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Ontario invests $1.5 million in tile drainage and other ag projects

The Ontario government is providing just over $1.5 million to four agriculture projects in the Sault Ste. Marie area as part of the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation (NOHFC), an initiative to boost economic growth, create jobs and improve quality of life in northern communities.

Of those four projects, two are tile drainage projects valued at $683,725 and $429,910 each. The Sault Ste. Marie Innovation Centre will complete two tile projects across more than 2,000 acres of farmland in the Algoma and Manitoulin regions. The project will create 14 new jobs and benefit 21 area producers.

The other allocations are funding for a specialized bacteria inoculation facility and support for a winery to renovate its facility.

Greg Rickford, minister for northern development, mines, natural resources and forestry said in a statement that the ag sector is “a key driver of economic growth in Northern Ontario… These investments will help our agriculture sector grow and thrive, providing good job opportunities for northerners.”

David Thompson, RAIN manager for the Sault Ste. Marie Innovation Centre, added that the regional tile drainage program “has increased crop yields and helped producers be more prepared for climate change in Algoma and across Northern Ontario. This funding will further encourage increased investment in the agri-food sector to produce quality crops for decades to come.”