Perth-Wellington MPP Matthew Rae was in Palmerston last Friday to announce $3.9 million in provincial funding to help a local manufacturer expand.
The announcement was made at Hammond Manufacturing, which is spending over $26 million to expand their facility from 97,000 square feet to 182,000. Rae, who also serves as the Associate Minister of Energy-Intensive Industries, says the announcement is part of the government's strategy to support Canadian industries during a time of economic strife with the United States.
"We're not going to be pushed around, we're going to stand up. We obviously want to work with our American friends and allies and we want to fortress North America. But we're continuing to look for other partners in the world, whether it be European or Asian partners, and meeting the demands that they may have," Rae stated.
Rae adds that U.S. President Donald Trump's trade war is causing plenty of uncertainty, and he says the provincial government is committed to helping fortify Canadian jobs. He says many businesses across numerous sectors are facing immense challenges thanks to Trump's tariffs.
"They don't know if the tariffs are going to be 50 per cent, 15 per cent, 20 per cent. So they can't plan as businesses, whether it's ag-food processing or agriculture in general, or manufacturing like where we are here, they're not able to plan accordingly and do a business plan because the President is so unpredictable," Rae said matter-of-factly.
The expansion at Hammond Manufacturing in Palmerston will help protect and maintain 128 jobs according to a joint press release from Rae's office and Hammond Manufacturing.
"The support provided by the Government of Ontario has allowed Hammond Manufacturing to accelerate investments that strengthen our manufacturing capabilities and enhance our ability to serve customers across North America. These investments are helping us expand our capacity, improve productivity, remain competitive within our industry, and position the company for sustainable long-term growth," shared Rob Hammond, CEO of Hammond Manufacturing Company Limited.
With so much economic uncertainty on hand, Rae says it's been made clear by the Premier that Ontario needs to help businesses across the economic landscape stand up for themselves.
"Ensuring that we're really focusing on-shoring some of that production, investing as we are today in local manufacturing, because we know there is a market for Canadian goods in the world. We're going to continue to advocate for Ontario and Canada across the world," Rae concluded.
Hammond Manufacturing specializes in the design and manufacture of electrical and electronic enclosures, server racks and cabinets, outlet strips, small enclosures, and low-voltage electronic transformers.
According to Rae, Ontario is investing over $250 million through its Regional Development Program to help manufacturers across the province grow while supporting distinct regional priorities. To date, Ontario has supported more than 215 projects through the program, leveraging more than $2.8 billion in new investments and helping to create over 5,900 jobs, Rae's press release added.
