FedDev Ontario supports tourism projects in Kingston, Frontenac, Lanark, Lennox and Addington
Today, Thursday, Nov. 24, 2022, the Honourable Filomena Tassi, Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario), announced a total investment of over $9.8 million for 37 projects in Kingston, Frontenac, Lanark, and Lennox and Addington that will support community infrastructure enhancements, tourism recovery, and economic development in the region.
According to a release from the federal government, Kingston and the surrounding regions attract millions of visitors each year to enjoy the area’s historic main streets, museums, shops, restaurants, and the natural beauty of the waterfront. These investments, through the Canada Community Revitalization Fund (CCRF) and the Tourism Relief Fund (TRF), will “create and revitalize” community spaces and “enhance tourism attractions” to welcome more visitors and build stronger, more vibrant communities that will lead to job creation and a growing economy that works for everyone, the government noted.
“Tourism and modern recreational spaces are important for building strong local economies and communities in Kingston and surrounding regions,” said Mark Gerretsen, Member of Parliament for Kingston and the Islands. “With this support, the tourism sector and communities in Kingston, Frontenac, Lanark, and Lennox and Addington are rebuilding from the [COVID-19] pandemic and looking forward to a strong future.”
The announcement was hosted by the Marine Museum of the Great Lakes at Kingston, which received a non-repayable investment of more than $300,000, through the Tourism Relief Fund, to renovate the historical building at the Kingston Dry Dock national historic site. According to the release, the project includes restoring the Museum’s heritage architecture, including exhibit galleries, windows and doors, to improve energy efficiency and attract visitors to the museum.
“This funding marks a very exciting moment at the Marine Museum of the Great Lakes,” said Chris West, Chair of the Board for the Marine Museum of the Great Lakes at Kingston. “We are on a mission to restore the Kingston Dry Dock national historic site, an outstanding example of 19th century maritime heritage along Kingston’s downtown waterfront. Central to our mission, this restoration will further our ability to provide a unique community space for events, programs, and exhibits that connect visitors to the stories of the Great Lakes and Kingston.”
The 37 community infrastructure and tourism projects receiving support to recover from the pandemic, safely welcome back visitors, and strengthen communities, are as follows:
| Recipient Name | Project | Funding contribution | Fund |
|---|---|---|---|
| Friends of Bon Echo Park | Develop an online app and new programming for Bon Echo Provincial Park. | $400,000 | TRF |
| Georgian Spirit Cruises | Expand outdoor passenger space, install heating and air conditioning, and create accessible entry. | $43,688 | TRF |
| Kingston Accommodation Partners | Develop Kingston tourism packages combining accommodations with tours, restaurant offers, anchor attractions, and other Kingston and area activities. | $91,667 | TRF |
| Kingston Association of Museums, Art Galleries & Historic Sites | Create play-based onsite and digital experiences for visitors. | $172,989 | TRF |
| Kingston Canadian Film Festival | Expand and improve Kingston Canadian Film Festival. | $70,000 | TRF |
| MacKinnon Brothers Brewing | Enhance outdoor seating area with shade and shelter and improve outdoor concert venue. | $100,000 | TRF |
| Marine Museum of the Great Lakes at Kingston | Restore and renovate the marine museum. | $304,000 | TRF |
| Snug Harbour Resort | Enhance resort amenities including updated deck and interior space improvements within the cottage. | $60,000 | TRF |
| Stock & Row Farm Cidery | Modernize 150-year-old hop house with upgraded infrastructure, features, and amenities. | $75,000 | TRF |
| The Smiths Falls Heritage House Museum | Enhance marketing products to attract visitors. | $65,323 | TRF |
| Tourism Kingston | Create new culinary, Indigenous, cycling, and arts and culture tourism experiences. | $308,500 | TRF |
| Wolfe Island Commons | Install covered waterfront amphitheatre, gardens with seating and a large outdoor fire pit with seating. | $97,158 | TRF |
| Althorpe Bolingbroke Community (ABC) Club | Improve the safety and accessibility of the ABC Hall. | $17,250 | CCRF |
| Boys and Girls Club of Kingston & Area Inc. | Replace old HVAC equipment at the West End Community Centre with new energy efficient models. | $750,000 | CCRF |
| Central Frontenac Housing Corporation | Create a sidewalk/ramp, installation of accessible door buttons, improved landscaping and bench relocation. | $30,000 | CCRF |
| Corporation of Loyalist Township | Undertake improvements and increase the accessibility of four community spaces in the township. | $441,832 | CCRF |
| Corporation of the City of Kingston | Improve the Bath House, a historic limestone building which serves as a washroom and changing facility at Richardson Beach in Macdonald Memorial Park. | $500,000 | CCRF |
| Corporation of the City of Kingston | Improve a one-kilometre stretch of waterfront pathway from Crawford Wharf to Battery Park. | $455,021 | CCRF |
| Corporation of the Municipality of Mississippi Mills | Revitalization of the Almonte Downtown Core, Phase 1. | $750,000 | CCRF |
| Corporation of Tay Valley Township | Renovate and expand the Maberly Outdoor Sports Facility. | $79,500 | CCRF |
| Corporation of the Town of Carleton Place | Revitalize downtown core by replacing sidewalks and pedestrian crossovers. | $454,455 | CCRF |
| Corporation of the Town of Carleton Place | Purchase and install an accessible play structure, exercise equipment, and shaded benches. | $80,171 | CCRF |
| Corporation of the Town of Perth | Construct a riverside pathway and install an Indigenous healing garden. | $58,050 | CCRF |
| Corporation of the Town of Smiths Falls | Connect library and Town Hall campus with a green space that incorporates performance space, leisure space and farmers market structures. | $750,000 | CCRF |
| Corporation of the Town of Smiths Falls | Rejuvenate and improve access to the Town of Smiths Falls commercial downtown core. | $750,000 | CCRF |
| Corporation of the Township of Addington Highlands | Enhance a multi-use community space located in Denbigh by installing new energy efficient HVAC and building systems that will reduce greenhouse gases and improve energy consumption and air quality. | $450,000 | CCRF |
| Corporation of the Township of Beckwith | Rehabilitate existing trail system to allow for skating, cross country ski and snowshoe trails. | $125,000 | CCRF |
| Corporation of the Township of Drummond/North Elmsley | Renovate and repair the Ferguson’s Falls Community Hall. | $750,000 | CCRF |
| Corporation of the Township of South Frontenac | Restore and expand the Storrington Community Centre. | $422,309 | CCRF |
| Corporation of the Township of Stone Mills | Create a multi-use skatepark. | $115,000 | CCRF |
| Extend-A-Family (Kingston) | Expand the community sensory garden to include a hydroponic and accessible greenhouse. | $35,000 | CCRF |
| Kingston Canadian Film Festival | Renovate and rehabilitate a heritage building into a new film/music-centric arts hub. | $90,000 | CCRF |
| Mills Community Support Corporation | Collaborate with Indigenous and faith communities to create the 7 Grandfathers garden and create trail systems and activities. | $87,047 | CCRF |
| Plenty Canada | Install a new heating system, construct a rainwater harvesting system and complete major landscaping. | $551,301 | CCRF |
| Southern Frontenac Community Services Corporation | Enhance a multi-use community space located in Sydenham by adding accessible washrooms, automatic doors, ramps, and elevator, as well as more accessible parking. | $250,000 | CCRF |
| Sydenham Street United Church | Improve the amenities of a community space by upgrading two kitchen areas and adjoining event spaces by installing energy-efficient equipment for use by current and future community groups. | $34,013 | CCRF |
| Township of Montague | Construct playground fencing at the Rosedale Community Centre and other measures to increase safety of the playground and the community centre. | $54,255 | CCRF |
Earlier this month, five women-led businesses in the Kingston area were recognized with grants from the Tourism Relief Fund. The grants were part of an investment of over $2.7 million spread across 14 women-led tourism businesses in Ontario.
“Support for tourism operators and communities allows them to bring back visitors, enhance public spaces, share knowledge and experiences, and prepare for a strong future,” Minister Tassi said. “Through programs like the Tourism Relief Fund and Canada Community Revitalization Fund, our government is making smart investments that put people first and grow local economies that work for everyone.”