Ontario Building Better Community Infrastructure in Kenora

KENORA – The Ontario government is providing more than $2.8 million through the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation (NOHFC) to seven community enhancement projects in the Kenora area to upgrade local infrastructure and community recreation facilities. This investment will help build a stronger Ontario by creating good-paying jobs, boosting economic growth and improving quality of life in Northwest Ontario communities.

“Our government is committed to promoting a high quality of life in communities across Ontario,” said Greg Rickford, Minister of Northern Development, Mines, Natural Resources and Forestry. “These investments will improve community infrastructure in Kenora, strengthening community ties and supporting economic development.”

We are proud to invest $75K in the Keewatin Curling Club’s renovation to improve accessibility. By broadening the scope of the @NOHFC last year, we made it easier for community members like Josh to access much-needed support for their organizations. More: https://t.co/a4txqbYH5x pic.twitter.com/AO8Zvf7x1e

— Greg Rickford (@GregRickford) April 19, 2022

Projects receiving NOHFC funding include:

$500,000 to the City of Kenora to improve infrastructure and accessibility at four city parks
$500,000 to the City of Kenora to upgrade six baseball diamonds at three locations in the city
$500,000 to the City of Kenora to complete upgrades and repairs to the Keewatin Arena
$480,000 to the City of Kenora to upgrade and repair existing docks, and build new docks
$450,000 to the City of Kenora to build a fully accessible playground and interpretive area at Norman Park
$325,000 to the City of Kenora to hire a design consultant for the Harbourfront Business Development Plan
$75,000 to the Keewatin Curling Club to renovate its facility

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

“Recreational green space, docking and beach improvements have been occurring over the last number of years. This funding allows the City to accelerate project plans and enhance the user experience for residents, summer residents, and tourists. Kenora is a great place to live and visit and these improvements will make things that much better for all. We are excited about these improvements.”

– Daniel Reynard
Mayor, City of Kenora

“The Keewatin Curling Club, like most other Canadian businesses, faced unprecedented challenges over the past two years. Revenue generating efforts for much-needed capital improvements to our facility have been stymied by COVID-19 restrictions. The safety of our members and user groups has been our focus over the last couple of years, which has resulted in a pause in addressing capital projects. We are thankful to have the support of the Ontario government and NOHFC to move forward with our capital priorities. Without the support of our government leaders, the efforts of our Board of Directors to address capital improvements would not be possible.”

– Joshua Szajewski
President, Keewatin Curling Club

SOURCE Province of Ontario