Entrepreneurs with innovative business ideas have begun receiving financial assistance from the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation (NOHFC) to help jumpstart their small businesses. Under the Northern Ontario Entrepreneur Program (NOEP), entrepreneurs can receive as much as $125,000 in grants to develop and execute their business ideas. With Ontario at the forefront of solar development, many of these grant-financed projects could pave the way for a wave of new green jobs.
Solar Jobs Provided by Entrepreneurs
One such company is Solarent Energy Corporation, a firm specializing in the installation and maintenance of solar technology through outright sale and lease options. To date, Solarent Energy has received a total of $58,489 in conditional grants under the NOEP and Young Entrepreneur Program. The financing has helped the company purchase specialized equipment and provide employment opportunities to rooftop assessors with solar energy training and certification.
Gavin Mctavish, CEO of Solarent Energy, says, “The Entrepreneur programs have enabled Solarent to pursue our vision of growing distributed green energy in Ontario and providing homeowners a no-cost way of going green and benefiting financially.” Companies like Solarent Energy not only advance Ontario’s green energy agenda, but they also make solar energy training an attractive option for job seekers wishing to pursue green careers throughout the province.
North Bay Solar Distribution Contracting Sales and Service has also benefited from the grant program, receiving nearly $83K to fund solar PV installations in the North Bay area. Owner and Operator, Steve Drayes, says, “I am very grateful for the generous support of the NOHFC. They allowed me to put together the resources I needed to start my business and begin promoting green energy alternatives throughout the North.”
Green Careers Expected to Rise
With Ontario’s feed-in-tariff program and NOHFC’s support for companies advancing solar technology, the province could benefit from many more job opportunities in the future - a welcomed change due to growing unemployment and economic uncertainty. Those with sufficient solar energy training could see demand for their skills rise as entrepreneurs develop innovative ways to make solar technology available to homeowners and businesses alike. Associate Director of Ontario Solar Academy, David Gower, comments, “Solar technology is scalable, meaning you don’t need to be a major player to get involved. These entrepreneurial projects offer numerous opportunities for those with the training and vision to make substantial contributions to Ontario’s energy needs.
