Ontario Enhancing Community Life In Parry Sound District

The Ontario government is providing more than $6.1 million through the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation (NOHFC) to 11 community enhancement projects in the Parry Sound District. This investment will help build a stronger Ontario by creating good-paying jobs, boosting economic growth and improving quality of life in northern communities.

“Our government is committed to ensuring a high quality of life in communities across Ontario,” said Norman Miller, MPP for Parry Sound – Muskoka. “These investments will help communities in the Parry Sound District make repairs and upgrades to community infrastructure, supporting local jobs and economic growth.”

The following projects are receiving NOHFC funding:

1. The Township of Perry will receive $2,000,000 to build a facility housing the community centre and library
2. The Township of Armour will receive $1,531,500 for natural gas, electricity and telecommunication services, $148,000 to build a basketball facility and ice rink and $58,500 for renovations to the Katrine Community Centre
3. The Municipality of McDougall will receive $972,810 to support expansion of infrastructure in the Parry Sound Area Industrial Park
4. The Township of Strong will receive $500,000 to repurpose a vacant lot into a community hub
5. The Municipality of Magnetawan will receive $214,000 for roof repairs at the Magnetawan Community Centre and $180,000 for improvements to the waterfront
6. The Emsdale Airport Authority will receive $258,255 for repairs to the airport roof and facilities, and to purchase maintenance equipment
7. The Township of The Archipelago will receive $142,200 for upgrades to the Point au Baril Community Centre
8. The Village of Burk’s Falls will receive $124,424 to make upgrades and repairs to the community’s main boat launch, docks and waterfront walkway

The NOHFC promotes economic prosperity across Northern Ontario by providing financial assistance to projects—big and small, rural and urban—that stimulate growth, job creation and skills development. Since June 2018, the NOHFC has invested more than $519 million in 4,496 projects in Northern Ontario, leveraging more than $1.77 billion in investment and creating or sustaining over 7,000 jobs.

Quick Facts

• In 2021, the Ontario government launched new and improved NOHFC programs that support more projects in rural northern communities and make it easier for more people and businesses to apply. The programs target existing and emerging markets, provide more work opportunities for Indigenous people and address the skilled labour shortage in the North.

Quotes

“The Municipality of McDougall applied for this NOHFC Community Enhancement grant on behalf of the Parry Sound Area Industrial Park which is co-owned by McDougall, Carling and the Town of Parry Sound. This funding will allow the Park Board to proceed with the urgently needed expansion of water, sewer and roads that will open up new lots for the development of new industrial businesses. This translates immediately into new jobs for West Parry Sound.” – Dale Robinson, Mayor of Municipality of McDougall

“The Township of The Archipelago is very pleased to accept this grant, which will be used to replace windows and doors at our Pointe au Baril Community Centre that are over 30 years old. These new fixtures will improve community enjoyment, while helping us meet our environmental goals and, together with our recently installed air conditioning system, will provide our community with a greater user experience and increased usage of this valuable asset.  We appreciate this financial assistance from the NOHFC and the ongoing support of our MPP Norman Miller.” – Bert Liverance, Reeve of Township of Archipelago

“The Village of Burk’s Falls is very pleased to be receiving this Grant. Our Waterfront Improvement Study identified the importance of the Magnetawan River which surrounds our Village to strengthen our beautification and access to our Village!” – Cathy Still, Mayor of Burk’s Falls

“We are very grateful for the funding and the opportunity to publicly thank the Provincial Government for its generosity to our Municipality. The funding received from the Province, will enable us to finally replace the roof over our Community Centre, Public Library and Municipal Offices. These funds will also be used to replace the rink boards in our outdoor Lions Pavilion – which is used year-round, and to replace our docks and boat ramp which serves as access to the Magnetawan River from early spring to late fall for our locals and tourists alike.” – Sam Dunnett, Mayor of the Municipality of Magnetawan

“Councils are always striving to improve recreational infrastructure and provide better employment opportunities through economic growth. Armour Township greatly appreciates the grants we have received through the local Community Enhancement initiative.” – Bob  MacPhail, Mayor of Armour Township