For release: December 02, 2005

ONTARIO GOVERNMENT INVESTS IN SKILLS DEVELOPMENT IN EASTERN AND NORTHERN ONTARIO
Partnership With Local Manufacturers To Support Economic Growth,
Global Competitiveness

NAPANEE - The Ontario government is supporting economic growth and global competitiveness in eastern and northern Ontario by investing in new opportunities for skills development and industry alliance building, Leona Dombrowsky, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, announced today.

"We have a plan for this province to strengthen our people - our greatest asset," said Dombrowsky. "Our government is pleased to be investing in this leading-edge project, which will directly result in more highly-trained employees and stronger, more competitive manufacturing companies in Ontario."

The government will contribute more than $1.4 million to the development and execution of the project, which will be led by Excellence in Manufacturing Consortium (EMC). EMC, with its members and partners, will invest the remainder of the $3.17 million project cost. Through the project, EMC will help participating municipalities and organizations work together to enable resource sharing, skills training, mentoring, knowledge transfer and networking.

Project partners include the County of Lennox and Addington, Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry Community Futures Development Corporation, Communities Quality Initiative, Kingston Economic Development Corporation and Renfrew Industrial Commission. Initial clusters will be created in Lennox and Addington, Kingston, Cornwall, Renfrew, Pembroke, Arnprior, Hawkesbury, Sault Ste. Marie and Sudbury.

"Nobody knows the challenges to success that Ontario industry faces on a daily basis better than the manufacturers themselves," said Al Diggins, EMC president and general manager. "EMC brings together manufacturers in a way that harnesses the collective strength and experience that exists within the community to provide a knowledge network infrastructure through which manufacturers can prosper."

"The manufacturing industry in the County of Lennox and Addington contributes more than $100 million to the local economy," said Clayton McEwen, County of Lennox and Addington Warden. "Our partnership with the province of Ontario and EMC will assist in strengthening the manufacturing sector and ensure that our manufacturers remain globally competitive.

Today's investment was made through the Rural Economic Development (RED) program, which invests in projects that support sustainable rural economies and community partnerships - a key part of the government's plan for rural Ontario. Through the RED program, the Ontario government and its rural partners are building stronger communities that work better for the people who live in them. For more information about RED or Ontario's rural plan, visit www.mah.gov.on.ca.

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Christopher Flavelle
Minister's Office
(416) 326-3072