Donald Champagne says the financial boost he received today will go along way in helping with the expansion of North Bay Plastic Molders Ltd. which is located in Corbeil.
Champagne's company received $359,341 of funding from the provinces Northern Ontario Heritage Fund during an announcement at Cementation on Legault Street in North Bay this morning.
"This is a huge help," said Champagne about the new facility they are moving into within the next three weeks.
"For a company like us to do such a large expansion at $4 million that any help that we can get is very welcomed."
Vic Fedeli, Nipissing MPP made the funding announcement of more than $1.5 million for five projects in the area. Fedeli says 16 new jobs have also been created along with the funding.
Those projects include:
- $359,341 for North Bay Plastic Molders Ltd. in Corbeil to expand its custom plastic moulding production services
- $352,968 for Boart Longyear Canada to develop an automated core-scanning system that uses X-ray measuring to provide clients with same-day, accurate data from drill core samples
- $250,000 for Boart Longyear Canada to develop a system that allows continuous and simultaneous drilling and coring
- $127,675 for Boart Longyear Canada in Onaping Falls to develop a diamond drilling process that uses a wireless, electronic method to provide accurate and detailed drilling parameters to the operator
- $88,355 for Cementation Canada Inc. in North Bay to create designs for an injection hoisting system that will transport rocks from underground mines with a depth of 300 to 1,000 metres
- $250,000 for Nordic Minesteel Technologies Inc. in North Bay to develop an electric vehicle prototype that can safely remove and carry components of large haul trucks
- $171,515 for North Bay Woodwork Ltd. in North Bay to expand its custom cabinetry business
Fedeli points out that many of these companies are global so giving them this funding helps give them more of an incentive to continue to stick around and possibly expand more into Northern Ontario.
"The companies themselves are spending millions to expand - in many cases millions of dollars each for expansion and this is an added incentive from the province of Ontario to expand here in the province and in the riding of Nipissing," said Fedeli.
"Many of them are North Bay companies who will be expanding so it is not only about the 16 jobs, it is about building the base. Look at Boart Longyear, they have been here for more than 100 years. This is an important expansion for them to solidify and secure the other hundreds of jobs that are already there by this expansion."
