Mr. Chairman, ladies and gentlemen members of the committee, good day.
My name is France Pégeot. I'm the assistant deputy minister in Industry Canada responsible for the federal economic development initiative in northern Ontario, better known as FedNor.
I'm here to speak with you about the support provided by FedNor in the context of last summer's G-8 summit.
Before we deal with the issue of support, I would like to give you some context on FedNor, an Industry Canada initiative or program.
Since 1987, the government of Canada, through FedNor, has done effective work in collaborating with northern Ontario organizations and communities so as to promote and enhance northern Ontario economic development.
Through the northern Ontario development program, FedNor's principal funding program, and often referred to as the NODP, FedNor supports and promotes projects that benefit the economy of northern Ontario, namely by funding community economic development projects and by working with small and medium-sized enterprises to support their growth.
FedNor contributes to creating meaningful, long-lasting employment and more generally to strengthening economic development in the region. Since 2006 FedNor has approved over $156 million in support of close to 900 projects through the NODP to benefit northern Ontario's economy.
Tourism in its many forms is an avenue for economic diversification and a vital revenue stream for northern Ontario, and as a result is one of FedNor's priority areas for funding under the NODP.
To give you some background, I should point out that the tourism industry in northern Ontario has experienced and continues to experience some difficulties, most notably due to the economic downturn.
In 2006 to 2008, the total number of visitors to northern Ontario dropped by 15% and tourism-related expenses fell 12%.
The G-8 summit represented an opportunity to promote awareness about northern Ontario and what it has to offer. It was also an opportunity to leverage international media attention, and in turn increase tourism and investment activity in and for the region.
FedNor's main investments related to the G-8 were for four community economic development and tourism projects, worth approximately $2.6 million, which were funded under the NODP. These projects were deemed to contribute to economic growth and diversification, and that would result in short-term and long-lasting economic benefits to northern Ontario. All projects were funded from existing budgets and met the terms and conditions of the NODP.
I would be pleased to answer your questions.