Province doles out funding to Iroquois Falls Airport and four other northern Ont. businesses

The Iroquois Falls Airport has a new jet fuel tank. The province provided the town with almost $126,000 to install it and to replace a hanger door.

The Iroquois Falls Airport has a new jet fuel tank. The province provided the town with almost $126,000 to install it and to replace a hangar door.

“Timmins is filling up quite a bit with their airport,” said Tory Delaurier, mayor of Iroquois Falls.

“So a lot of people are starting to come to Iroquois Falls now and land here and travel around by vehicle after that. So more airplanes are going to land here, and our prices are a little cheaper than other airports ... it’s getting a lot of attention.”

“It’s important that this airport remain viable,” said George Pirie, minister of Northern Economic Development and Growth.

“It really is a natural hub to jump off into other parts of northeastern Ontario. The small communities are very, very important. They’re the fibre that keeps our society together.”

Iroquois Falls is one of five recipients to share in a $1.6-million funding announcement from the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation.

Expand operations

In Timmins, The Bucket Shop, Superior Grading and Caron Equipment are receiving between $343,000 and $400,000. In Haileybury, Kilmanock Enterprise is getting around $344,000.

Pirie said the funding will help the businesses expand operations, create jobs, and build stronger local economies and it’s in line with the NOHFC’s new funding criteria.

Pirie said the focus will be on strengthening industries and communities to survive the threat of tariffs.

In the coming months, he said another announcement will be made in Iroquois Falls to help secure the future of the forestry sector.

“So we had great meetings just yesterday about the value-added products that we can export,” said Pirie.

“In a couple of months, you’ll hear more announcements about some forest product industries that are tariff-proof.”

“There’s going to be another announcement with the BMI group at the old mill site … and we are working on forestry stuff, too, but that’s still in the works so I can’t say too much on that front,” said Delaurier.

Pirie said the U.S. tariffs have a silver lining: they’re making the province pivot to be more self-sufficient and resilient.