The Ontario Government is providing a $1 million expansion loan to Little John Enterprises in Timmins, Ontario.

Little John Enterprises has a sawmill that produces value added products. The company will also receive a $250,000 conditional grant from the provincial Forest Sector Prosperity Fund.

Michael Gravelle, the Minister of Northern Development of Mines and Forestry, made the announcement in Timmins. Gravelle has just taken over the jurisdiction of forestry from the Ministry of Natural Resources.

Gravelle told the luncheon crowd present for the announcement yesterday that government support for the primary forestry industry “will continue”, but he added that “we clearly need to nurture a new industry with new ideas and I am hearing that from people.”

“I think most of you in the industry will agree that our forest sector will not look like it did in the past,” said Gravelle. To that end he says the government will work closely with the forest industry to help develop new products and markets for those products. Later in speaking with reporters, Gravelle said he continues to hear about the issue of “tenure” in forestry, where large forestry corporations hold onto vast tracts of forest land while their mills are shut down or hold onto local cutting rights while the company moves local timber to mills out of town.

Read more:
$1 million for forestry in Timmins - Minister promises action on the 'tenure' issue (Timmins Times)