Ontario Boosting London Economy with Over 700 Jobs

May 1, 2018, 10:00AM: Ontario is partnering with local businesses in the London area to create 283 new jobs and retain 435 positions in the manufacturing, fintech, telecommunications and food processing sectors.

The province's investments in London include the following partners and projects:

Hanwha L&C Canada makes high-end quartz based building materials for residential and commercial construction, including countertops and flooring. With support from the Southwestern Ontario Development Fund, the company is expanding its facility and purchasing a second production line. The new production line will allow the company to respond to changing consumer trends, including demand for larger slab sizes and products that mimic a variety of natural stones, such as Calacatta marble, which will require R&D and new robotic "drawing" machines.

Lamko Tool & Mold is a leading automotive manufacturer of plastic injection and compression molds and surface finishing primarily for use in the auto industry. With support from the Southwestern Ontario Development Fund, the company will invest in new machinery and facility modifications to increase production capacity.

Sciencetech Inc. designs and manufactures optical spectroscopic instruments and solar simulators, which are used in fields including medical research, biotechnology, space sciences, analytical chemistry and more. With support from the Southwestern Ontario Development Fund, the company is expanding its facility and purchasing new equipment in order to increase production.

Sikorski Sausage Co. produces the highest quality smoked deli meats and offers more than 100 different meat products. With support from the Southwestern Ontario Development Fund, the company is expanding its facility and purchasing new equipment that will enable it to introduce two new ready-to-eat products to the North American market.

Start.ca offers high speed Internet, digital phone operations and hosting services. With support from the Southwestern Ontario Development Fund, the company is consolidating operations and moving to an 80,000 square feet facility to increase capacity. The company is investing in technology, including a skills-based routing phone system and a fibre network in London, and is also currently building a data centre for server hosting.

Zomaron Inc. provides secure retail, e-commerce and virtual payment processing services to Canadian customers. With support from the Southwestern Ontario Development Fund, the company will introduce a new charitable donations platform called Givepoint. 

QUOTES

" Supporting regional investments is a key priority for our government to ensure that every part of the province is benefiting from strong economic growth. We are pleased to partner with forward-thinking companies looking to invest in Ontario, and to help spur the innovations that will enable their successes."
- Jeff Leal
Minister Responsible for Small Business

" These regional investment funds are helping to create good jobs and supporting companies that are pursuing innovations that will help them stay competitive in today’s global economy. This is great news for London and Southwestern Ontario."
- Deb Matthews
MPP for London North Centre

" We are thrilled to support these businesses from diverse industries including advanced manufacturing, digital creative and food processing. These sectors have been creating jobs, attracting investments and making London a hub for innovation."
- Kapil Lakhotia
President and Chief Executive Officer, London Economic Development Corporation

QUICK FACTS

• Hanwha L&C Canada: Ontario is investing $1.5 million from the Southwestern Ontario Development Fund, supporting an additional investment of $21,799,600 from the company. The project will create 85 new jobs, help to retain 107 existing positions and is expected to be completed by December 2018.
• Lamko Tool & Mold: Ontario is investing $434,050 from the Southwestern Ontario Development Fund, supporting an additional investment of $3,906,450 from the company. The project will create 10 new jobs, help to retain 79 existing positions and is expected to be completed by November 2020.
• Sciencetech Inc.: Ontario is investing $161,400 from the Southwestern Ontario Development Fund, supporting an additional investment of $1,183,600 from the company. The project will create 13 new jobs, help to retain 26 existing positions and is expected to be completed by March 2022.
• Sikorski Sausauges Co.: Ontario is investing $329,724 from the Southwestern Ontario Development Fund, supporting an additional investment of $2,967,525 from the company. The project will create at least 10 new jobs, help retain 56 existing positions and is expected to be completed by May 2022.
• Start.ca: Ontario is investing $324,700 from the Southwestern Ontario Development Fund, supporting an additional investment of $2,922,500 from the company. The project will create 127 new jobs, help to retain 117 existing positions and is expected to be completed by December 2021
• Zomaron Inc.: Ontario is investing $239,000 from the Southwestern Ontario Development Fund, supporting an additional investment of $3,412,700 from the company. The project will create 38 new jobs, help retain 50 positions over multiple phases, the last phase is expected to be completed by January 2022.
• Ontario is accepting applications for the Southwestern Ontario Development Fund from qualified businesses that are growing and creating jobs. Sectors eligible for the fund include advanced manufacturing, food processing, life sciences, information and communications technology, tourism and cultural industries.
• Since January 2013, the Southwestern Ontario Development Fund has committed support of over $180 million, helping to create and retain around 49,000 jobs and leveraging over $2 billion in total investments.

LEARN MORE

• Find out if your business qualifies for the Southwestern Ontario Development Fund
• Southwestern Ontario Development Fund grant recipients