The city is getting 42-thousand dollars in support for a business retention and expansion program.

MPP Vic Fedeli announced the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund money Friday morning at City Hall.

He says it will support North Bay in efforts to retain and expand existing businesses.

“Retaining the businesses that you have here is so important. We can learn what the impediments to expanding here are and employing what the city and province can do. It’s an easier way to hire good people,” he says.

Mayor Al McDonald says the program will help to retain jobs and promote new hiring and expansion.

City Councillor Dave Mendicino says 85 % of job creation is retaining and expanding existing businesses.

“It’s the smaller businesses in the city that create a lot of the economic impact year after year after year. That’s the beauty of the program. It assists local businesses to help grow and retain jobs,” ,Mendicino says.

(photo by station staff)

Filed under: Dave Mendicino, job retention funding, MPP Vic Fedeli