Morning News – October 16

Weather – A few flurries changing to a few rain showers and flurries near noon. Risk of a thunderstorm this morning. Local snowfall amount 5 cm over higher terrain. Wind up to 15 km/h. High plus 4. Wind chill minus 6 this morning. UV index 1 or low.
Tonight – A few rain showers and flurries changing to a few flurries this evening. Local snowfall amount 5 cm. Wind up to 15 km/h. Low minus 2. Wind chill minus 4 overnight.

 

Statistics from Algoma Public Health:

From the APH Website, “As the province transitions to using a new case and contact management tool across all local public health units, APH is updating the process we use to calculate the number of tests being done in Algoma. Over the coming weeks, we will be using more automated methods to collect and report data, to improve efficiency and accuracy, and to decrease reporting workloads for our community partners. Thank you for your patience as we make these important changes. We will be updating this webpage soon with more data, to provide Algoma residents with an accurate, up-to-date, and meaningful picture of COVID-19 cases and testing in Algoma. ”

Tested (1)	49,741
Positive	39
Deceased	0
Resolved (2)	35
Updated: October 15, 2020

(1) That Algoma Public Health is aware of.
(2) Patient tested positive but is resolved according to current public health criteria. This number includes any persons who are deceased.

News Tidbits:

FedNor is helping in the Soo and Algoma District:

• Sault Ste. Marie Innovation Centre (SSMIC) – $1,903,000
  • Innovation Accelerator Program $745,000: the program will provide qualifying firms with up to $10,000 in non-repayable funding to support innovative business and product development activities. The program will target key sectors of the economy such as advanced manufacturing, digital and clean-tech, agri-food, health and bio-sciences, natural resources, and tourism.
  • Business Technology Improvement Fund $660,000: This strategic investment will provide qualifying businesses with up to $25,000 in non-repayable funding to support the purchase of new technologies, specialized design and production equipment, client management systems, as well as hardware and software designed to modernize their operations.
  • Sustainable New Agri-Food Products and Productivity Program $498,000: To deliver emergency COVID-19 response funding to help farm and food-processing businesses as they adapt to new market requirements so that they can survive, maintain local jobs, and support regional food security and distribution models.
• Heliene Canada – $400,000: FedNor funding of $400,000 will enable Heliene Canada to expand its Sault Ste. Marie facility by 4000 sq. ft to create more production and office space, build a new high-voltage testing lab and install a new heating, ventilation and air conditioning system. This project would elevate the solar panel manufacturer’s production facility to a best in class level, ensuring it has the space and production environment to commercialize new products under development, assisting with its recovery from COVID-19.
• Sault College of Applied Arts and Technology – $378,000: funding will allow Sault College to hire an industry liaison coordinator and a pre-commercial research technician to work with industry partners and provide assistance supporting business scale-up and enhanced productivity.
• Penokean Hills Farms will benefit from a repayable contribution of more than $1.4 million to build and equip a state-of-the-art abattoir, meat processing plant and retail butcher shop in Bruce Mines. This new 13,000-square-foot facility will include a commercial smoker, curing section and high-volume hanging and freezing facilities. Once complete, this priority project will allow the organization to increase sales and profitability by up to 65 percent, while helping to create and maintain 15 local jobs.
• $588,744 will allow Bioenterprise Corporation to create a northern Ontario tech-hub to support the growth of agri-food businesses. Specifically, this targeted investment will ensure northern Ontario entrepreneurs have access to sector expertise, best practices and business accelerator services that focus on technology, innovation, exports and access to capital. Once fully implemented, this strategic initiative is expected to help create or maintain more than 50 full-time jobs and provide more than 40 businesses with access to the tools and resources to start up, scale up and commercialize new products.

Premier Doug Ford will deliver a keynote address at the 63rd annual convention of the Provincial Building and Construction Trades Council of Ontario this morning.

Premier Doug Ford will be joined by Christine Elliott, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health, and Vic Fedeli, Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade, to make an announcement at 1 p.m.