NORTH BAY – The Ontario government is providing $2 million through the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation (NOHFC) for Canadore College to build a multi-use recreation facility on the Commerce Court Campus. This investment will increase recreational opportunities for students and the community, and support health and wellness in Northeastern Ontario.

“Through a targeted investment, our government is enhancing infrastructure at Canadore College to provide sports and recreation enthusiasts with a year-round indoor facility,” said Vic Fedeli, MPP for Nipissing. “We will continue to foster a strong future in our region by supporting economic growth and reaffirming the North as a great place to call home.”

The Canadore Multi-Use Recreation Facility will be an 85,000-square-foot dome supporting year-round soccer, golf, baseball, basketball, tennis, volleyball, dry land training, cricket, badminton and sport conditioning. There will be a 6,200-square-foot clubhouse attached, complete with change rooms, meeting space, gender neutral washrooms and a multi-use space that can be used for instruction.

The facility will be open to the public and outside teams and leagues on a fee-for-use basis, and will include artificial turf, hard court and several other features to support maximum usability for both the community and for Canadore College to expand their varsity and recreational sports programming. The faciltiy will also have the potential to host large community events, tradeshows and conferences, making the space one of the largest venues in the North to host these types of events, enhancing tourism opportunities for the region.

“Our government is proud to support Canadore College with funding from the NOHFC to build the only full-service sports facility in the North,” said Greg Rickford, Minister of Northern Development. “This investment will boost local and regional recreation and tourism opportunities, benefit the northern economy and contribute to healthier communities for the people who live, work, play and study in the North.”

“Canadore College is proud to be leading this multi-million-dollar investment to support our academic, sport and wellness needs and create a new headquarters for our School of Sport and Recreation,” said George Burton, President and CEO of Canadore College. “The centre will be a community recreation hub for North Bay and the Nipissing region. We are grateful to the Government of Ontario and the NOHFC for supporting this important project.”

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 $685 million in 5,656 projects in Northern Ontario, leveraging more than $2.3 billion in investment and creating or sustaining over 9,000 jobs.

Quick Facts

• 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