McDougall – The Ontario government is providing $238,875 through the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation (NOHFC) to the Municipality of McDougall to renovate the Nobel Community Hall and Waubamik Community Hall. This investment will modernize municipal infrastructure, increase recreational opportunities and enhance quality of life in the Northeast.

“I’m honoured to be a part of the official opening of this community hall in Nobel, and I applaud the vision of the Municipality of McDougall council and staff for saving a historic building and turning it into a community space for residents to gather,” said Graydon Smith, MPP for Parry Sound—Muskoka. “Community halls like this one here in Nobel and the one in Waubamik are so important in providing residents with a sense of connectedness. I’m glad to see the public and private support through the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation and OTT Financial Ltd. that went into this project to make it a reality.”

The NOHFC is funding the following projects:

• $184,500 for the Municipality of McDougall to convert a former church located in the Village of Nobel into a community hall. This continues the work carried out by the municipality on the 90 year old building and ensure that it is up to code before it is ready for use. When completed, the project will provide a new community gathering space in the municipality’s main settlement area and support opportunities for expanded activities and events in a safe, accessible, environmentally friendly and inviting facility.
• $54,375 for the Municipality of McDougall to renovate the exterior and update the interior of Waubamik Community Hall. The project includes replacing a vanity in the washroom, installing a new ramp, door and siding on the exterior, as well as purchasing storage racks for the basement. Once complete, the modernized building will create a more inviting space that is safer and more accessible for users.

“I am pleased and proud to announce the official opening of the Nobel Community Hall,” said Dale Robinson, Mayor, Municipality of McDougall. “This project provides a needed facility in the Municipality of McDougall for our residents to gather for community events. In addition, we were able to save a building that has historic value and update it to provide modern communications, cooking, and meeting facilities. All of this was only possible through partnerships such as the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation’s $184,500 investment and OTT Financial Ltd.’s $50,000 donation to the project as part of their commitment to community development, and McDougall provided the balance of funding and project management. This new meeting place is a perfect complement to the Waubamik Community Hall that also received $54,375 in NOHFC funding.”

“Our government continues to make targeted investments through the NOHFC in municipal infrastructure that boost economic opportunities and build strong, connected communities” said Greg Rickford, Minister of Northern Development. “These investments will help the Municipality of McDougall make repairs and upgrades to improve local amenities that will provide safe, accessible and inviting spaces to host community gatherings and special events.”

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 $762 million in 6,309 projects in Northern Ontario, leveraging more than $2.3 billion in investment and creating or sustaining over 9,750 jobs.

Quick Fact

• 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.

Additional Resources

• The NOHFC, Northern Development Offices and Small Business Enterprise Centres are available to support northern communities, businesses and other stakeholders in identifying economic development opportunities and assist in accessing government funding programs.
• The NOHFC’s Community Enhancement Program builds strong and resilient northern communities through targeted investments in critical infrastructure.

Media Contacts

Curtis Lindsay, Minister’s Office — 437-240-7317 — curtis.lindsay@ontario.ca

Media Desk, Communications Branch — mediadesk.ndm@ontario.ca