News Release
Strengthening Thunder Bay’s Economy
August 04, 2009
McGuinty Government Creating Jobs, Supporting Partnerships
NEWS
Ontario is supporting public and private sector partnerships that will create jobs, support skills training and promote economic growth in the Thunder Bay area.
Through the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation (NOHFC), the province is investing in four projects to support the region’s forestry sector and the city’s post secondary institutions. They include:
- New and renovated facilities to train tradespeople at Confederation College
- Research by Lakehead University to improve current forest management and harvest planning
- Technical support for the wood products industry provided by Lakehead University
- A new set of forest inventory tools to improve harvesting wood fibre
“This assistance continues our government's commitment to provide both Confederation College and Lakehead University with quality infrastructure and the financial capacity to grow the research and innovation sectors and their institutions.”
- Bill Mauro, MPP for Thunder Bay-Atikokan
“These, along with our many other investments in private and public sector development, will help strengthen and further diversify our city’s and the region’s economy.”
- Michael Gravelle, Minister of Northern Development, Mines and Forestry and Chair of the NOHFC
QUICK FACTS
- The NOHFC is providing more than $1.6 million for these four projects.
- The NOHFC’s Infrastructure and Community Development Program has provided $170 million to 343 projects since January 2005.
- The NOHFC’s Emerging Technology Program has provided a total of $16 million to 56 projects since January 2005.
- About the NOHFC
Ron St. Louis, MNDMF, 705-564-7120
ontario.ca/north-news
Backgrounder
Partners Pursue Economic Development In Thunder Bay
Ontario is making significant investments in skilled trades and forestry in Thunder Bay through the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation (NOHFC).
NOHFC Infrastructure and Community Development Program
- Confederation College will create new state-of-the-art training facilities for new technicians, technologists and new tradespeople who qualify under the Interprovincial Standards Red Seal Program. This project will build new space and renovate out-of-date training facilities into advanced, energy-efficient technical training centres. This investment will create up to eight full-time jobs and local construction jobs.
- Lakehead University will develop new research to help improve current forest management and harvest planning. The project will address some of the top needs identified by forest management professionals to improve Ontario’s wood supply. Two full-time positions and 17 seasonal field work positions will be created through this investment.
- Lakehead University will also be able to provide better technical support to the wood products industry by enhancing their wood science facilities and developing a partnership with FPInnovations – Forintek Division . This project will create up to four full-time jobs and three part-time jobs.
- Forest Ecosystem Science Co-operative Inc. will produce a new set of forest inventory tools to improve harvesting of wood fibres, while reducing forest management costs. A private sector partnership will help them market and sell the new tools. This project will create up to eight seasonal field-work positions during the first two years and two or three part-time positions in the second and third years.
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