Good morning ladies and gentlemen.
As a Member of Parliament for this region, I am always happy to witness and celebrate our Government's support for the innovative businesses and manufacturers that driving our province's prosperity.
As many of you know, this area of southern Ontario is home to a number of important manufacturing facilities. Mississauga is a key hub in both the automotive and aerospace sectors and is recognized as having the third largest life science sector in the country.
Mississauga is also a strong contributor to the food and beverage industry.
Thanks to the support of our Government, combined with the innovative efforts of our skilled and resourceful businesses, this region continues to develop and bring to market highly successful, homegrown products.
Under Economic Action Plan 2015, our Government will continue to implement the right kind of strategies to create jobs, growth and security across southern Ontario.
Since 2006, we have created a low-tax environment for business investment. We have expanded access to foreign markets. We have supported innovation and world-class research, helped to train a highly skilled workforce, and created business opportunities through government procurement.
Economic Action Plan 2015 also introduced significant support for the manufacturing sector – and this includes the accelerated capital costs allowance.
The manufacturing sector is a major contributor to Canada's economy, employing more than 1.7 million Canadians. The food and beverage industry is especially strong. In fact, it was the largest manufacturing industry in Canada in 2014. And Ontario has the largest food and beverage processing industry in Canada and accounted for 14.7 percent of manufacturing jobs in 2013.
Our Government recognizes the need to support the development and growth of this industry. We need to invest in smart companies and partnerships so that they can find the right tools, and implement the right changes, to make their business grow and prosper in a competitive, global market.
When Canadian companies invest in state-of-the-art equipment and structures, they increase their productivity and competitiveness.
This leads, in part, to the reason we are standing here today.
Furlani's Food Corporation is a company that has made a clear commitment to service excellence. Your company places a high priority on efficient production and the development of quality products.
Furlani's is a privately-owned business that has been in operation for more than 30 years. It was initially established as a small producer of garlic spread products.
Over the years, the company has worked hard to remain competitive and produce high-quality, fresh and frozen breads for its growing client base.
Furlani's Food Corporation is currently the only Canadian manufacturer to exclusively specialize in the production of frozen garlic breads. The company is now taking the necessary steps to strengthen its manufacturing capabilities to remain competitive and expand its domestic and export sales.
George Brown College has established itself as a support system for innovation and commercialization within the food industry, thanks to its Food Innovation and Research Studio. This research facility has supported small- and medium-sized companies by providing resources for recipe testing and design, as well as food product development, manufacturing and business development services.
George Brown is looking to enhance the level of support that they are providing the Food and Beverage industries - with the goal of creating even more opportunities for collaboration and development.
Our Government recognizes the value of strengthening and supporting the growth of innovative companies. We believe in providing the right tools to allow businesses to grow and prosper.
With this in mind, I am pleased to announce on behalf of the honourable Gary Goodyear, Minister of State for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario, that our Government, is providing Furlani's Food Corporation with up to $3.1 million dollars.
With this funding, Furlani's Food Corporation will be able to acquire advanced equipment and add 21,900-square feet of freezer space to its facility here in Mississauga.
This investment will allow the company to enhance its reach in global markets, most notably in the United States – where there is already a strong consumer demand for their products.
I am pleased to note that this project will allow the company to add a new line of breadstick products as well as improve the production capacity of its specialty garlic bread products.
This is excellent news for the suppliers in this region, and across southern Ontario, as more than 75 percent of Furlani's Food Corporation's ingredients and packing come from southern Ontario suppliers.
I am sure everyone will be excited to learn that this project expects to create up to 74 full-time jobs by 2017 and an additional 34 jobs in the two years after this project's completion.
I am also pleased to announce that we are providing George Brown College with an investment of up to $7 million to help expand their commercialization services and support the establishment of new product and process applied research and development labs.
The new facilities will include a Bake and Large Quantity Lab, a Beverage Research Lab, a Culinary and Large Quantity Lab and a new Industry engagement facility.
Collaboration between research institutions and small- and medium-sized companies can help support the commercialization of new products and services— and ultimately to more job creation.
The additional lab space at George Brown College helps increase the capacity to support more companies, researchers and producers and creates more opportunities to conduct applied research, collaborate, test and develop new and innovative food and beverage products.
The consumer demand for innovative, specialty food products is especially strong in culturally diverse, thriving cities like Mississauga and Toronto. This project will help strengthen the Food and Beverage cluster in the greater Toronto area and across Ontario.
I am sure you will all be pleased to hear that this project is expected to create or maintain close to 76 jobs by the project's completion, plus an additional 54 jobs in the three years after the project period.
Our Government believes that smart investments like these will help our businesses grow and remain sustainable over the long-term.
Congratulations. I look forward to seeing your company grow and achieve long-term success in the years to come.
