Minister touts success of Heritage Fund

Ontario’s Northern Development Minister is touting the importance of the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund.

Greg Rickford spoke Monday to a provincial parliamentary committee about his ministry’s programs.

Rickford says the heritage fund is an important tool for economic development in the region.

“The Northern Ontario Heritage Fund has invested more than $685,000,000. I want to repeat that $685,000,000 in 5656 projects in Northern Ontario. It’s leveraged more than $2.3 billion in investment and has created over 9000 jobs since 2018. That’s a lot of good work,” says Rickford.

The program has been allocated more than 100 million dollars for the next fiscal year.

Rickford says they have improved the program to ensure more communities and projects have access.

“It makes it easier in Indigenous communities. It makes it easier for more people and businesses to apply, target existing and emerging markets, provide more work opportunities for Indigenous people in their communities, and address the skilled labour shortage in the north. Through these improved programs, we are building stronger, more resilient communities while supporting an environment where businesses can thrive, grow, and create jobs,” says Rickford.

Rickford notes that Indigenous communities are taking greater advantage of the program.

Nineteen per cent of allocated during one business quarter this year went to First Nations-led projects.

In the past, it would reach between one and two per cent.

“That’s never been done before. The reason that it’s been doing that, and the reason that it’s climbing up slowly, is because we have been able to make this a friendlier program for more communities, particularly First Nations communities and smaller townships.”

Rickford says Ministry staff also provide additional support and not wait for projects to come in.

“We’ve done the consultations. We’ve implemented a modern Northern Ontario heritage fund, and now our people are actually going out to the communities proactively, armed with assistance in helping fill out the applications if necessary.”