Premier Doug Ford visited Wasaga Beach to announce a $38 million investment aimed at boosting local tourism.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford made a stop in Wasaga Beach Friday morning to emphasize the province’s commitment to investing nearly $38 million into enhancing tourism in the beachfront town and helping it become a year-round destination.
“It’s great to be here in beautiful Wasaga Beach,” Ford said while standing at a podium positioned along the waterfront.
The premier’s visit follows Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy’s introduction of the $232.5 billion budget, which focuses on strengthening Ontario’s economy, including the tourism sector.
“Wasaga Beach is a world-class tourist destination, with the longest freshwater beach in the world and an incredible history, including at Nancy Island,” said Ford. “We’re helping bring this important part of Ontario’s history back to life and we’re working with the municipality to revitalize the downtown, create jobs and welcome tourists from across Ontario and around the world.”
“Tourism is our bread and butter in Wasaga Beach – tourism supports our local businesses and entrepreneurs, it helps us build homes, parks, schools, roads and water towers, and it is a massive economic driver for our province,” noted Mayor Brian Smith in a social media post on Thursday. “When you invest in making Wasaga Beach a more viable, sustainable, year-round Ontario destination – you’re investing in a stronger Ontario.”
The town’s mayor received high praise from the premier on Friday when he called Smith “incredible,” adding, ”He is the champion of all champs because he’s been advocating for this for years, I guess. But I love your vision,” Ford said to the town’s mayor while commenting on how downtown is changing with its redevelopment of Beach Area One, which will see new homes and businesses built. “This is going to be, it’s spectacular now, but it’s going to be even more spectacular.”
Ontario’s investment into Destination Wasaga breaks down as follows: $25 million for upgrading Nancy Island Historic Site; nearly $11 million for supporting reconstruction of roadways project; critical infrastructure for over 3,000 new homes; plus $2 million towards downtown redevelopment.
“We’re investing in workers, in infrastructure, and communities just like we’re doing here. This includes supporting tourism across our province,” Ford noted. “If you don’t support and create conditions for companies to build they just won’t build. One hundred percent of zero is zero. So we believe this and we’re cutting red tape regulations – We’re going to build like we’ve never built before.”
On Thursday, the Town of Wasaga Beach announced that they took another significant step forward with their redevelopment project by awarding Arnott Construction-the locally owned company from Midhurst-the contract to rebuild iconic Beach Drive.
Source link
Related Articles
Ford Wasaga Beach Ontario Premier Doug Ford makes an announcement in Wasaga Beach on Fri., May 16, 2025.Source link
