SUDBURY - The Ontario government is again matching a significant donation to the Northern Ontario School of Medicine (NOSM) Bursary Fund, Northern Development and Mines Minister Rick Bartolucci announced today.

The Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation (NOHFC) is investing $500,000, equaling a contribution announced today by the pharmaceutical company, AstraZeneca Canada Inc.

"I am thrilled that we can make such a significant investment in the future of Northern Ontario health care," Bartolucci said. "By matching this generous support for the bursary fund, we are ensuring that some of the best and brightest young northerners will be delivering quality health care to northern communities."

The NOHFC will match eligible donations to the NOSM Bursary Fund up to a total of $5 million. The bursary fund will help students from northern, rural and remote communities defray the costs associated with attending medical school and help them avoid significant debt at the end of their medical undergraduate training.

"This is great for students. Medical students will be more likely to train and therefore stay in the North through the generosity of individual donors and the foresight of the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation in matching those donations," said Chris Bentley, Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities.

Earlier in the week, the NOHFC matched a $500,000 contribution to the bursary fund from Inco Ltd.

"Over the last few months individuals, small businesses and major corporations like AstraZeneca Canada have invested generously in a bright future for northern and rural medicine," said Bartolucci, who also chairs the NOHFC.  "The investment we make in our young medical students today will pay the best dividend of all - stable, healthy and prosperous communities throughout the North."

This NOHFC project is part of the government's Northern Prosperity Plan for building stronger northern communities. The Northern Prosperity Plan has four pillars: Strengthening the North and its Communities; Listening to and Serving Northerners Better; Competing Globally; and Providing Opportunities for All.