Ontario Investing in Community Enhancements in Dryden

More than $447,000 provincial investment to complete recreational trail enhancements

September 22, 2022

DRYDEN – The Ontario government is providing $447,891 through the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation (NOHFC) to the City of Dryden to complete trail enhancements along the riverfront Signature Trail in Dryden. This investment in local infrastructure will help boost economic growth, improve quality of life and build strong, healthy communities in northwestern Ontario.

“Our government is enhancing community infrastructure to promote healthier and more vibrant communities with a higher quality of life for residents,” said Greg Rickford, Minister of Northern Development. “Our government is proud to make this investment to improve and develop the riverfront Signature Trail in Dryden as we know that it is integral to the tourism and economic development of the community.”

This project will enhance and develop the waterfront properties through the completion of essential repairs, upgrades, landscaping, wayfinding and the installation of interpretative panels along the trail. The improvements will allow for easier access to the trails system, additional seating, and improve the overall user experience.

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 $559 million in 4,748 projects in Northern Ontario, leveraging more than $1.82 billion in investment and creating or sustaining over 7,500 jobs.

Quick Facts

In 2021, 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.