The summer political barbecue circuit is underway and the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund served up more than $4.3 million this week for film projects, business expansions and recreational facilities.
The provincial funding agency ticketed more than $3.2 million for five film productions in Sudbury.
- $1 million for Fella Films Inc. to produce Ballistic, a feature film about a father who works in an ammunition manufacturing facility
- $1 million for Woods Entertainment Canada Inc. to produce Violence, a feature film about a boyfriend trying to protect his girlfriend from the chaos of a town divided by drug kingpins
- $500,000 for Hangar 18 Media Inc. to produce Deathstalker, a feature film about a warrior who wanders the fantasy war-torn kingdom of Sardatia
- $500,000 for Next Phase Motion Pictures to produce Ripping Off Othello, a feature film about a young lawyer who reveals how the American justice system is overwhelmed by bias and racism
- $227,206 for Fittonia Productions Inc. to produce Rêver en Néon, a feature film about a young girl searching for her ballerina mother.
A further $1 million in funding went to two Sudbury businesses to gear up with expansions.
Reliable Maintenance Products cleaned up with $869,000 to expand its business footprint with a larger facility that includes a new warehouse to provide more inventory and storage space.
Heritage Fund made a huge splash with Softub Canada and $191,755 that the Sudbury hot tub manufacturer and distributor has earmarked to expand its operating space with purchases for new equipment and information and communications technology.
In northwestern Ontario, it was a slam dunk for Northwest Angle #33 First Nation with $173,091 provided from NOHFC to buy equipment to build a new playground and basketball court in a community where there are no playgrounds and outdoor recreation opportunities for children and adults.
Since June 2018, Heritage Fund said it has delivered more than $790 million in 6,464 projects in Northern Ontario, leveraging more than $2.3 billion in other investment, and creating or maintaining more than 9,930 jobs.
