Vaughan, ON – Ontario’s Minister of Labour, Training, and Skills Development, the Honourable Monte McNaughton, visited Mircom today, an SME based in Vaughan, to see the impact that government support is providing to innovative businesses as Small Business Month draws to a close.
Mircom is an SME that has grown into a global company with employees here in Ontario and beyond. The company designs, manufactures, and distributes intelligent building solutions, including fire detection and alarm systems, communications systems, and security and access control systems. Mircom was founded in 1991 by Tony Falbo and continues to be a family-managed business.
Mircom’s growth from a family business to a global success story exemplifies Mitacs’s and Ontario’s shared vision of helping SMEs grow and prosper through investments in talent and innovation.
Mircom has received funding from Mitacs, a not-for-profit organization that is supported by governments to foster innovation and economic growth in Canada by solving business challenges with talent from post-secondary institutions. Mircom has hired one of the interns from their Mitacs project to join the firm full-time.
This year, Mitacs received $5.5 million from the Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development to support innovation and future skills and talent development in the province, including targeted funding to support small- and medium-sized businesses as part of post-pandemic recovery efforts.
During the tour, employees at the company’s R&D and manufacturing centre in Vaughan shared some of their work designing and building smart systems with the Minister and representatives from Mitacs.
Quotes:
The Honourable Monte McNaughton, Minister of Labour, Training and Skills Development, Ontario
“As we approach the end of Small Business Month, it was a pleasure for me to meet the workers who every day help make Mircom an SME success story and a driving force in growing Ontario’s economy. By working with partners like Mircom and Mitacs, our government is helping more businesses create good, meaningful, and local jobs while competing in the global marketplace.”
Mark Falbo, President & CEO, Mircom
“We were very happy to host Minister McNaughton and the team from Mitacs at Mircom today. As an SME, we recognize how important it is to invest in innovation to grow and compete. By working with the Ontario government and organizations like Mitacs, we are looking forward to continuing to drive innovation and grow the economy.”
John Hepburn, CEO and Scientific Director, Mitacs
“Mitacs is grateful for the support we have gotten from Minister McNaughton and the Ontario government. Their ongoing investment in innovation has enabled meaningful work-integrated learning opportunities for students SMEs accross the province, including Mircom. Small businesses like Mircom are the backbone of the economy and we hope our programs will help them eliminate barriers to innovation and growth.”
Quick facts:
- Mitacs is a not-for-profit organization that fosters growth and innovation in Canada by solving business challenges with research solutions from academic institutions.
- Mitacs is funded by the Government of Canada along with the Government of Ontario, the Government of Alberta, the Government of British Columbia, Research Manitoba, the Government of New Brunswick, the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, the Government of Nova Scotia, Innovation PEI, the Government of Quebec, the Government of Saskatchewan and the Government of Yukon.
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