November/December 2017
Sault Ste. Marie Economic Development Corporation
The Pulse

Norpro growth helping keep North America safe, sound and alive

In business, success often comes from being ambitious, thinking big and always looking for opportunities. Brad Gregorini, owner of Norpro Company, is a prime example. He purchased the firm nearly five years ago. At that time, it employed a dozen or so people and was primarily involved with providing security at local events.

Today, the firm has more than 100 workers and operates an entire health and safety division. For the growth, Brad thanks the Sault Ste. Marie Economic Development Corporation. "They opened up doors for us," he said. "The SSMEDC helped facilitate meetings and make introductions to key industry contacts." Read more.




Brendan Syrette triggers ice-fishing revolution 
A local entrepreneur invented The Trigger, a small, easy-to-carry rod holder that generates a more efficient ice fishing experience. It's now available at Canadian Tire. Before formalizing the product and associated company, Black Fox Fishing, he first met with the enterprise services team at the Sault Ste. Marie Economic Development Corporation. Read more.

 
Northern Ontario Tourism Summit returning in 2018
A major event is taking place in Sault Ste. Marie next year. Tourism Northern Ontario, in partnership with the SSMEDC's Tourism Sault Ste. Marie division, is thrilled to announce the return of the Northern Ontario Tourism Summit to the community in November 2018. The conference attracts more than 300 tourism operators, business owners and stakeholders. Read more.

2 new cruise ships set to dock here in 2018 and 2019
This summer, M/V Victory 1 and Pearl Mist made 28 stops in Sault Ste. Marie. The visits brought more than 7,500 passengers, making it the busiest year ever for local cruise ship traffic. Another luxury vessel, M/V Victory 2, is slated to come next year. And in December, it was announced that yet another cruise ship, Ponant's Le Champlain, is expected to come in 2019. Read more.

  
Funders Forum helps local firms access capital
The SSMEDC, through its Invest Sault Ste. Marie program, hosted a Funders Forum in November. The event provided new entrepreneur and existing business owners with information on how to finance a startup or expansion. More than 75 people attended the forum. They heard from 10 funding and business support agencies. Read more.

Soo Blaster employs 45 while entertaining 1000s
Successful entrepreneurs have an ability to see what consumers are yearning for, then provide a product or service to fill that gap. This is precisely what SSMEDC client Das Kumar did when he opened Soo Blaster. The entertainment business and restaurant offers an arcade, billiards, and sport simulators with games including golf, hockey and soccer. Read more.
 
  
2017 Tourism SSM Award winners announced
Tourism Sault Ste. Marie hosted its 2017 Tourism Awards on November 6. The evening recognized people, businesses and organizations for their contributions in bolstering the community's visitor-friendly reputation. This year's event, which marked the 15th anniversary of the awards, was held at Delta by Marriott Sault Ste. Marie Waterfront Hotel. Read more.