IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: A version of article was originally published by ThoroldToday on March 7.
A Thorold company that produces copper powder from mining and industrial waste has gotten a big boost from the federal government.
On Thursday afternoon, Ruby Sahota, Minister of Democratic Institutions and Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario, made a visit to Destiny Copper at the Thorold Multimodal Hub on Davis Road.
During the visit, she announced that the copper powder producer has received $2.5 million in repayable funding via FedDev Ontario, the federal government’s economic development program. The funding announcement, Sahota said, was one of several she has been making in recent weeks.
“We've been criss-crossing southern Ontario because it is ever so important for our government to invest in Canadian-made solutions and Canadian companies. We know that southern Ontario's manufacturing companies are critical to Canada's economic growth and prosperity, and that's especially true for our manufacturing here in the Niagara region.”
Suhota said that since November 2015, FedDev Ontario has invested more than $120 million in more than 160 projects in Niagara. Those investments have been estimated to support the creation — or maintenance — of more than 6,700 jobs in the region.
Destiny Copper began operations in 2017 via Borck University’s business incubator, BioLinc. In 2023, they moved into the Thorold Multimodal Hub.
Greg Hanna, Destiny’s chief administrative officer, said the funding would lead to upwards of 10 new jobs at the company, almost doubling the current workforce of 12, and the funding would also help the company attract new private investors.
“It's going to dramatically help accelerate our scale up efforts, both in greening the world of copper mining and helping alleviate the supply pressure on that critical mineral that’s fundamental to everything from EVs to data centres," he said.
Suhota was joined at the announcement on Thursday by Niagara Centre MP Vance Badawey, who is also parliamentary secretary to the Minister of Transport and Internal Trade and St. Catharines MP Chris Bittle. Bittle is also the parliamentary secretary to the Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities and to the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development.
Badawey praised not only Destiny Copper, but also both Niagara Regional Chair Jim Bradley and Thorold Mayor Terry Ugulini, who helped the hub project come together.
“It truly is a team effort supporting many incredible businesses here on this site,” he said.
The hub, which was once a paper plant, has breathed new life into the site, Badawey said. “And today's announcement reinforces the incredible growth and innovation taking place here in the Niagara region and across southern Ontario, across the country.”
Thorold Mayor Terry Ugulini agreed with Badawey.
“What really makes this one special is the innovation involved in this process and future prospects of a company like the Destiny Copper, so we're excited," Ugulini said. “Our community is excited to see this type of innovation and continued build-up of the multiple creative jobs.”
Bittle, meanwhile, took his time at the podium to highlight how much Destiny Copper has grown over the years.
“I came eight years ago to a little lab at Brock University, and this whole thing was just on a counter,” he said. “There was this grand idea to meet this fundamental, important need for critical minerals, as we all look around, and we're all on our devices, and we all want more electronics, and all of that copper is fundamental to that, and fundamental to our future.”