News

Ontario Supporting Community Organizations Impacted by COVID-19

New grant program will help local tourism, culture, heritage, sport and recreation organizations in Nipissing adapt and recover

NORTH BAY – Nipissing MPP Vic Fedeli is pleased to announce that the Ontario government is investing $105 million through the new Community Building Fund to support non-profit tourism, culture, sport and recreation organizations as they recover from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and meet the needs of their communities.

“COVID-19 has been a challenge for so many not-for-profit tourism, culture, sport and recreation organizations, and I am proud that our government is supporting their recovery though the Community Building Fund,” said MPP Vic Fedeli. “These organizations – like local theatres, attractions and arenas – are the bedrock of our community. By helping them weather the storm, we are ensuring that people across Nipissing will have the opportunity to reconnect with the many things that make this community special.”

The Community Building Fund will target organizations whose programs and services enhance the quality of life for Ontario residents and support jobs in communities across the province.

The fund will be administered by the Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) through two program streams:

• The $55-million operating funding stream will provide support to community non-profits that will help sustain their operations and create new experiences and events that are critical to the economic and social well-being of their communities.
• The $50-million capital funding stream will provide support to municipalities and non-profit organizations for sport- and recreation-facility infrastructure repairs, including retrofits and rehabilitation

The operating stream of the Community Building Fund will open for applications on March 31, 2021, while the fund’s capital stream will open later in 2021.

This initiative is part of the 2020 Budget, Ontario’s Action Plan: Protect, Support, Recover, the next phase of a comprehensive action plan to respond to the serious health and economic impacts of COVID-19.

QUICK FACTS

 Arts and culture, heritage, tourism, sport and recreation non-profit organizations, and Indigenous communities are eligible to apply for the Community Building Fund streams. For more information, eligibility requirements and deadlines, see here.

 For organizations interested in applying for the Community Building Fund, OTF will provide support via webinars and information sessions, as well as one-on-on coaching calls.

 The Ontario Trillium Foundation is an agency of the Ministry of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries, working to build healthy and vibrant communities across Ontario through investments of local grants to non-profit organizations. Its programs support the arts, culture, heritage, sports and recreation, human and social services, and environment sectors across the province.

 Ontario’s Action Plan sets out a total of $45 billion in support over three years to make available the necessary health resources to continue protecting people, deliver critical programs and tax measures to support individuals, families and job creators impacted by the virus, and lay the groundwork for a robust long-term economic recovery for the province.

 The government is building on earlier relief to provide a total of $13.5 billion in direct support for families, workers and employers, in addition to $11.3 billion in cash flow support.