Skip to content

Provincial funding brings jobs to the north

Nipissing MPP Monique Smith News Release ******************** Initial investments under a new northern assistance program are creating more than 50 new jobs and could help generate as many as 150 more jobs over time in recently launched small busines
Nipissing MPP Monique Smith
News Release

********************

Initial investments under a new northern assistance program are creating more than 50 new jobs and could help generate as many as 150 more jobs over time in recently launched small businesses across Northern Ontario.

Last spring, the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation (NOHFC) introduced the new Northern Ontario Entrepreneur Program, which offers grants of up to $125,000 to put new business ideas into action. 

This new program now generates the most applications among all of the NOHFC’s seven assistance programs.

In Nipissing, a total of $273,918 is being invested in local businesses.

Sunshine Laundromat was established with the help of a conditional grant in the amount of $65,560.

North Bay Liquid Tech received $5,707 through the Northern Ontario Entrepreneur Program and $11,412 from the Emerging Technology Program.

North Bay Solar Distribution Contracting Sales and Service received $82,750 to provide solar energy systems installation in the area.

Trista’s Trinkets and Boutique received $25,000 to establish a retail clothing business.

CHIC Hair Salon has been approved for funding in the amount of $25,000 to aid in the purchase of equipment, furnishings and renovations.

The Solarent Energy Corporation has received a total of $58,489 in conditional grants under the Northern Ontario Entrepreneur Program and the Young Entrepreneur Program to finance a specialized mobile installation centre. This new business will sell or enter into lease agreements for the installation of solar panels.

“While stabilizing and growing our larger employment sectors remains crucial to building a strong future for the North, small business will always be essential to meeting local needs for products and services. I am confident our Northern Ontario Entrepreneur Program will help grow many success stories that will contribute significantly to the critical mass of jobs in the North,” said Michael Gravelle, Minister of Northern Development, Mines and Forestry and Chair of the NOHFC. 

“By supporting the creation of small businesses in Nipissing, we are helping capable and experienced professionals, trades people and others bring great ideas to life,” said Monique Smith, MPP for Nipissing. “Each new job created by small business helps keep the momentum of economic activity growing.”

“The laundry equipment purchased is the most efficient you can buy and it has helped us to establish a green laundromat in North Bay,” said Sunshine Laundromat co-owner Tammy Brunne.”

“The NOHFC grant has been a wonderful support towards my start-up business, and the money provided has helped me make timely financial decisions that I would otherwise have to hold off on due to the lack of funds,” said Liquid Tech owner Vikas Poni.

“I am very grateful for the generous support of the NOHFC.  They allowed me to put together the resources I needed to start my business and begin promoting green energy alternatives throughout the North,” said Steven Draves, owner/operator of North Bay Solar Distribution Contracting.

"NOHFC funding has helped Solarent buy solar installation equipment and hire local solar rooftop assessors. The Entrepreneur programs have enabled Solarent to pursue our vision of growing distributed green energy in Ontario and providing homeowners a no-cost way of going green and benefiting financially," said Gavin Mctavish, CEO of Solarent Energy Corporation.

QUICK FACTS

To date across the North, a total of 46 new businesses have been launched with NOEP funding totalling more than $2 million and dozens more applications currently being processed.

In 2005, the McGuinty government restored the NOHFC’s original mandate of investing in both community development and private sector job creation. Six new programs were introduced at that time.

********************