KENORA – The Ontario government is providing $340,000 through the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation (NOHFC) to Forest Helicopters Inc. to build a new 8,000-square-foot hangar in Kenora. The company is a full-service aviation service provider with a fleet of aircraft capable of transporting passengers, materials and equipment for clients. This investment will help build a stronger Ontario by allowing this business to expand, purchase new aircraft and hire new staff.
“Encouraging economic growth and job creation in Northern Ontario is a key priority for our government,” said Greg Rickford, Minister of Northern Development, Mines, Natural Resources and Forestry. “With this investment, Forest Helicopters Inc. can expand its business to continue offering services and meet new demand, benefitting industries across the region.”
Forest Helicopters Inc. provides services to multiple sectors and local governments across the North, including diamond drilling, powerline maintenance, fire suppression, wildlife services, airborne geophysics and precision aerial construction. NOHFC funding will be used towards capital construction and to purchase equipment and will create three jobs.
“Forest Helicopters is very pleased to have the support of our provincial government. Funds provided through the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation will reinforce our ability to service the needs of our customers,” said Bart Stevensen, President, Forest Helicopters Inc. “The construction of our larger, better equipped facility will facilitate growth and attract employees. Forest Helicopters will soon reach our 25-year milestone with a commitment to be here well into the future.”
The NOHFC promotes economic prosperity across Northern Ontario by providing financial assistance to projects—big and small, rural and urban—that stimulate growth, job creation and skills development. Since June 2018, the NOHFC has invested more than $473 million in 4,244 projects in Northern Ontario, leveraging more than $1.5 billion in investment and creating or sustaining over 6,600 jobs.
Quick Facts
- In 2021, the Ontario government launched new and improved NOHFC programs that support more projects in rural northern communities and make it easier for more people and businesses to apply. The programs target existing and emerging markets, provide more work opportunities for Indigenous people and address the skilled labour shortage in the North.
Source Province of Ontario
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