Perth-Wellington MPP Matthew Rae was in Palmerston on May 3 at Trusscore, to announce an Advanced Manufacturing and Innovation Competitiveness grant of $1.5 million for the company.
The grant program is part of the province’s Regional Development Program, and Rae says the goal of the program is to leverage private investment and work with businesses to create and retain jobs.
“The Regional Development Program, which has a couple of streams, has leveraged over $160 million so far, and created 1,500 jobs across Ontario, so 68 will be created here locally, and so that’s good that we continue to retain those jobs in Ontario and here in Palmerston, because we are in a global competitive environment,” Rae said.
Rae says the grant to Trusscore will pair with their $10 million investment to expand their business and create 68 new jobs there. The provincial government claims that over $81 million has been invested in 75 projects since 2019 through the Regional Development Program. Rae also says the grants will help address many challenges that the manufacturing sector faces, including the biggest one, which is staffing.
“It creates opportunities for those who may have a research and development background or engineering background, they can come and live in rural Ontario, they pay taxes then and they spend their money here, so it all sort of works together in that aspect, and supporting the community locally. It also really highlights for people that we’re doing innovative things right here in Ontario,” added Rae.
Trusscore, which makes sustainable housing and building materials, including for agriculture-based builds and alternatives to traditional drywall, is excited to receive this government funding, according to CEO Dave Caputo. He says this will greatly aid them in their upcoming expansion and the creation of those 68 new positions.
“It’s a great place to build a manufacturing team, and we’ve had other plants, we have one in Calgary, Alberta, and we’ve had plants in the United States, and we’re just finding that rural Ontario is just a great place to expand,” Caputo enthused.
Caputo also says that having face-to-face government support, including from MPP Rae, has been a real benefit.
“It’s been a pleasure, actually. This was a program that was there, advanced manufacturing, we see ourselves as that, we see ourselves as being very innovative, and we know that rural Ontario is a great place to be competitive on a global scale, and so it really is a hand fitting in a glove,” added Caputo.
With respect to the business, Caputo explains that Trusscore is doing a number of innovative things regarding safe and sustainable building materials across a number of sectors.
“Trusscore is a material science company for sustainable building materials, with the ultimate vision of replacing painted drywall, and so we’re having a lot of success residentially, but many people in the area will be aware of us because we’re in agriculture, that’s where our roots are from,” Caputo noted. “So, for your barns, your sheds, garages, homes, if you’re looking for something that’s completely water resistant, mould and mildew resistant, virus resistant, you can put Trusscore on those walls and have a happier, healthier, more productive stable of animals.”
“Our government is proud to support local manufacturers across the province as they grow and create more good-paying jobs in their communities,” said Vic Fedeli, Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade, as part of an official provincial release. “Investing in these types of community-building projects will help us continue to build Ontario and strengthen the economy. We thank Trusscore for making a significant impact in their community and for contributing to our province’s dynamic and growing manufacturing sector.”
The government recently launched the Advanced Manufacturing and Innovation Competitiveness stream of the Regional Development Program. For more on the program, click here: https://www.ontario.ca/page/regional-development-program-advanced-manufacturing-and-innovation-competitiveness-stream.
Trusscore CEO Dave Caputo (left) and Perth-Wellington MPP Matthew Rae announcing a $1.5 million grant for Trusscore through the province’s Advanced Manufacturing and Innovation Competitiveness stream of the Regional Development Program. (Photo by Ryan Drury)
Trusscore CEO Dave Caputo (at podium) and Perth-Wellington MPP Matthew Rae announcing a $1.5 million grant for Trusscore through the province’s Advanced Manufacturing and Innovation Competitiveness stream of the Regional Development Program. (Photo by Ryan Drury)
L-R: Perth-Wellington MPP Matthew Rae, Trusscore CEO Dave Caputo, Trusscore Executive Vice President Joel Koops and Trusscore Chief Manufacturing Officer Steve Bosman (Photo by Ryan Drury)
Trusscore Chief Manufacturing Officer Steve Bosman (left), shows Perth-Wellington MPP Matthew Rae the materials made at the Trusscore facility in Palmerston. (Photo by Ryan Drury)
