FedNor and NOHFC Support for Next Event Centre Steps

THUNDER BAY – The Thunder Bay Events and Convention Centre is taking the next step forward with a $1.1 million dollar announcement of support from the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund and FedNor.  Federal Minister Greg Rickford and provincial Minister Michael Gravelle made the announcement at Prince Arthurs Landing in Thunder Bay.

$577,139 Each from FedNor and NOHFC

The Province of Ontario and the Government of Canada will each invest $577,139 to enable the City of Thunder Bay to complete the detailed design and schematics for a new Event and Convention Centre in the city’s downtown core. Once complete, the facility will help increase local tourism by attracting major events and conferences to the area, encourage business development and growth, and support the community’s downtown revitalization efforts. The facility is expected to generate approximately $20 million in annual economic benefits for the region.

Minister Rickford said, “It is great to have everyone here today, especially with the weather.”

“I am delighted to be here with my friend Michael Gravelle”, added Rickford. “Here today to make an announcement and engage in a roundtable on today’s announcement. It was only a few short years ago, when I was here with the Prime Minister at the Waterfront.”

“This is a city on the move,” added Rickford. “FedNor has had a hand in each of those stages”.

“Northern Ontario has received a major investment under the FedNor program. As Minister of State for the Ring of Fire, I am pleased with the investment in infrastructure”.

The Minister stated that “Identified as a key economic benefit by the community the investment from Fednor will help move to the next stages of the project. We must make the right investments, in the right times, with the right partners, and that is why I am here today”.

Minister Rickford stated, “Our government recognizes the importance of supporting priority community infrastructure, leading to new jobs, strengthening the economy, and supporting the long term prosperity of the Thunder Bay region.”

“I am very proud of our government’s support for the future Thunder Bay Event and Convention Centre,” stated Minister Michael Gravelle. “It is an incredible opportunity to boost our local and regional economy”.

“It will also raise the profile of the community”, Gravelle continued.

Addressing the large gathering, Minister Gravelle said, “It is so appropriate that we are doing that announcement here, in this remarkably beautiful place.”

“The NOHFC works with FedNor on a number of projects, it was only a month ago that I was together with Greg to announce another joint investment that will create jobs. New mining developments are coming along, and so I am very pleased to share in this announcement.”

“For more that twenty-five years, NOHFC has made over $876 million in contributions to projects,” Gravelle added.

The Ontario Government will match the funding from FedNor to help move to phase three of the Event Centre.

“This has been a lot of hard work,” stated Minister Gravelle.

Thunder Bay Mayor Keith Hobbs said, “At the City of Thunder Bay we are proud to work with the federal and provincial governments to establish a new state of the art event and convention centre”.

“When I was elected as Mayor, I said we are going to do our homework on this project,” stated Hobbs.

“Its great to see FedNor and NOHCF together,” added the Mayor.

QUICK FACTS

• To be located near the waterfront area in downtown Thunder Bay, the new Event and Convention Centre will be owned and operated by the municipality and serve as a regional hub for large-scale events and attractions.

• Ontario is supporting this project through the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation (NOHFC).  With a focus on jobs and the economy, the NOHFC is a key driver of the Growth Plan for Northern Ontario, designed to build on the North’s key existing and emerging sectors.

• The Government of Canada funding announced today is provided through FedNor’s Northern Ontario Development Program (NODP), which supports projects that promote sustainable community economic development, enhance business development and growth, and facilitate innovation throughout the region.