April 26, 2005

TERRACE BAY, Ontario, April 26, 2005 – The Honourable Joe Comuzzi, Member of Parliament for Thunder Bay–Superior North and Minister of State (FedNor), and Brent St. Denis, Member of Parliament for Algoma–Manitoulin–Kapuskasing, today announced FedNor support of $266,000 to the Superior North Community Futures Development Corporation (CFDC) for its ongoing operations.

“The Government of Canada strongly supports CFDCs such as Superior North in their efforts to stimulate economic growth in Northern communities,” said Mr. Comuzzi.

“This CFDC has been a significant force in assisting business growth and job creation in its North Shore service area, which includes Manitouwadge,” said Mr. St. Denis.

Superior North CFDC is one of 61 CFDCs in rural and Northern Ontario funded by Industry Canada’s Community Futures Program through FedNor.  CFDCs deliver a wide variety of programs and services to support community economic development and small business growth.  They employ local staff and are each governed by a volunteer board of directors, made up of local residents representative of the community.

In the last five years, Northern Ontario CFDCs have successfully invested more than $101 million through their loans and business counselling activities to help the small business sector create or maintain 10,621 jobs in the North.  Last year, Superior North CFDC invested $625,000 and assisted in creating 64 jobs, contributing to an enhanced business community.

“We can now invest in initiatives to foster export opportunities, enhance local tourism and assist entrepreneurs in building skills,” said Melody Mateev, Chair of the Superior North CFDC.

FedNor helps rural and northern communities strengthen their economies and create jobs.  By partnering with CFDCs, FedNor is opening doors and building futures for a prosperous Northern Ontario.

Funding for this initiative was provided for in the February 2005 federal budget and is therefore built into the existing fiscal framework.

To find out more about FedNor, visit us at:  http://fednor.ic.gc.ca

For more information, please contact:

Graeme Wilkes
Director of Communications, Office of the Honourable Joe Comuzzi
(613) 947-5850

David Frood
Communications Officer, FedNor
(807) 766-1820 or 1877 333-6673