KENORA – The Ontario government is providing $78,700 to upgrade the Lake of the Woods Railroaders Museum and to help boost local tourism and economic development in the City of Kenora. The funding will be delivered through the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation (NOHFC).
“As our government works to get Ontario back on track, we are proud to invest in Kenora’s heritage, including our proud history on the rails,” said Greg Rickford, Minister of Energy, Northern Development and Mines. “With our region entering Stage 3, I want to encourage our local community to get out and safely rediscover some of what Kenora has to offer.”
The Lake of the Woods Railroaders Museum is receiving $56,200 in funding to modernize its facility and create an enhanced visitor experience. Upgrades will include improving accessibility, renovating and repairing indoor and outdoor exhibits and artifacts, building a new model railway display area, and installing lighting, a security system, and Wi-Fi.
The City of Kenora is receiving $22,500 in funding to develop an economic development and tourism strategy. The strategy will identify priority projects over the next five years that will lead to population growth, job creation, business development, private-sector investment, and more tourists visiting the area.
“The volunteer staff of the Lake of the Woods Railroaders Museum are very thankful to Minister Rickford and the NOHFC for this funding to improve our facility,” said Richard Roy, Vice President, Lake of the Woods Railroaders Museum. “We are bringing our museum into compliance with the accessibility standards to make our museum a great family attraction for our community and visitors. In addition, we are undertaking a number of
upgrades to our facility, artifacts and displays. All of this would not be possible without support from NOHFC and our community partners.”
The NOHFC promotes economic development across Northern Ontario by providing financial assistance to projects – big and small, rural and urban – that stimulate growth, job creation and skilled workforce development. Since June 2018, the NOHFC has invested more than $193 million in 1,386 projects in Northern Ontario, leveraging more than $748 million in investment and creating or sustaining 3,912 jobs.
The government is moving forward with a regional approach to Stage 3 of reopening the province, as the province implements its made-in-Ontario plan to renewal, growth, and economic recovery. For a full list of regions that have entered Stage 3, as well as a list of restrictions that remain in place, please visit ontario.ca/reopen.
