Doug Ford stopped in the area this afternoon to make some pancakes at Shaws Maple Syrup in Oro-Medonte Township, just south of Orillia.
Earlier, Ford made a visit to Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre (RVH) in Barrie to announce up to $2.5 million in funding ahead of construction of the new south campus health hub in neighbouring Innisfil.
While he was in the region, the premier said he wanted to try “the best maple syrup anywhere.”
“What a phenomenal story this is,” Ford said. “This is a fifth-generation (business) since 1904. I love families that have family-run companies and entrepreneurs.”
Owners Tom Shaw and Terri-Lynn Shaw showed the premier how to make maple syrup.
“They gave us a call last week and said he was interested in learning the skill,” Tom Shaw explained. “I said I’ll take some time to show him.”
Shaw says having Ford at the facility gave Shaws a "great opportunity" to promote maple syrup. He was also happy to endorse Ford’s tenure as premier.
“He’s had a tough job over the last couple of years,” he said. “It’s been a difficult thing to navigate. I think he’s done a very good job of it.”
Shaw says Ford has shown his concern for small businesses the best he could during the pandemic, and as a small business owner, he appreciates it.
“We are a small family business," he said. "The fact that he cares enough to come visit us is wonderful.”
