A new government investment will support drainage and projects on farms in Ontario’s Great Clay Belt region.
The Ontario government is investing more than $1.4 million in five projects in the Northern Ontario region. The projects include several cattle, sheep and dairy farms.
This investment “will expand business operations, improve crop yields, create jobs and stimulate economic growth in the North,” according to a June 12 announcement from the Ministry of Northern Economic Development and Growth.
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The funding comes through the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation. More than half of the money will support a tile drainage project in the Cochrane area administered by the Northern Ontario Farm Innovation Alliance (NOFIA).
The rest of the funding will support projects such as a new barn for a Thornloe sheep farm and new sheds, equipment and barn renovations at other farms in the region.
George Pirie, Ontario Minister of Northern Economic Development and Growth called the Clay Belt “an area primed for more agricultural development and growth” in a release.
“Through the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund, we are protecting this region’s agri-food sector and our local food supply chain during these uncertain times. Today’s investments will help make our province’s northern economy more self-reliant, resilient and able to withstand whatever comes our way.”
Trevor Jones, Ontario Minister of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness said with this investment the government “is unleashing the potential of Northern Ontario’s Clay Belt region to become a powerhouse for agricultural innovation and growth.”
“Today’s investment in these five transformative projects marks a critical step forward in unlocking the region’s fertile lands and vast opportunities,” Jones said.
