Canada, ON: New Ontario Brewing Co. looks to expand into European market

North Bay’s New Ontario Brewing Co. will receive C$842,000 through FedNor as the local brewery looks to ramp up production and export its products to foreign markets, the Londoner reported on September 11.

Sault Ste. Marie MP Terry Sheehan, Nipissing-Timiskaming MP Anthony Rota and FedNor director general Aime Dimatteo made the announcement Friday morning through Zoom.

The funds come from FedNor’s Targeted Manufacturing Initiative for Northern Ontario, a program described as helping manufacturers upgrade and improve their capital equipment in order to increase their competitiveness and productivity.

Sheehan, who serves as the parliamentary secretary to the minister responsible for FedNor — the federal government’s economic development organization for Northern Ontario — said the funding will allow New Ontario to expand and purchase automated processing equipment.

Once complete, the project is expected to create up to 12 jobs.

“Congratulations to the entire team at the New Ontario Brewing Co. on their new expansion and for keeping the initiative on track during these extremely challenging times,” Sheehan said.

“This type of commitment is what’s keeping Canadians working safely and will help us get the economy back on track.”

Rota also credited New Ontario for producing hand sanitizer under the name Pure North.

Last month, Nipissing MPP Vic Fedeli announced New Ontario would receive C$294,000 through the Ontario Together Fund, a program meant to help businesses re-tool their operations in order to manufacture medical supplies, to help with the brewery’s hand sanitizer production.

“That’s the kind of entrepreneurship that really exists in Northern Ontario and you can see it, and Mike really epitomizes that,” Rota said.

New Ontario moved its operation this year from its previous location on Cassells Street to the former Northern Honda building on Seymour Street, increasing its production area to 12,000 square feet from 1,200 square feet. The brewery is set to hold a grand opening Saturday at noon.

Brewmaster Mike Harrison says the investment from FedNor, which will largely support the beer-making operation at New Ontario, will hopefully allow the brewery to increase its workforce to around 22 staff, from its current 10, in one year from now.

Along with wanting to get more products to market domestically, he said New Ontario also is working on export deals with the European Union.

He said the main focus will be to send products over to Ireland, and from there expand “on what we hopefully see is success in the Irish market.”

“It’s always good to see government step up, take the initiative, and then try and help us guide our business, guide our communities, forward,” he said.

13 September, 2020