchase equipment and build a hay storage dome.
- $123,000 for Boissoneault Logging Inc. to buy equipment for its harvesting and skidding services
- $76,000 for Virtucore Builders for office renovation and to build a new warehouse.
- $29,134 to Kapuskasing Curling to purchase equipment to install, maintain and remove curling ice
- $19,584 for Le samaritain du nord Hearst to renovate the food bank facility and purchase equipment to improve its food distribution system
In Iroquois Falls, a total of $581,077 went into four community projects. The biggest winner was the municipality with $429,044 being spent to install a new roof membrane to the Jus Jordan Arena.
Other funding and local recipients were:
- $67,613 for Abitibi Golf Club to renovate the clubhouse and purchase equipment to improve the golf course greens, extend the life of the clubhouse and make the facility more suitable for hosting events for club members and the broader community;
- $63,698 for Cochrane Curling Club to replace the roof shingles after the facility received water damage. New insulation was added and ceiling tiles were replaced in the club lounge; and
- $20,722 for Porquis Recreation Association to purchase a backup power system for the community centre to ensure the facility's operation can be sustained even in emergencies, which will benefit the community and support emergency services.
Seven Timmins businesses received a total of $1,841,307 for expansions and equipment purchases.
Dr. Clean Inc., a Sudbury industrial cleaner, pocketed $600,000 to build and outfit a new location in Timmins.
Other successful projects were:
- $348,671 for Niiwin Limited Partnership and Niiwin General Partnership Inc. to purchase mining equipment to increase their production capacity and fulfill their contractual obligations with the Newmont Porcupine mining company;
- $289,710 for Family Eye Care to purchase equipment and renovate its facility to include six standard eye examination rooms and a dedicated dry eye treatment room;
- $249,197 for Epitron Inc. to build a new facility for its electric panel manufacturing operation;
- $192,615 for NPLH Drilling to purchase underground mining equipment to offer a wider range of services by expanding into the underground mining market;
- $148,539 for Smooth Percussion Inc. to purchase equipment and establish a heavy equipment repair company, which specializes in servicing drilling equipment for mining operations; and
- $12,576 for sawmiller Little John Enterprises to build a dual truss storage building to protect its softwood and maintain an inventory of in-demand dimensional lumber.
Businesses and communities on Manitoulin Island collectively netted $4,658,828, announced on Nov. 18, to fund 11 projects that involve making upgrades to infrastructure and to better feature local culture and talent.
Sheshegwaning First Nation has earmarked $1,595,959 for the first phase of construction of its Leadership Centre, a gathering space for community functions. The venue will house displays for an exhibition gallery and interpretative centre, a traditional fire arbor, host business incubation areas, a healing lodge and cultural sanctuary.
In a statement, Joan Sheppard, Sheshegwaning First Nation’s executive director, called the Leadership Centre an “integral part of the growing community infrastructure.” She anticipates this is only the first of more future expansions.
“This centre will be a hub for economic activity and development in Sheshegwaning, housing existing businesses and promoting ongoing expansion of the local business community. Funding from a variety of sources, with NOHFC as a lead funder, has made this project a reality and we look forward to occupancy in the coming months.”
Other recipients include:
- $695,832 for the Township of Billings to rebuild its fire hall as a functional facility supporting the operation of fire protection services in the community;
- $500,000 for the Town of Gore Bay’s downtown revitalization for what Mayor Ron Lane said is a “transformative step” toward “creating an inviting space that benefits residents, businesses and visitors alike";
- $479,409 for Dada Picture Corp. which is shooting a feature film on the island;
- $418,893 for E Corbiere & Sons Contracting, an Indigenous-owned business, to purchase equipment;
- $279,810 for the Wikwemikong Development Commission to upgrade its pellet silo storage distribution centre to reduce Wiikwemkoong Unceded Territory’s reliance on fossil fuel;
- $200,000 for Aundeck Omni Kaning First Nation to install a kids splash pad on community grounds;
- $200,000 for Palace Hillside Farm to purchase and install a grain drying storage system for its harvested crops. Co-owner Johanne Renecker is planning a more diversified cropping program focusing on both feed and food grade crops;
- $161,078 for the Dawson Citizens Improvement Association to repair and upgrade the exterior of the Meldrum Bay Community Hall;
- $112,500 for the Manitoulin Island Cycling Advocates to create the Channel View Mountain Bike Park by redesigning 80 acres of a former ski hill into mountain bike trails; and
- $15,347 for the Dawson Citizens Improvement Association to repair the roof of the Meldrum Bay Marina building.
The North Bay area has been a big beneficiary of Heritage Fund money this fall. On Nov. 15, $58,539 was allocated for four projects in the the cultural, tourism and travel fields, including:
- $15,000 for the North Bay Film Festival to enhance its advertising efforts to reach a broader audience and attract tourists. The festival will showcase contemporary cinema and highlight Canadian, Indigenous and Northern Ontarian filmmakers;
- $15,000 for the Winter Market Experience, organized by the Tourism North Bay Association, to host an outdoor winter market and wonderland experience in downtown North Bay;
- $15,000 for the Northern Ontario Regional Tourism Organization to organize the Northern Ontario Summit. This summit will bring together tourism businesses, organizations, suppliers and government representatives to promote the tourism sector in Northern Ontario; and
- $13,539 for the Powassan Fall Fair, organized by the Powassan Agricultural Society, to purchase and install new bleachers, contributing to the long-term sustainability and quality of the fair. The family-friendly event will feature activities such as agricultural competitions, a demolition derby, a rescued animal petting zoo and local vendors.
“By investing in Nipissing’s events, together with our partners we are increasing our community profile and attracting positive economic spinoffs,” said Vic Fedeli, MPP for Nipissing. “Events like the Powassan Agricultural Society’s Fall Fair are annual events that local families and tourists from afar have come to enjoy. NOHFC’s financial support will help maintain the fair’s sustainability for future events.”
On the research side, $559,910 in NOHFC funds were handed to Thunder Bay’s Lakehead University on Nov. 15 to support the expansion of its soil structure interaction testing facility. The university sees this investment as allow the institution to provide advanced soil testing services to attract new research opportunities, students and industrial clients.