The Sault Digital Task Force gathered at the Innovation Centre on the campus of Algoma University today to meet, as well as to update the community on their progress.
“I’m pleased to be able to provide another update on the progress we are making as we continue to work to secure new opportunities for the future of the lottery and gaming sector here in Sault Ste. Marie,” said David Orazietti, MPP. “The Sault Digital Task Force is committed to ensuring our communities future as a hub for lottery and gaming excellence and we have attracted great interest, both through recruitment and proposed projects such as the construction of a Tier III data centre.”
The update focuses on the three primary objectives of the Sault Digital Task Force: Improving Digital Infrastructure, Developing a Lottery and Gaming Centre of Excellence, and ensuring an effective OLG Recruitment Strategy for local employment.
The Task Force is looking to create new digital and data infrastructure to support new business opportunities for the gaming and lottery sector in Sault Ste. Marie. Progress has been made towards this goal with a proposal put forward to build and manage a new state-of-the-art Tier III Data Centre in Sault Ste. Marie. As the only Tier III Data Centre in Northern Ontario, it will be a hub for new and established lottery and gaming enterprises.
The Task Force has also been meeting with key private sector businesses from around the world discussing future gaming and lottery opportunities for Sault Ste. Marie. The Digital Gaming Task Force is developing plans which will help the Sault become the lead location for the development and testing market for all new products related to gaming, lottery, charitable bingo and quality assurance.
Also highlighted was the OLG’s Recruitment Strategy which partners OLG with key organizations such as, Sault College, Algoma University, Sault Ste. Marie EDC and local employment agencies.
OLG has been actively working to expand within the community with 53 positions available, the majority of which would be located in Sault Ste. Marie. Additionally, in the last year 119 positions have been successfully filled in Sault Ste. Marie. The Task Force has established important human resource networks to attract both Sault residents and would-be residents for these positions.
“The Digital Task Force is working closely with our government, the chair of OLG, Philip Olsson and the CEO of OLG Tom Marinelli to deliver on not only on these three important objectives but the successful modernization of OLG in Sault Ste. Marie,” said Orazietti.
The Digital Gaming Task Force includes representation from the following organizations: Ontario Lottery and Gaming, City of Sault Ste. Marie, Sault Ste. Marie Economic Development Corporation, Sault Ste. Marie Innovation Centre, The DeBono Group, Canadian Bank Note Company, Algoma University, Sault College, Pollard Bank Note Limited, The Sault’s Human Resource Network, Brooks Marketing.
