11 projects receive ACOA funding in southwestern Nova Scotia
Eligible recipients include not-for-profit organizations; rural, municipal or regional governments; Indigenous groups and communities; and public sector bodies that provide municipal-type infrastructure.
A total of $884,227 in ACOA funding has been allocated to 11 projects in Yarmouth, Digby and Annapolis counties.
Nine projects are being funded through the Canada Community Revitalization Fund (CCRF) and two projects through the Tourism Relief Fund (TRF). All the grants are non-refundable.
The Town of Yarmouth will receive $226,250 for repairs and upgrades to the former YMCA building on Main Street, now operated by the Yarmouth Mariners Centre and known as the Mariners on Main.
The Municipality of the District of Clare has been allocated $200,000 for upgrades to the trails and amenities at Wentworth Park to improve accessibility and enhance the visitor experience.
The Clare Curling Association will receive $75,000 to install a corrugated steel roof on the Clare Curling Rink to revitalize the community asset and sustain future operations.
The Yarmouth County
Splash Park Committee is receiving $75,000 towards constructing a new accessible community splash park in the Town of Yarmouth for people of all levels of mobility.
The Yarmouth Farmers' Market has been granted $34,465 to upgrade the market barn and gallery buildings to improve accessibility, heat retention and signage.
Université Sainte-Anne has been given $30,000 for infrastructure upgrades to the ice skating rink to improve energy efficiency, allowing the continued use of the facility by students, community members and the visiting public.
The Bear River Community
Craft & Recreation Facility Society received $30,000 to install new windows, paint the exterior, and repair the furnace at the Oakdene Community Centre to improve energy efficiency.
L'Association du musée de Wedgeport received $15,548 to renovate the Wedgeport Tuna Museum Centre to improve accessibility and increase storage to host community events throughout the year.
The Municipality of the District of Digby received $8,000 to upgrade the Bear Cove Art Trail by improving the parking, trail and signage to accommodate people of all abilities.
Two projects receiving support under the Tourism Relief Fund (TRF) include Spurr Brothers Farms Limited, which is receiving $100,000 to construct outdoor covered pavilions and a patio, as well as a tap room equipped with heat pumps for year round comfort to create a hard cider and agri-tourism experience. Trout Point Lodge is receiving $89,964 for safety and guest experience enhancements, such as new windows, fireplace inserts, outdoor fire pits and equipment to maintain the parking lots in the winter, to transform the location into a year-round operation.
The CCRF was launched in June 2021. The fund provides $500 million over two years to Canada's regional development agencies (RDAs) to invest in shared and inclusive public spaces. CCRF funding supports these major streams of activity – adapting community spaces and assets so that they may be used safely in accordance with local public health guidelines; and building or improving community spaces to encourage Canadians to re-engage in and explore their communities and regions.
Eligible recipients include not-for-profit organizations; rural, municipal or regional governments; Indigenous groups and communities; and public sector bodies that provide municipal-type infrastructure.
Launched in July 2021, the $500 million Tourism Relief Fund (TRF) is administered by Canada's RDAs and Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED). It was created specifically to help organizations and businesses in the tourism sector adapt their operations to meet public health requirements, while investing in innovative products and services to facilitate their future growth.
For more information on the application process, eligibility criteria and eligible expenses, or to apply for the CCRF, people and groups can reach out to their regional development agency.