FedNor funding to support increased regional tourism spending in five Northern Ontario communities
Canada, July 27 – Thunder Bay, ON – Federal Economic Development Initiative for Northern Ontario – FedNor
The tourism sector in Northern Ontario and across the country has been particularly hard hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. Recognizing the significant positive impact this sector has on our nation’s economy, the Government of Canada continues to make strategic investments to ensure that tourism businesses, organizations and communities have the support they need to rebuild the industry as the economy recovers.
Marcus Powlowski, Member of Parliament for Thunder Bay—Rainy River, on behalf of the Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Economic Development and Official Languages and Minister responsible for FedNor, today announced a FedNor investment of $293,000 for a new tourism product created by Science North, in partnership with Ripley Entertainment Inc. and Guinness World Records. MP Powlowski made the announcement during the launch of the Science of Guinness World Records Northern Tour at the Thunder Bay Museum.
The FedNor funding assisted Science North in developing a customized 100-square-foot version of its main Science of Guinness World Records exhibit located in Sudbury. This travelling exhibit is designed to attract more visitors to local tourism venues, encourage additional tourism spending and help foster economic recovery in smaller centres across Northern Ontario. In addition to Thunder Bay, the Northern tour will include month-long stops in Kenora, Timmins, North Bay and Sault Ste. Marie.
Today’s announcement is further proof of the Government of Canada’s commitment to helping the tourism industry overcome the challenges posed by COVID-19. The national Tourism Relief Fund, announced earlier this month, will provide $500 million over two years to support tourism businesses and organizations so they can adapt their operations to meet public health requirements while investing in recovery efforts for future growth.
