On March 13, 2018, the Province of Ontario, Canada announced that it will continue its program to revitalize communities in northern Ontario by enhancing tourist attractions in the communities of Schreiber and Terrace Bay, in hopes of boosting the local economies.
“Our government recognizes that improving community infrastructure and tourism attractions is vital to the economy of many northern communities. Today’s investments in Terrace Bay and Schreiber will make these communities even more exciting places and will have a lasting impact for tourists and locals alike,” explained Michael Gravelle, Minister of Northern Development and Mines and MPP for Thunder Bay-Superior North.
In Terrace Bay, the province, through the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation, will help the municipality create a waterfront staging area that will promote access to Lake Superior, Slate Islands Provincial Park and the Trans-Canada Water Trail. This includes expansion of the parking and boat launch areas, construction of a year round beach pavilion, gazebo, wind powered sculptures and a brand new boardwalk. This project will also allow the community to host various special events year round and increase waterfront programming.
“We thank Minister Gravelle and the province for investing in the Terrace Bay waterfront development project. These enhancements will increase tourism and spending in the local community, as well as improve the attraction potential of the area. We are confident that this will further strengthen our city’s waterfront as a must-see destination for tourists and residents in the Northwest,” said Jody Davis, Mayor of the Township of Terrace Bay
In Schreiber, the province will fund the construction of a new 1,360-square foot North Shore Express Discovery Centre. The centre will highlight the township’s historical ties to the railway industry by featuring a diesel locomotive and will include a museum and visitor centre. In addition, the province is investing in tourism signage, as well as downtown revitalization, including storm water drainage upgrades, new benches and a new gazebo.
“We thank Minister Gravelle and the province for these very important investments in our community. Our revitalization project is an essential component of Schreiber’s tourism strategy and aligns with other attractions in our beautiful Lake Superior North Shore region. The additional support from the Ontario Community Infrastructure Fund will allow us to keep a safe supply of fresh treated drinking water for our residents,” added Mark Figliomeni, Mayor of the Township of Schreiber
Ontario is also investing in the town of Schreiber’s Clearwell project through the Ontario Community Infrastructure Fund. Once complete, the project will ensure that all residents of Schreiber will have access to safe drinking water.
Investing in tourism and local economic development in the North is part of Ontario’s plan to create fairness and opportunity during this period of rapid economic change. The plan includes a higher minimum wage and better working conditions, free tuition for hundreds of thousands of students, easier access to affordable child care, and free prescription drugs for everyone under 25 through the biggest expansion of medicare in a generation.
Here are a few facts about Ontario’s revitalizing investments in the northern region:
- Ontario is investing $2,150,000 in Schreiber and $1.5 million in Terrace Bay through the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation (NOHFC) Strategic Economic Infrastructure Program;
- Ontario is investing up to $1.03 million through the Ontario Community Infrastructure Fund in the town of Schreiber’s Clearwell project;
- Since 2013, the province has invested more than $621 million through the NOHFC in over 3,845 projects, leveraging more than $2.2 billion in direct economic activity and creating or sustaining over 15,300 jobs in Northern Ontario;
- In the Thunder Bay-Superior North region, the NOHFC has invested more than $63 million in 504 projects that have helped create or retain more than 1,250 jobs since 2013;
- Ontario is tripling its investments through OCIF from $100 million per year to $300 million per year by 2019. OCIF supports projects in municipalities with a population of less than 100,000 as well as municipalities that are located in northern or rural Ontario.
The Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation (NOHFC) was established in 1988 with a mandate to promote and stimulate economic development initiatives in Northern Ontario by providing financial assistance to projects that stabilize, diversify and foster the economic growth and diversification of the region.
The NOHFC is an operational service agency established under the enabling legislation of the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Act. The NOHFC has an appointed Board of Directors, chaired by the Minister of Northern Development and Mines. NOHFC’s objectives are set out in the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Act as follows:
- To advise and make recommendations to the Lieutenant Governor in Council on any matter relating to the growth and diversification of the economy of Northern Ontario;
- To promote and stimulate economic initiatives in Northern Ontario; and
- To commission studies and enter into contracts in connection with the objects set out in clauses (a) and (b) above.
The Corporation provides economic development funding toward approved projects in the territorial districts of Northern Ontario, namely Algoma, Cochrane, Kenora, Manitoulin, Nipissing, Parry Sound, Rainy River, Sudbury, Thunder Bay and Timiskaming.
The NOHFC partners with Northerners to develop innovative technologies, invest in infrastructure, bolster collaboration and build economic development capacity. By supporting local visions, they strengthen the North’s competitive advantage. NOHFC programs focus on the growth of existing and emerging sectors priority economic sectors, including:
- advanced manufacturing;
- agriculture, aquaculture and food processing;
- arts, culture and creative industries;
- digital economy;
- forestry and value-added forestry related products;
- health sciences;
- mineral sector and mining supply and services;
- renewable energy and services;
- tourism;
- transportation, aviation and aerospace;
- water technologies and services.
Photo of Terrace Bay in the Thunder Bay District of Ontario by P199 via Wikipedia.