TORONTO — The Ontario government has announced a new investment of $900,000 with Sudbury-based SHYFTinc. to support the creation of new jobs and continued economic growth in northern Ontario. The new partnership will help the company develop an innovative inventory management system that will make freight delivery to open-pit and underground mines safer and more efficient.
The new technology will create a streamlined delivery system on an industrial level that will track, deliver, and manage material movement in real-time and seamlessly link to mine planning and inventory controls. The investment will open the doors to several potential business opportunities to service international mining operations. Additional partners in the project include Cementation Canada, BESTECH and NORCAT.
This new investment will help bolster the province's strong mining industry. Ontario is currently Canada's No. 1 mineral producer, with the mining industry supporting more than 26,000 direct and 50,000 indirect jobs across the province.
Vic Fedeli, Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade, made the announcement at the Prospector & Developers Annual Conference in downtown Toronto.
"Our government has a plan to create a more competitive landscape where businesses and job-creators can flourish," said Minister Fedeli. "This new partnership with SHYFTinc. is a great example of the role government can play to create new opportunities for investment and economic development in Northern Ontario."
The project, administered by the Ontario Centres of Excellence, is part of the Autonomous Vehicle Innovation Network (AVIN), a key component of Ontario's Driving Prosperity auto plan. The AVIN initiative weaves together Ontario's capabilities as a leading cluster for innovation and advanced manufacturing in the automotive and information technology sectors.
This support is in addition to the more than $10.5 million Ontario announced today that the province is investing through the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation (NOHFC) in 28 companies that supply products and services to the mining industry. This investment is helping create or retain more than 180 jobs across Northern Ontario.
"We are proud to support job creators and innovators in Ontario's mining sector," said Minister Rickford. "Today's announcement with SHYFTInc. is another example of how our government is investing in the technology of tomorrow that positions Ontario as a global leader in mineral exploration and production."
Source : Ontario