Ontario Supporting Community Health and Business Growth in Sundridge

Province investing in local healthcare and creating jobs

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 29, 2023

SUNDRIDGE – The Ontario government is investing more than $865,000 through the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation (NOHFC) in two projects in the Village of Sundridge. This investment will improve municipal infrastructure, expand business operations and create employment.

“This investment demonstrates our government’s commitment to the residents of small-town Ontario,” said Graydon Smith, MPP for Parry Sound-Muskoka. “We’re strengthening access to high-quality local health care and creating jobs across Almaguin. Our government remains committed to ensuring rural areas and small towns throughout the Parry Sound region have access to the supports and resources they deserve.”

The NOHFC is funding the following projects:

· $744,567 for the Village of Sundridge to renovate and modernise the Sundridge & District Medical Centre to improve operational efficiencies, meet current accessibility, health and safety standards, and prolong the life of the facility.

· $121,320 for Tim Bryson Forestry Services to purchase equipment and upgrade facilities to increase production capacity.

“Our government is focused on creating good jobs, strengthening local economic development, and supporting business expansions across the North,” said Greg Rickford, Minister of Northern Development. “Together with our northern partners, our government continues to make Sundridge strong, healthy and vibrant.”

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 $639 million in 5,265 projects in Northern Ontario, leveraging more than $2 billion in investment and creating or sustaining over 8,420 jobs.

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Quick Facts

· 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.

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.

Quotes

“Geographically, Sundridge, Strong and Joly are 35 minutes to an hour away from other hospitals and health care centres. We are so fortunate to be able to offer our community a medical centre in the heart of Sundridge that alleviates some of the burden of travelling for services and keeps health care local for our residents. This NOHFC funding will not only help to alleviate some of the rehabilitation cost burden, it also ensures that our facility is appealing in our physician recruitment efforts.” – Justine Leveque, Mayor, Village of Sundridge

“The residents of the Township of Joly and the Sundridge area are thrilled over the new facility. This building will be more doctor-friendly and provide more room for other health care providers. It will be easier to recruit new doctors and professionals to the area with our new medical office.” – Brian McCabe, Mayor, Township of Joly

“The Sundridge & District Medical Centre renovation was one of the proudest achievements of the medical centre’s committee, composed of councillors from Sundridge, Strong and Joly. The new facility will help retain and attract medical staff to keep our aging community healthy, and the grant will really reduce the tax burden for future generations.” – Tim Bryson, Mayor, Township of Strong

“The grant process understandably has many checks and balances. The helpful staff at NOHFC made it possible to get the application done, making it well worth the effort. This grant made it possible for Tim Bryson Forestry Services to innovate, as well as move ahead with a growth plan confidently into the future.” – Tim Bryson, Owner and Operator, Tim Bryson Forestry Services

MEDIA CONTACT

Dan Powers

dan.powers@pc.ola.org