Three North Bay mining suppliers are receiving more than $560,000 in provincial grants to buy new equipment and expand their operations.
Drillco Mining and Exploration is receiving $243,280 to build a prototype of a clean-tech, ultra-deep surface drill capable of drilling diamond core drill holes to depths of up to 3,000 metres.
MinCon Canada Drilling Products Inc. is receiving $199,247 to purchase new equipment to expand its facility and improve shop productivity.
Wagg’s Petroleum Equipment Ltd. is receiving $120,413 to build an addition to its facility in North Bay.
A May 28 government news releaes said this funding from the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund will create 13 new jobs.
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“Our government is honoured to support Nipissing’s mining and manufacturing sector, which continues to create good jobs for our area,” said Nipissing MPP Vic Fedeli. “As we continue to navigate the COVID pandemic, it is important to highlight Northern Ontario as a strong and competitive region to attract new business investments.”
“Supporting local businesses as they expand and innovate will help create jobs, keep the north competitive and attract new investment,” said Energy, Northern Development and Mines Minister Greg Rickford.
“These investments are helping businesses thrive, leading to economic diversification and providing real opportunities for northerners.”
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"Our innovative ultra-deep drill was built in North Bay and is currently being tested in Canada on a flagship gold project. Successful results are allowing us to showcase the new drill to the drilling industry," said Sylvain Brisson, president of Drillco Mining and Exploration.
"The purchase of the new Mazak-Variaxis I800 CNC machine and its fixtures will improve our production efficiency and increase our capacity to produce parts at a more affordable cost. We expect that our increase in productivity will create an opportunity for existing employees to expand their skilled trades experience and create new jobs in this field," said Charlene Ylimaki, general manager of Mincon Canada.
"The recent increase in mining activity throughout the north has grown the demand for Wagg's expertise in installing and servicing fueling facilities. The Ontario government funding will help us to expand our office and manufacturing facilities in order to meet these new business opportunities," said Terry Ablett, president of Wagg’s Petroleum.
