Big Country Raw Will Create Sixteen New Skilled Jobs in Smithville
Photo Caption (From Left to Right): Albert Witteveen, Councillor, Regional Municipality of Niagara; Marika Swain, Senior Business Advisor, Ministry of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade; Cheryl Ganann, Mayor, Township of West Lincoln; Sarah Ripley, Director of Marketing, Big Country Raw; Adam Warrack, Director of Operations, Big Country Raw; Geraldine Brouwer, Co-Founder and Vice-President, Big Country Raw; Rob Brouwer, Co-Founder and President, Big Country Raw; Sam Oosterhoff, MPP Niagara West; Brian Teichgraf, Director of Finance, Big Country Raw, and Melanie Denis, Director of Human Resources, Big Country Raw.
NEWS
November 27, 2024
SMITHVILLE – The Ontario government is supporting an investment of $8.9 million by Big Country Raw to boost local manufacturing and create over sixteen new skilled jobs in West Lincoln.
This funding was announced today by Sam Oosterhoff, MPP for Niagara West.
"Our government is building a strong Ontario and creating the conditions for a strong economy by supporting key investments in our community," said MPP Oosterhoff.
"This investment by Big Country Raw will boost the local manufacturing sector and create new jobs for workers and families in Niagara."
Specializing in frozen raw pet food products for dogs and cats, Big Country Raw's investment will support the expansion of their current facility in Smithville. In addition to supporting the acquisition of new equipment, the project will implement new processing and packaging automation, increasing production capacity and improving product safety.
"Employing more than 800,000 workers across the province, Ontario's manufacturing sector is the economic engine of our nation," said Hon. Vic Fedeli, Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade.
"Our government is proud to support local manufacturers like Big Country Raw as they expand their operations, and we thank them for their contributions to Ontario's dynamic and growing manufacturing ecosystem."
In support of their investment, the province is providing Big Country Raw with a $1,313,906 loan at fifteen percent funding.
"This expansion project marks a transformative milestone for our business," said Geraldine Brouwer, Co-Founder and Vice-President of Big Country Raw.
"With our new 29,000 square foot facility, we are doubling our footprint, enhancing cold chain distribution, implementing advanced automation and raising food safety standards," said Rob Brouwer, Co-Founder and President of Big Country Raw.
"This investment strengthens our manufacturing capabilities, opens doors to export opportunities beyond Canada, and demonstrates our commitment to community engagement, skill development and regional economic growth. This project will create over sixteen new full-time positions at our Smithville production and cold-storage facility, while also offering additional part-time and opportunities for students."
Through its Regional Development Program, Ontario is investing $180 million to help manufacturers across the province grow while supporting distinct regional priorities. To date, Ontario has supported more than 135 projects through the program, leveraging more than $1.9 billion in new investments and helping to create over 3,500 jobs.
Quick Facts:
The government launched the Regional Development Program for Eastern and Southwestern regions of Ontario in November 2019. Through this program, businesses and municipalities can get financial support and guided access to a range of complementary services and supports.
In 2022, the Advanced Manufacturing and Innovation Competitiveness stream of the Regional Development Plan was launched to support advanced manufacturers across the province. Ontario is now providing additional funds to enhance the Advanced Manufacturing and Innovation Competitiveness stream that will help more firms with the financial support and tools needed to improve competitiveness, while strengthening essential supply chains.
The government is delivering tax support to Ontario manufacturers by continuing to offer the Ontario Made Manufacturing Investment Tax Credit to eligible businesses. These manufacturers could receive up to $2 million per year in tax support to help lower their costs, encourage innovation and enhance competitiveness.
- The 2024 Ontario Economic Outlook and Fiscal Review: Building Ontario for You continues to take a fiscally responsible and targeted approach to maintaining Ontario's competitive status and unlocking new opportunities across key sectors.
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