For Immediate Release
August 31, 2007

MCGUINTY GOVERNMENT SUPPORTS GREY-BRUCE TOURISM INDUSTRY

Local Tourism Industry Lauds One-Stop Shopping Approach of Grey-Bruce Your Way

KINCARDINE - The McGuinty government is investing in the Grey-Bruce Your Way website, an e-commerce solution that will strengthen the tourism sector in Grey and Bruce Counties, Carol Mitchell, MPP for Huron-Bruce announced today on behalf of Leona Dombrowsky, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.

"Our government recognizes the crucial role tourism plays in the Grey-Bruce economy," said Mitchell. "By supporting this important initiative, local businesses could see almost $2 million in additional tourism-related revenue."

The province will contribute $138,000 to help the Bruce Community Futures Development Corporation and the County of Bruce hire a full-time tourism manager who will develop a marketing plan and oversee the launch of the Grey-Bruce Your Way website, which will provide potential tourists with access to more than 480 local businesses.

"The support we've received from the provincial government will allow us to show the world what Grey-Bruce has to offer," said Barb Fisher, chair of the Bruce Community Futures Development Corporation. "This funding will allow us to identify and capitalize on the strengths of our local tourism sector and present potential tourists with the opportunity to buy vacations online on a professional and easy-to-use website."

This is just one more example of how, working together, Ontarians have achieved results in rural Ontario. Other examples include:

Today's investment was made through the Rural Economic Development (RED) Program, which invests in community-based projects that support sustainable rural economies in three priority areas: improved access to health care services, revitalized communities and downtowns, and enhanced skills training.

Through the RED Program, the province has invested $45.1 million in 139 projects, representing a total investment of $477.4 million in rural Ontario, since 2003. The Ontario government and its partners are building strong rural communities that work better for the people who live in them.

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Contacts:
Kelly Synnott
Minister's Office
416-326-6439

Brent Ross
Communications Branch
416-326-9342