FedNor funding breakdown

GRAVENHURST — FedNor grants and loans worth $7.1 million announced Wednesday at the Muskoka Airport in Gravenhurst will go to a dozen businesses — including a pair of craft brewers — and two Community Futures groups supporting them.

The money is provided through FedNor’s Northern Ontario Development and Community Futures Programs, which support projects that promote sustainable community economic development, enhance business development and growth, and facilitate innovation throughout the region.

Robert Miller, left, operations manager of Lofthouse Manufacturing, watches as David Brushey, executive director, Muskoka Futures, introduces Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development, and the Minister responsible for FedNor, at Wednesday’s announcement at the Muskoka Airport.

 

Muskoka Futures

$2 million

Entrepreneurs in Muskoka looking to start a business or take their existing businesses to the next level will find the support and financing they need thanks to a $2-million investment by the Government of Canada. Specifically, the funding will enable Muskoka Futures to offer local entrepreneurs and small and medium-sized enterprises access to capital in the form of loans, loan guarantees and equity financing, to help them grow their businesses and become more globally competitive. Muskoka Futures is one of 24 Community Futures Development Corporations (CFDCs) funded by FedNor to serve Northern Ontario businesses and communities. CFDCs are community-based, not-for-profit organizations run by volunteer boards and staffed by experienced business and economic development professionals.

 

Lofthouse Manufacturing — Burk’s Falls

$1,950,667

A repayable contribution of more than $1.9 million will help Lofthouse Manufacturing improve and increase capacity at its manufacturing plant in Burk’s Falls. The new equipment and plant upgrades will enable the local company to meet the growing needs of its customers, as well as introduce new products, further demonstrating Lofthouse’s commitment to innovation, product development and process improvement. Specifically, the investment will help with the purchase of various highly specialized and automated processing equipment and numerous other pieces of forging and machining tools.

 

Muskoka Rock Company Ltd.: Gravenhurst

$962,000

A repayable contribution of $962,000 will enable the Muskoka Rock Company to purchase new innovative equipment and provide training for staff on its use. This will help the company increase production, streamline productivity and decrease the cost of its manufactured goods. Specifically, the investment will support the purchase of specialized saws, the upgrading and automation of its processing line, as well as a wireless-enabled bar code inventory system. As a result, the company will expand its product line while reducing its costs, thus becoming more competitive through the adoption of innovative equipment and processes.

 

Crofter’s Food Ltd. — Seguin Township

$568,326

A repayable contribution of $568,326 will assist with equipment purchases, infrastructure upgrades and the implementation of new technologies at Crofter’s Food Ltd. The investment will enable the local company to integrate plant operations, reduce operating costs and become more competitive in the global marketplace. As part of Crofters Food Ltd.’s larger expansion of its processing facility located in Seguin Township, the funding will help with the purchase of additional heating and cooling equipment, technology upgrades to equipment and building systems, and the introduction of automated systems in some of its production processes.

 

Muskoka North Good Food Co-operative — Huntsville

$399,200

Thanks to a contribution of $399,200, the Muskoka North Good Food Co-operative (MNGFC) will expand its food co-operative sales area, add a commercial kitchen and develop a food sampling café at its social enterprise cooperative in Huntsville. These enhancements will help diversify and stimulate business growth, create jobs, boost local food production, and support culinary tourism in Muskoka and Northern Ontario.

 

Lake of Bays Brewing Company Limited Inc. — Baysville

$302,000

A repayable contribution of $302,000 will allow the Lake of Bays Brewing Company to purchase and install manufacturing equipment at its soon-to-open Huntsville location. The company currently operates a manufacturing facility in Baysville and seeks to establish a small-scale brewery and retail operation in downtown Huntsville. The FedNor support will enable the company to purchase and commission the equipment required to establish an efficient and modern manufacturing facility and to increase its brewing capacity to meet growing demand for its products.

 

Parry Sound Area Community Business Development Centre

$300,000

Parry Sound-area entrepreneurs looking to start or expand a business will find the support they need at the Parry Sound Area Community and Business Development Centre Inc. (Parry Sound CB&DC). Thanks to an investment of $300,000, the local Community Futures Development Corporation will continue to offer would-be entrepreneurs a wide range of business planning, counselling and referral, and access to capital services for a one-year period.

 

Muskoka Steamship and Historical Society — Gravenhurst

$250,000

An investment of $250,000 will help the Muskoka Steamship and Historical Society design, deliver, install and market a new, 600-square-foot watershed exhibit at its Muskoka Steamship and Discovery Centre. The multi-purpose destination attraction hosts approximately 40,000 visitors annually. The key attraction to the new interactive exhibit will be a virtual aquarium featuring the history of the Muskoka watershed in 3D, including wildlife exhibits and artifacts from sunken ships. The project is expected to increase visitation to the centre from outside the region and create new business opportunities in the region.

 

Trestle Brewing Company Ltd. — Parry Sound

$200,000

A repayable contribution of $200,000 will help the Trestle Brewing Company to purchase and commission manufacturing equipment and improve processes to complete its new brewery manufacturing facility on the shores of Georgian Bay in downtown Parry Sound. Until now, the company has been manufacturing its products off-site. The FedNor support will assist with improvements to the brewhouse’s various systems, including water control, efficiency and quality control, chilling and cooling, and canning and packaging. The upgrades will allow Trestle Brewing to increase its brewing capacity to meet expected demand.

 

Explorer’ Edge Parry Sound/Muskoka (RTO12)

$125,000

An investment of $125,000 will help RTO 12 to provide area operators with tools and training on developing tourism itineraries and packages, implementing an on-line reservations system, and developing and marketing local products to international travelers with a special focus on US and China. This investment builds on RTO’s successful 2017 international marketing campaign entitled “Share Your Canada” and aims to attract even more international visitors to Northern Ontario.

 

The Network — Gravenhurst

$31,500

Thanks to a contribution of $31,500, The Network Gravenhurst will recruit a recent  post-secondary graduate to help implement the “Town Crier” initiative, a Muskoka-wide technology platform for communicating with residents and visitors in the downtown areas of Gravenhurst, Bracebridge and Huntsville. Working with the Town Crier team, the intern will use current technology and public Wi-Fi to engage visitors and promote area businesses through paid advertisements in exchange for free public Wi-Fi in downtown spaces. This innovative initiative will allow local businesses to easily reach out to visitors in the downtown cores throughout the region.

 

Township of Armour

$13,440

The Township of Armour will receive $13,440 in FedNor support to help complete a Target Sector and Business Opportunity Analysis (TSBA) for the Central Almaguin area. The TSBA project will promote available commercial properties to potential developers, research innovative approaches to agriculture and attract skilled agricultural entrepreneurs, and lead to the development of an overall economic situational analysis for the communities of Burk’s Falls, Armour and Ryerson.