You have to give credit to 6N Silicon for moving fast. In the two years since this Mississauga-based solar-silicon company was founded (in founder Scott Nichol’s basement, I might add), it has raised a whack of dough (More than $26 million at last count, but likely higher) and is now ready to construct its first manufacturing plant in Vaughan, a city just north of Toronto. The Ontario government announced today it is giving $8 million to 6N toward construction of the $50-million plant, which will create 84 new jobs in the province. The politicos are touting it as a sign that green jobs are coming to Ontario, pointing out that many of the workers at the plant will come from the province’s struggling automotive sector. Of course, we need to keep in mind that 84 new jobs don’t replace thousands lost in the automotive sector. But it’s a step in the right direction, similar to the announcement in May that Menova Engineering (maker of combined solar thermal, PV and lighting systems) had taken up space and labour at a Toronto-area automotive tool and die shop that had been hit hard by the automotive downturn.

Now we just have to replicate this 30 to 40 times. But small steps are good. Better than no steps. It wouldn’t hurt to expand our attention to offshore wind turbines/components and vehicles batteries, among other “green collar” manufacturing opportunities.

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