KENORA - Today, Greg Rickford, Minister of Energy, Northern Development and Mines, announced Ontario is investing $250,000 through the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation (NOHFC) in the Kenora SportsPlex.
The Kenora SportsPlex will be expanded to increase the second-floor viewing area, improve accessibility and maximize use of the playing field area as a regulation-sized field of play. This will allow the centre to attract regional sports tournaments and accommodate more spectators.
"This investment encourages sports tourism in Kenora," said Minister Rickford. "We are building strong, vibrant communities across Northern Ontario together and creating real opportunities for the people who live here and the companies that want to invest, sending a signal to the world that Northern Ontario is open for business and open for jobs."
"The Kenora SportsPlex is a unique amenity to our community that provides a diverse range of opportunity for use and has vast potential beyond the current capacity," said Kenora Mayor Daniel Reynard. "This funding will allow us to expand the use of the facility by adding access to the second-floor mezzanine and attracting new and expanded programming. The viewing area expansion will add economic benefit to our community with visitors attending an array of additional events. With the support of NOHFC and Minister Rickford's investment in northern recreation, tourism and economic development, this addition will have great benefits to Kenora and our surrounding area."
The NOHFC promotes and supports economic development across Northern Ontario by providing financial assistance to projects - big and small, rural and urban - that stimulate growth, job creation and develop a skilled workforce.
Ontario is working to develop new NOHFC programs that will:
make it easier for more people and businesses to applysupport more projects in rural northern communitiestarget both existing and emerging market opportunitiesprovide more work opportunities for Indigenous peopleaddress the skilled labour shortage in the north.
"We have heard feedback from northerners who want NOHFC programs to be open to a broader range of businesses and workers so that the unique needs of Northern Ontario communities are met," said Minister Rickford. "Through these proposed changes, Ontario's government will continue to build strong and resilient communities while supporting an environment where businesses can thrive, grow and create good jobs."
Promoting and stimulating economic development initiatives in Northern Ontario is part of the government's plan to build Ontario together. Ontario's balanced and prudent plan is creating more jobs and opportunities in the north and keeping more money in people's pockets.