Thora Cartlidge

Meet Thora Cartlidge: Regional Manager, Northern Ontario

Thora leads a Northern Ontario team with passion, all working hard to pilot a pan-Northern Agri-tech Innovation Hub. Her understanding of existing and emerging agricultural technologies, as well as her connection to a large network of motivated entrepreneurs and valuable partners, positions her well to advance agri-food and agri-tech innovation in northern Ontario. 

Her tie to the land stems from her small-town upbringing in Manitoba, surrounded by Prairie grain operations, mixed farms and rural markets. Thora’s background is in landscape architecture and land use planning, with over 20 years’ experience as a professional planner focusing on sustainable community development and natural resource management. 

Location: Thunder Bay, ON

Something that most people don’t know about you:

I own and ride a Harley-Davidson Heritage Softtail and have enjoyed motorcycle touring on both sides of the U.S./Canada border.

What is your favourite part about working at Bioenterprise?

The exceptional minds and collective experience of so many colleagues across generations, geographies and backgrounds make work a pleasure with Bioenterprise.

If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be, and why? 

Scandinavia! The countries in this Nordic region are at the top the UN’s list of happiest countries. My family in Denmark boast of the amazing healthcare and green infrastructure, I’m intrigued by their governance as multi-party coalitions, and I love the clean, simple lines of Scandinavian design. Also, my name, passed down over generations, derives from the Nordic god of thunder, Thor.

What is your connection to food and/or agriculture?

Growing up in small-town Manitoba, surrounded by Prairie grain operations, mixed farms and rural markets, I’ve drawn on that background ever since, to research, write on, speak about and promote local food culture as a key component of a healthy authentic community. With my husband and sons, I own a 20-hectare (50 A.) farm parcel just west of Thunder Bay which we’ve cleared and planted with a first-year cover crop, while protecting the natural stream corridor that runs through. My own bio-enterprise!

Do you have a favourite book/movie? 

Dan Brown’s (2017) Origin. It is a mystery thriller on the unknowns of our future and the role of technology, written with rich detail at a fast pace.

One resource that every entrepreneur in Northern Ontario should know about:

Crown land availability for agriculture, to support an expanding sector in both livestock and crop production and processing. View the Applicant’s Guide to applying for Crown land if you would like to learn more about the requirements to purchase Crown land for farming in the North.