The Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation (NOHFC) is an operational service agency established under the enabling legislation of the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Act. The NOHFC has an appointed Board of Directors, chaired by the Minister of Northern Development and Mines.
Vision:
NOHFC will be a catalyst for key strategic investments to stimulate economic development and diversification in Northern Ontario.
Mission:
To partner with communities, businesses, entrepreneurs and youth across Northern Ontario to create jobs and strengthen the economy.
Established in 1988, NOHFC’s mandate has been to partner with business-minded Northerners to develop innovative technologies, invest in infrastructure, bolster collaboration and build economic development capacity. NOHFC programs focus on the growth of the existing and emerging sectors identified in the Growth Plan for Northern Ontario and the government’s key priority of helping communities prosper.
Areas of expertise
The purpose of the NOHFC is to “provide funding and program support to foster economic development in the economically disadvantaged Northern Ontario region”.
The NOHF concentrates on six key funding programs:
- Job creation,
- Technology research and development,
- Infrastructure and community development,
- Youth entrepreneurship,
- Youth internship and cooperative education, and
- Generation and conservation of renewable energy.
More recently, NOHFC has made several investments in the province’s key mining research and innovation players, including:
- The Centre for Excellence in Mining Innovation (CEMI),
- Mining Innovation, Rehabilitation, and Applied Research Corporation (MIRARCO), and
- The Northern Centre for Advanced Technologies (NORCAT).
Some of this funding was targeted at supporting CEMI and MIRARCO achieve long-term financial sustainability.
Key Projects, Programs and Initiatives
Northern Innovation Program Active
Support the development and commercialization of new technologies that will contribute to future prosperity in Northern Ontario, and by fostering collaboration and partnerships among the private sector, academic institutions and research institutes.
Applications will be accepted under this program until March 31, 2019.
Benefits
The program assists Northern Ontario businesses in undertaking applied research or pre-commercialization activities required to further develop their new technologies and move them to market.
Areas of focus
Innovation and productivity to support research and development, commercialization, innovation and productivity initiatives.