Investments will help build the available workforce and create new employment opportunities in the region
February 17, 2023 - Thunder Bay, ON - Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario - FedNor
Today, new investments from FedNor totalling $2,123,675 were announced for three training, skill development, and innovation initiatives in the Thunder Bay area. The announcemend was made by Patty Hajdu, Minister of Indigenous Services, Minister responsible for FedNor, and Member of Parliament for Thunder Bay-Superior North, and Marcus Powlowski, Member of Parliament for Thunder Bay-Rainy River.
Matawa Training and Wellness Centre (MTWC) will receive $1 million through the Jobs and Growth Fund (JGF) to support MTWC's Increase Skills Development Project, which provides integrated apprenticeships, essential skills, trades training, academic credits, job opportunities, and cultural supports for the nine First Nation member communities of Matawa First Nations. Specifically, the funds will enable renovations to the second floor of the MTWC facility in Thunder Bay, including the construction and upgrading of five classrooms, a computer lab, multi-use training rooms, a resource centre, and a client program area, as well as converting the garage on the main floor into an apprenticeship training workshop.
Confederation College will receive $889,975 through the Jobs and Growth Fund (JGF) to support the Evergreen Outdoor Classroom (EOC) project. The EOC will consist of a fully accessible outdoor learning site with an indoor elder's area, medicine gardens, a permanent tipi location, a pathway to the riverbank, and integrated technology to enable remote learning in First Nations communities. The EOC will enable Confederation College to host seven Indigenous-focused programs, including Embark - Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM), a new program for Indigenous women and youth.
Lakehead University will receive $233,700 through the Regional Economic Growth through Innovation (REGI) program to support the university in establishing the Centre for Healthy Ecosystems and Environmentally Conscious Economic Development (CHEECED). CHEECED will represent a multi-disciplinary cluster of university faculty with a common goal of working with industrial partners, Indigenous communities, and municipalities on natural resource initiatives. FedNor's support will help drive innovation and the adoption of advanced technologies in the natural resource sector.
