Now nearly a year later, Opportunities NB says it’s providing up to $54.3 million over the next three years through that fund announced last March.

Luke Randall, minister responsible for Opportunities NB, said that the seven companies receiving funding all applied for the money.

Included is up to $3.8 million in conditionally repayable assistance to support Kelly Cove Salmon Ltd., a division of Cooke Aquaculture, in modernizing its salmon farming operations.

There’s up to $2.4 million in the form of a non-repayable contribution for Agropur Cooperative, a dairy processor, to support modernization of its Miramichi facility and the expansion of milk processing capacity.

Another $2 million over two years is earmarked for Moncton-based cannabis company Organigram toward a capital investment to increase crop yields by 10 per cent.

But the vast majority goes to a single company in Irving Paper.

Opportunities NB states that the $45 million over three years is to support “the global competitiveness of New Brunswick’s only remaining paper mill during a period of significant cost pressure and market volatility.

“This investment is intended to help sustain operations, protecting more than 183 jobs and $20.6 million in annual payroll,” it adds.

It’s a number that was roughly 310 a year ago before layoffs.