The Ontario government is providing $349,238 through the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation (NOHFC) to Dr. Erin L. Axt Optometry Professional Corporation to expand company operations and improve access to optometry services in Parry Sound. This investment will help create jobs, increase operational capacity, and boost economic growth in the Northeast.
“I’m excited to see a project like this completed in Parry Sound,” said Graydon Smith, MPP for Parry Sound-Muskoka. “By expanding their offices, Dr. Axt and her team are better able to serve the medical needs of this growing community. I want to thank Dr. Axt for her commitment to Parry Sound and the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation for their support of this project.”
The Dr. Erin L. Axt Optometry Professional Corporation is a private clinic that provides primary eye care in Parry Sound. They are one of only two optometry offices serving the region. The company will use NOHFC funding to expand the business by purchasing and relocating to a larger facility. Funding will also be used for building renovations, purchasing equipment, and marketing associated with moving the practice.
Once complete, the company will increase services offered to include additional optometrists, support staff and a fully equipped exam room. Specialty services will include low vision therapy and dry eye therapy. Currently, patients must travel to larger centres at least 150 kilometres away for these services. Instead of sending eyeglasses to labs in Southern Ontario for manufacturing, the company will setup a spectacle lens finishing lab on site that offers same-day service.
“I am very excited to announce the opening of my new clinic,” said Dr. Erin Axt, Owner, Dr. Erin L. Axt Optometry Professional Corporation. “The growth of our practice has resulted in me being able to hire more staff. I also expect that the new facility will help attract professionals to our town, as we are looking to add a third optometrist and a second optician to the practice. NOHFC has been instrumental in giving me the support to pursue my dream of building this clinic. We are now able to offer more specialized treatment options for our patients, and a greater selection of glasses and optical products.”
“Our government continues to make targeted investments through the NOHFC to help businesses expand, boost economic opportunities, and support the well-being of local communities across the North,” said Greg Rickford, Minister of Northern Development. “This investment will help expand local medical services, create full-time jobs and bring direct economic benefits in the Northeast.”
The NOHFC promotes economic prosperity across Northern Ontario by providing financial assistance to projects—big and small, rural and urban—that stimulate growth, job creation and skills development. Since June 2018, the NOHFC has invested more than $790 million in 6,464 projects in Northern Ontario, leveraging more than $2.3 billion in investment and creating or sustaining over 9,930 jobs.