TIMMINS - Provincial cash is helping Timmins businesses grow faster than anticipated.
On Tuesday, more than $1.8 million was announced for seven businesses through the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation (NOHFC). Minister of Northern Development Greg Rickford was in Timmins for the announcement held at Epitron's new west-end facility.
The electrical equipment company received a $249,197 boost through the fund.
“It helped us purchase this facility and it will fast-track us being able to hire more people, take on more work, bigger jobs,” said Jethro Skwarok, Epitron president.
The company still has its Pine Street location, which he said was getting tight.
“We picked up the fabrication part and we moved it over here. We have more room here and we’ll be looking to expand this at some point too,” he said.
They recently hired several new people, bringing the total staff to 31 between the two locations. In the coming year or two, he said they are building offices at the downtown location and will hire more people. At the west-end building, they've already maximized the space and hope to add on an additional 4,000 square feet. That will allow them to hire even more staff and take on bigger jobs, said Skwarok.
Niiwin General Partnerships is also expanding its services with its $348,671 from the NOHFC.
Owned by four First Nations — Mattagami, Matachewan, Flying Post and Apitipi Anicinapek — it works with mining companies on reclamation, infrastructure work like dams, and project and construction management.
Last year, general manager Calvin Goerk said they bought a screener for their tailings facility for Newmont Porcupine.
“So we did all the tailings screening for their face plant. We did 200,000 tonnes of tailings last year,” he said.
They're also bidding on work at Glencore Kidd mine and other local projects, and having an upcoming contract with Agnico Eagle at Macassa Mine in Kirkland Lake.
“We’re really chasing the mining outfits,” said Josh Lachapelle, project manager. “We’re right in the heart of a gold camp.”
Niiwin is also working to expand to other sectors.
It's getting into brushing and hopes to work with Hydro One and Ontario Power Generation (OPG), said Goerk.
Along with Rickford, Timmins MPP George Pirie also attended Tuesday's event.
"This funding supports local projects and the purchasing of new equipment that will help companies across Timmins create jobs, improve their businesses and grow our community," he said in a news release.
The full list of projects receiving cash is:
- $600,000 for Dr. Clean Inc., an industrial cleaning business in Sudbury, to build a facility in Timmins and buy equipment.
- $348,671 for Niiwin Limited Partnership and Niiwin General Partnership to buy mining equipment to increase their production capacity and fulfill its contract with Newmont Porcupine.
- $289,710 for Family Eye Care to buy equipment and renovated its facility to include six standard eye examination rooms and a dedicated dry treatment room.
- $249, 197 for Epitron Inc. to build a new facility for its electrical panel manufacturing operation.
- $192,615 for NPLH Drilling to buy underground mining equipment to expand its services.
- $148,539 for Smooth Percussion Inc. to buy equipent and create a heavy equipment repair company specializing in servicing drilling equipment for mining operations.
- $12,576 for Little John Enterprises to build a dual truss storage shelter to increase its storage capacity and maintain its inventory of in-demand dimensional lumber.
