On Thursday afternoon, Economic Development Manager, Steve Antunes, reported that a funding agreement granting 90 per cent of the cost of a tourism strategy development study, has been approved by Fednor.
The cost of the study is estimated at $80,000.
“Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario (FedNor) is the Government of Canada's economic development organization for Northern Ontario,” informs the federal government’s website.
Describing the study as, “a fulsome tourism strategy for the city with actionable items,” including “ways to market the city effectively,” Antunes brought the opportunity to the Economic Development Standing committee.
“A very important component of this is how to differentiate the city's tourism offering from other northern Ontario locations, really identifying our target market, getting input from community members and stakeholders, and finding new opportunities for year-round tourism.”
The committee approved the recommendation and forwarded it to council.
If approved by council, Antunes anticipates the study will be completed by July 1, 2025.
An RFP (Request for Proposal) process is planned. “In the initial reach out, we've been very fortunate, there's six or seven firms that are going to compete,” Antunes said.
Promotional events and other opportunities
Later, during a departmental report, Antunes described some of the promotional work the Ec Dev department has undertaken recently including first-time representation at the SME, small business show, in Toronto, June 24 and 25.
Antunes told the committee, that approximately one hundred small and medium-sized business owners and representatives dropped by the Elliot Lake table to hear about opportunities in Elliot Lake and receive a custom brochure.
And he added, that three of the trade show contacts came to visit Elliot Lake already.
Ec Dev also hosted a town hall at city hall, July 11, and an ATV event at Collins Hall, July 23.
The town hall, “is a great event in the sense that it gives us a one-to-one conversation with residents who are interested in economic development in our community. So a very positive event. We'll have our next one in October,” Antunes said.
Recent media programs produced and still-to-air include, Still Standing (CBC) and Crossroads (TVO).
And DirtTrax Powersports media, created a promotional ATV video about Elliot Lake as a family destination, here.
Looking forward to the tourism strategy development study
Antunes: “We're very excited to have this [tourism strategy development] in place because it's always nice to have a road map to see what we can be doing better from a tourism point of view - to draw more people to the community, and put more money in the pockets of our businesses here."
The grant opportunity is expected to come before council later this month.