MANITOULIN – Parliamentary Assistant Dave Smith, on behalf of Greg Rickford, Minister of Energy, Northern Development and Mines and Minister of Indigenous Affairs, visited Manitoulin on Tuesday to announce funding for the Wikwemikong Development Commission and Split Rail Brewing Company in Gore Bay.
Mr. Smith announced the Wikwemikong Development Commission (WDC) is receiving $1 million to develop a light industrial park that will attract, establish and grow business in Wiikwemikoong and the surrounding community. The project will help the community engage the private sector with opportunities to locate retail, service, manufacturing, distribution and assembly industries in an area that provides both commercial space and a labour pool. The initial phase includes road and building construction, lot preparation, electricity delivery, and septic and water system installation.
The WDC also received $100,000 to produce an economic development plan for a pellet manufacturing plant to be located in Nairn Centre. The plan will help determine the feasibility of building a plant capable of producing 150,000-metric tones of pellets per year. The pellets will be used as an alternative heating source, a cleaner technology than fossil fuels that reduces greenhouse gas emissions.
Mr. Smith visited Split Rail Brewing Company in Gore Bay to formally announce $52,000 in funding to expand production capacity to meet the growing demand for Split Rail products.
“We will continue to support promising projects like these that diversify our economy and develop strong, vibrant communities across the North,” said Mr. Smith. “With these investments we’re sending a strong signal that Northern Ontario is open for business and open for jobs.”
“On behalf of Split Rail Brewing we welcome Parliamentary Assistant Dave Smith,” said Susan Snelling, master of ceremonies at the announcement in Gore Bay. “We really appreciate and acknowledge the contributions of the NOHFC and their support behind our expansion.”
“It is great coming up to Northern Ontario,” Mr. Smith told the gathering at Split Rail. “You can literally feel the hospitality of people when you visit Northern Ontario. We believe it is definitely worth supporting a company like Split Rail, that has sourced the work that has taken place in the facility to local companies—that benefits the entire area. We commend you, you are putting people and the area first.”
Mr. Smith said Split Rail Brewing Company, “is a company that is designed to make people happy and our government is proud of what you have done and what you are doing.” He said the funding allows the company to expand its business and add one full-time employee. He said for companies like this the key is, “what it is you are doing with the funding and what impact it has on the community; in this case it is benefitting the local community and the entire Manitoulin Island community economically. We are looking forward to enjoying a long history with the company and hope your products will soon be available in the south. Thank you for what you are doing and investing in the community.”
“We are so pleased you have been able to visit and see the building and what we have been doing,” said Ms. Snelling. “The funding has been critical to our expansion and what Split Rail is doing. Yes, it provides good beer, but also jobs in the community and economic growth on Manitoulin. Thank you very much.”
Mr. Smith told the Recorder, “absolutely, I’m impressed with what the company has done. When you look at the renovations Split Rail has undertook it will definitely help now and in the future.” He pointed out that Monday evening, while staying at the Manitoulin Hotel and Conference Centre in Little Current, he had the opportunity to enjoy a Split Rail Copper Lager beer. “I was very surprised, it is a dark amber in colour but a very light lager that you can enjoy year-round. It was excellent.”
“Very much so,” was Mr. Smith’s answer as to his being impressed with the Split Rail operation. “The process they are following and their commitment to quality control—it’s a great operation.”
Andrea Smith and Eleanor Charlton, co-owners of Split Rail as well as Brewmaster Brent Pottage and Jason Quinlan, took Mr. Smith on a tour of the facility and the expansion that has taken place, which is still in progress.
“The expansion is in progress,” Ms. Smith told the Recorder. “We were able to show Mr. Smith the large walk-in cooler and the three stainless-steel vessels, two fermentation tanks and one carbonation tank (that replace an agency system previously being used).”
The expansion has allowed Split Rail to more than double their current production capacity and is critical to meeting the demand for Split Rail products on the Island and beyond. The expansion also allows for more flexibility and diversity in product availability.
“The packaging and canning line is in progress and will hopefully be in place by the spring,” said Ms. Smith. She pointed out Barret Campbell was added to the staff as a second brewmaster this past May and Kristy Carleton was hired for sales. Both hirings were connected to the funding provided.
Split Rail Brewing will be introducing another product, a nut brown ale, as a one-off to its list of products on October 26 as part of a fall festival being held at the brewery.
