Dartmouth’s Made with Local snack company receives $100K in federal funding

The federal government is pitching in $100,000 for a Dartmouth snack company that has expanded to 750 stores across the country.

Dartmouth-Cole Harbour MP Darren Fisher announced the funding in front of a crowded room at the Dartmouth Adult Service Centre Thursday.

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The money will go towards helping Made with Local Snack Food Inc. purchase automated equipment to increase production, meet the growing demand for its products, as well as explore new export markets.

Sheena Russell is the CEO of the snack company whose products can now be found in stores such as Whole Foods Ontario, Sobeys, Loblaws, Bulk Barn and more.

“She’s going to be able to scale up and automate her business that is becoming incredibly successful,” Fisher said.

“We’re going to see a major success story here with Made from Local.”

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“Our company would not have been able to do this in any other place than Nova Scotia,” Russell said. “Nova Scotia is a leader in social entrepreneurship, Nova Scotia is a place where you do have an option to work with several different social enterprises to fit your needs.”

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The funding comes amidst a spate of Liberal spending announcements ahead of the federal election. Between Monday and Tuesday, 428 new spending commitments totaling $1.76 billion were made across Canada. 

Fisher says the spending is all part of the federal government’s $2-billion Women Entrepreneurship Strategy, which seeks to double the number of women-owned business by 2025.

“This is an important issue. This is something that’s going to add … billions of dollars to our GDP in Canada. It’s important. This is how we grow our economy, by ensuring everyone has gender equality.”