Guelph-area businesses specializing in reducing single-use plastics receive FedDev funding | 24CA News
Three native companies specializing in reusable meals packaging are sharing greater than $8.2 million in funding from the federal authorities.
A Friendlier Company Inc. is getting $500,000 from the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario). The funding will likely be used to standardize its reusable takeout packaging system by means of a community of companies throughout Canada.
Guelph MP Lloyd Longfield together with Filomena Tassi, minister answerable for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario, made the announcement Tuesday morning at Friendlier.
“It is a game-changer,” mentioned Longfield. “I hope that it will help you expand across Canada and continue the fantastic work that you are doing.”
Kayli Dale, CEO and co-founder of A Friendlier Company, mentioned the corporate is “so excited” to see its “vision become a reality.”
“When (co-founder and COO) Jacquie (Hutchings) and I first started Friendlier, our vision was a world where packaging waste didn’t exist. All packaging could be collected, reprocessed and used again hundreds of times.”
Along with Friendlier, one other Guelph-based firm, Omnia Packaging, will obtain $3.7 million to buy new tools that may permit it to provide compostable and recyclable paper trays and recyclable plastic trays for the meals packaging trade. And Unified Flex out of Cambridge will get $4 million to boost manufacturing capability at its new Woodstock facility, permitting it to extend manufacturing of its recyclable movies used for meals packaging and pouches.
According to a news launch, the brand new funding will create a complete of 120 new jobs among the many three companies whereas lowering the quantity of plastic waste that results in landfills.
“As the MP for Guelph, I’m fortunate to represent many people and organizations like Friendlier and Omnia that are working hard to contribute to a cleaner, stronger economy for everyone,” Longfield mentioned.
Dale says her firm has already reused 450,000 plastic containers, which has led to the discount of greater than 14 tonnes of carbon emissions.
“Businesses and Canadians are ready for this change from single-use plastics,” mentioned Dale. “We are so excited to receive this funding and be able to scale out and make that happen.”
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