Manufacturing and Machinery:

There are approximately 1,600 manufacturing firms that operate in Northern Ontario, employing close to 35,000 people. They produce a broad and expanding range of products worth nearly $10 billion annually - from steel tubes and subway cars to computer hard drives, chemicals and plasticized fabrics, manufacturing is growing across Ontario's North.

Investing in education and skilled trade training

Constantly changing technologies mean that students, employers and workers need ready access to state-of-the-art education and training opportunities.

That's why Ontario and its partners are spending $2 billion to create more than 135,000 new student spaces at colleges and universities throughout the province. A total of 74 new post-secondary capital projects, many in the rapidly growing fields of science and high technology, are now underway at campuses across Ontario. More than $115 million is being invested in campuses in the North.

Recognising the growing need for skilled workers to meet the demands of an expanding economy, we have expanded apprentice training programs. A 25% refundable tax credit on salaries and wages paid to new apprentices helps offset employers'costs.

Colleges across the North also work closely with industry to provide corporate training programs, co-op and intern placements, and the classroom components of apprentice training programs.

Spectacular location

Whether you are supplying New York, the US Midwest, or the far reaches of the globe, Northern Ontario is a strategic location for manufacturing facilities. The North is just a day's drive from 106 million consumers, and within easy access of major U.S. centres such as Boston, Chicago, Detroit, Minneapolis, and New York.

With two Trans-Canada highways, two ports, excellent air service, four railways, and four border crossings to the United States, people and products flow easily across the continent or around the world.

Thanks to the joint Canadian - U.S. Fast and Secure Trade (FAST) program and relatively low traffic volumes at northern border crossings shipments can be processed quickly and efficiently.

Look at just a few of the companies that are already here...

Located in Sault Ste. Marie, AlgomaTubes is the only seamless pipe mill in Canada with an annual production capacity of 250,000 tons, mainly for the domestic energy industry. Bombardier Transportation builds commuter rail and subway cars for Canadian, U.S., Mexican, and Turkish transit agencies in Thunder Bay.

Fabrene Inc. produces plastic - coated continuous fabric for customers worldwide at its plant in North Bay.

Filtrec North America manufactures all of its industrial filters for Canada, U.S., and Mexico in Sault Ste. Marie.

ERCO Worldwide's new chemical plant in Thunder Bay produces 5,000 metric tons of sodium chlorite per year.

Cold weather is a valuable commodity in the Timmins area where several automotive manufacturers have established their permanent North American testing facilities. Other products that are being winter tested include snowblowing equipment, automotive fluids, and mining machinery.