The expansion of sawmilling activities south of Sudbury will create new jobs and increase productivity, following a funding announcement from FedNor.
Lahaie Lumber, which is located in the Municipality of French River about an hour south of Sudbury, is receiving a $775,000 repayable contribution from the federal funding agency.
According to a Sept. 3 news release, the funds will be used to purchase equipment for a new sawmill currently under construction.
With this expansion, Lahaie Lumber expects to double its current production capacity, enabling it to expand into new markets. Local and regional transportation and logging industries will also benefit from a higher volume of products produced and shipped from the mill, the release said.
“We would like to thank the Government of Canada and FedNor for this investment. Our community and the region will certainly benefit from the growth of Lahaie Lumber Ltd.,” said Mike Lahaie, owner and president at Lahaie Lumber, in the news release.
“We are proud to be expanding our mill right here in Northern Ontario while helping to create well-paying jobs that support our local economy.”
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Established in 1948, Lahaie Lumber is a fourth-generation family-run business, based in the community of Alban.
The company began as a white pine sawmill operation, expanding to include logging, planing, and moulding services.
Lahaie serves commercial and residential clients in the construction industry.
The funding is being provided through FedNor’s Regional Economic Growth through Innovation (REGI) program, which supports the growth of Canadian businesses, their expansion into new markets and their adoption of new technologies and processes.
