Ontario Strengthening the Community of Fort Frances and the Township of Alberton

Press Release

September 22, 2022

$85,600 provincial investment will build stronger, safer communities

FORT FRANCES – The Ontario government is providing $85,600 through the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation (NOHFC) for projects in Fort Frances and the Township of Alberton. This investment will help increase accessibility to food supplies in remote and First Nations communities and support critical municipal services to improve the quality of life in the North.

“Community investments that ensure safety and food security for those in remote and First Nations communities and strengthening infrastructure are key priorities for our government,” said Greg Rickford, Minister of Northern Development. “Through these targeted investments, we are continuing to deliver on our work to make Fort Frances and the Township of Alberton – and all northern communities – stronger, more resilient and more prosperous.”

Projects receiving NOHFC funding include:

• $69,400 for J.N. Webb & Sons Ltd. – a wholesale grocer in Fort Frances – to expand its freezer and storage spaces. This expansion will help meet the growing demand for fresh food among the First Nations community and tourist camps.

• $16,200 for the Township of Alberton to replace its Firehall’s manually-operated garage door with a new, automatic garage door. The upgrade will decrease the response time of the emergency volunteers by increasing the efficiency of the opening and closing and removing the need for the response vehicle to stop.

The NOHFC promotes economic prosperity across Northern Ontario by providing financial assistance to projects—big and small, rural and urban—that stimulate growth, job creation and skills development. Since June 2018, the NOHFC has invested more than $559 million in 4,748 projects in Northern Ontario, leveraging more than $1.82 billion in investment and creating or sustaining over 7,500 jobs.

Quick Facts

• In 2021, the Ontario government launched new and improved NOHFC programs that support more projects in rural northern communities and make it easier for more people and businesses to apply. The programs target existing and emerging markets, provide more work opportunities for Indigenous people and address the skilled labour shortage in the North.

Quotes

“J.N.Webb & Sons Ltd. has been serving northwest Ontario for over 70 years. With the assistance of the Ontario government and Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation, we have been able to modernize our freezer and make our warehouse more efficient. We appreciate the support from the Province of Ontario in helping us make this happen.”
– Larry Webb
Owner, J.N Webb & Sons Ltd.

“Where seconds count in an emergency situation, the funding provided by NOHFC to install automatic doors will improve the Volunteer Fire Department response times while improving the health and safety of our valued volunteer brigade.”
– Mike Ford
Reeve, Township of Alberton

Additional Resources

• The NOHFC, Northern Development Offices and Small Business Enterprise Centres are available to support northern communities, businesses and other stakeholders in identifying economic development opportunities and assist in accessing government funding programs.

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