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Romano welcomes innovative new business with $178K

Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corp. funding supports four full-time, one part-time job at Maker North
06-02-2018-MakerNorthOpeningJH04
The opening day for Maker North's 'makerspace' was held at its Church Street location Saturday, June 2. James Hopkin/SooToday

NEWS RELEASE
ROSS ROMANO, SAULT STE. MARIE MPP
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Today MPP Ross Romano attended the grand opening of Maker North at 55 Church Street – a brand new manufacturing company in Sault Ste. Marie specializing in additive advanced manufacturing.

Maker North is using new technology such as 3D printing and laser cutting to create a streamlined and more cost efficient process of manufacturing prototypes to help local entrepreneurs in their business endeavours.

“Maker North is a great innovative space for the Sault,” said Romano. “The digital economy is a growing industry around the world and is always a welcome addition to our local business community.”

The opening on Friday was made in part due to the Ontario government granting Maker North $178,000 in NOHFC funding that will create four full-time and two part-time jobs. Romano stressed the importance of NOHFC as a driver for economic development in this and future initiatives in Northern Ontario.

“I am proud to be able to present Maker North with this sizeable contribution from NOHFC,” Romano said Friday. “Our government’s desire to invest in Northern Ontario businesses not only opens the door for us to expand our economic potential in the region, but allows us to diversify our local job base in the Sault and prevent our youth from leaving home to find employment elsewhere.”

This investment was received by co-founders Helen Scott and Joseph Bertrand, who believe their business will create opportunities for local makers and entrepreneurs to make the most of their business ventures. “We are grateful to the grant from the NOHFC and very happy with the space improvements and equipment we have been and will be able to obtain with these funds” said Scott.

Bertrand echoed Scott’s sentiments adding Maker North is, “giving access to the technology of the future to help the local entrepreneur to get to the next level”.

This announcement comes days after Ontario’s new government introduced Bill 47, the Make Ontario Open for Business Act. If passed, Bill 47 would allow the process of investing and creating jobs to become easier for companies by reducing the red-tape burden and removing unnecessary regulations while implementing effective ones.

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