: The Ontario government is providing more than $46 million to support 648 non-profit tourism, culture, sport and recreation organizations through the Community Building Fund’s Operating stream, including 13 organizations in the Parry Sound-Muskoka region. The funding will be used to help them recover from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and deliver much-needed programs and services in our community.
In Parry Sound-Muskoka, the local recipients of the funding are as follows:
- The Port Carling Curling Club will receive $36,000
- The Ardeleana Chamber Music Society in McDougall will receive $49,900
- The South River Curling Club will receive $28,500
- Sail Parry Sound Inc. will receive $ 20,600
- The Museum on Tower Hill in Parry Sound will receive $ 17,200
- The Ojibway Club in Pointe au Baril will receive $248,900
- The Lake of Bays Marine Museum and Navigation Society in Dorset will receive $28,400
- The Muskoka Lakes Museum in Port Carling will receive $50,000
- The Gravenhurst Curling Club will receive $50,000
- The Henvey Inlet First Nation will receive $99,400
- The Commanda Community Centre will receive $11,000
- The Bala Cranberry Festival will receive $50,000
- Branch 405 of the Royal Canadian Legion in Burk’s Falls will receive $41,800
The Community Building Fund was launched earlier this year and is administered by the Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) through two streams: Operating and Capital. Operating stream funding can be allocated to cover essential expenditures, such as staff salaries and fixed operational costs, equipment costs for adapting to public health and safety measures, and costs related to innovation and the digital or mobile delivery of products and experiences.
“COVID-19 has posed a unique set of challenges for so many non-profit organizations that have a significant presence in Parry Sound-Muskoka, like the Bala Cranberry Festival that I attended last weekend,” said MPP Norman Miller. “This funding will provide crucial support to these organizations to help them weather the storm so they can continue to make positive, enriching contributions to our community.”
“Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, our government has been committed to supporting those struggling the most,” said Lisa MacLeod, Minister of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries. “The Community Building Fund was designed with this in mind – to enhance the quality of life for Ontarians and support local jobs. These grants will help non-profit organizations across Ontario sustain operations– providing funding so they can adapt to the pressures of the pandemic and continue to deliver programming that is critical to the economic and social well-being of communities across the province.”
President of the South River Curling Club, Bill O’Hallarn, said, “Many small community and sporting clubs such as ours were negatively affected during the last 18 months of the COVID 19 pandemic. The grant will go towards an upgraded website, new equipment, and will help us cover our operating expenses, which rose about 30% even when no income was coming in. On behalf of the members of the South River Curling club, we are so grateful to obtain the grant from the Community Building Fund.”
“The Bala Cranberry Festival is thrilled to be a recipient of the Community Building Fund’s Operating Steam Grant. This funding will enable the festival to map out and execute a long-term sustainability strategy, by making an investment into year-round staff,” said Event and Operations Director Tania Cowley. “This investment will be a game-changer for our festival and will ensure this ever-important community economic driver will be strong and prosperous for the long term.”
At the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 405 in Burk’s Falls, President Carol Downs said the grant will improve the productivity of the kitchen, aid with experience delivery, and maintain community engagement while meeting health guidelines. She expressed that the grant offers the Legion much-needed relief, giving them “a head start for the future.”