Provincial Funding Announcement

Funding from Ontario’s Highlands Tourism Organization and the Province of Ontario

Press Release
Thursday, December 9, 2021

The Haliburton Highlands Arts Centre Foundation is pleased to announce that it has been awarded funding from Ontario’s Highlands Tourism Organization (OHTO) and the Ontario Government via OHTO’s Tourism Recovery and Innovation Program (TRIP). In the Partnership Projects stream, the HHACF applied for funding of its Feasibility Study, and it was awarded the maximum contribution of $15,000.

Ontario’s Highlands Tourism Organization is one of 13 Regional Tourism Organizations (RTO) created by the Ontario Government created in 2010 as a means to coordinate tourism development efforts and increase visitation to the province more effectively.

OHTO’s TRIP – Partnership Projects stream is funded by the Ontario Government and seeks to support collaborative projects that strengthen our sector and demonstrate consideration for the environmental, socio-cultural and economic impacts associated with growing the visitor economy.

“We (OHTO) are strong supporters of projects that support and positively impact the community while also providing benefits to visitors to the region,” says Nicole Whiting, OHTO’s Executive Director. “The proposed Arts Centre by HHACF has great potential to further strengthen the existing vibrant arts and culture assets of the Haliburton region for residents and visitors to enjoy.”

“We’re very grateful that OHTO and the Ontario Government recognize the potential for broad impacts to tourism, community collaboration and the regional economy while we are in the early steps of our mandate,” says Foundation president, Dan Manley. “Local arts organizations, stakeholders, municipal councils and other project partners are eager to see the results of the Feasibility Study come April 2022. This funding ensures that we can continue work on the study without pausing between phases.”

For more information about Ontario’s Highlands Tourism Organization and TRIP, please visit https://comewander.ca/trip/.

A PDF of this press release can be downloaded here.