THUNDER BAY — The Dawson Trail Craft Brewery will receive over a quarter of a million dollars to help modernize its operations, thanks to a repayable FedNor investment.
Local MPs Patty Hajdu and Marcus Powlowski announced the investment Monday as part of a package of $5.3 million for area technology, innovation and business initiatives.
The brewery, on Copper Crescent, will use the money to purchase and install specialty equipment, and to complete various renovations to the operation and the taproom.
Once complete, the upgrades will allow the company to do small-patch brewing on-site to supply its new tasting room, entertainment venue and existing licensees.
The project is expected to help create three full-time jobs and up to five part-time positions.
Other announcements involve much larger sums of money.
Northern Ontario Angels will receive about $1.8 million over three years to support its continued expansion in Northern Ontario.
NOA works with high-potential businesses, investors and regional partners to increase early-stage investment for start-ups.
The federal government forecasts that the initiative will help create 800 full-time jobs, but the announcement provided no specifics.
Elsewhere, the Northwestern Ontario Innovation Centre is getting a non-repayable $1 million investment to administer its Business Technology Improvement Fund.
This program provides qualifying small and medium-sized enterprises with up to $25,000 to adopt digital technologies and e-business solutions.
According to the government, the program is expected to assist up to 200 businesses, and pave the way for 35 new jobs.
NOIC will also receive $400,000 to deliver its Next Level Program, which provides qualifying businesses with up to $10,000 to support late-stage product development and commercialization.
The initiative is projected to help 45 businesses and support the creation of 22 new jobs.
NOIC will get an additional $160,000 to facilitate planning and stakeholder engagement, and offset the impacts of COVID-19.
Two other funding announcements were also made Monday.
The Centre for Research and Innovation in the Bio-Economy receives $1.3 million to develop the Ontario Forest Bio-Products Innovation Network Project.
It will create industry-driven forums with the goal of accelerating the commercialization of forest bio-products for market entry.
Confederation College also gets $378,000 to allow it to hire an industry liaison coordinator and a research technician to implement late-stage industry-academic applied pre-commercial projects such as prototype testing and demonstration.
The three-year project will focus on advanced manufacturing, forestry and renewable energy.
