David O. drops more than a million bucks on Queen Street

NEWS RELEASE

DAVID ORAZIETTI, MPP

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Provincial Investment in Innovation Centre for Agricultural Study and Business Accelerator Hub

Today David Orazietti MPP announced a provincial investment of $1,159,660 for the Sault Ste. Marie Innovation Centre (SSMIC) for the development of two local projects.

“The Innovation Centre is helping Sault Ste. Marie develop exciting new projects that will help to drive economic growth and help local businesses improve their operations with innovative technologies,” said Orazietti. “This funding is focusing on two sectors of the Sault economy by stimulating local agricultural opportunities and creating the right conditions for entrepreneurs to create new small businesses and local jobs.”

With support from the province’s Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation (NOHFC) the Sault Ste. Marie Innovation Centre (SSMIC) received funding for the following local projects:

• $989,000 for the SSMIC’s Algoma Rural Agri-Innovation Network (RAIN), to undertake a Regional Tile Drainage Project for 2014-15
• $170,660 for the SSMIC to develop a Business Accelerator Hub located in downtown Sault Ste. Marie

The Regional Tile Drainage Project is a collaboration between SSMIC and RAIN working within the Algoma District to build a consortium of agricultural producers interested in undertaking drainage projects. 

Tile drainage represents a long-term investment, which maximizes and utilizes existing land, creating opportunities for farmers to produce high value crops such as canola or soy and create additional opportunities in the agricultural sector.

The SSMIC Business Accelerator Hub will provide an opportunity for new businesses, science and technology businesses and current incubator clients to expand their business to downtown Sault Ste. Marie. 

SSMIC staff and mentors will support the business accelerator clients which will enable companies to grow and create new jobs in the community.

“Establishing the infrastructure and support programs to help our entrepreneurs and businesses grow is critical to the future prosperity of the Sault Ste. Marie region,” said Tom Vair, executive director, SSMIC. “We are extremely grateful to the Province of Ontario for supporting this dynamic new accelerator hub in our downtown and the development of important infrastructure to advance our agricultural sector.”

The Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation (NOHFC) – Strategic Economic Infrastructure Program supports infrastructure projects that best align with the vision of the Growth Plan for Northern Ontario to help create jobs and build capacity in our northern communities. 

Since 2003, the NOHFC has invested $87 million in 728 projects in Sault Ste. Marie, creating or sustaining more than 2,687 jobs.

To learn more, find out about NOHFC and its programs and SSMIC.

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