August 15, 2022 – Sudbury, ON – Federal Economic Development Initiative for Northern Ontario – FedNor

Young Canadians have the talent and drive to succeed, and the Government of Canada believes investing in internships can help youth kick-start their careers, while supporting key sectors of the economy. In Northern Ontario over the past thirty years, FedNor’s youth internship initiative has delivered meaningful results for the region by creating more than 1824 jobs and providing businesses with access to a talented and skilled workforce.

Today, Marc G. Serré, Member of Parliament for Nickel Belt and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Official Languages, announced a FedNor investment of $53,500 to enable the Friends of Killarney Park to hire a youth intern as a Publications Coordinator for a one-year period to help increase camping tourism at Killarney Provincial Park. The announcement was made on behalf of The Honourable Patty Hajdu, Minister of Indigenous Services and Minister responsible for FedNor.    

Thanks to the funding provided through the Tourism Relief Fund (TRF), the intern will work with the Friends of Killarney Park to redesign the organization's key tourist information pamphlets, including printed backcountry and trail tourism guides, and the main canoe guide. The enhanced marketing products will target the increased number of first-time campers and visitors who have discovered the area in recent years. The updated guides will meet accessibility standards and contain more inclusive content reflecting the local Indigenous culture and history, specifically the neighbouring Wiikwemkoong Unceded Territory and Point Grondine Park. The intern will also create digital versions of the guides for use on social media platforms to further promote tourism online.

Today’s announcement highlights the Government of Canada’s commitment to supporting businesses and young Canadians due to the fallout of the pandemic. Helping young people acquire essential on-the-job training will help position Northern Ontario on a course for sustainable growth and future prosperity. From high school students starting small summer enterprises to college and university graduates building their careers, youth in the region are critical to continued growth and success, and the Government of Canada is there to support them.

Quotes

“Creating these employment opportunities is vital to providing young graduates with an opportunity to learn valuable skills while helping communities complete and execute their economic plans. Today’s investment will help support the Friends of Killarney Park to boost camping tourism and strengthen the region’s economy.”

• The Honourable Patty Hajdu, Minister of Indigenous Services and Minister responsible for FedNor

“This internship is providing a recent graduate with valuable new skills for career advancement, and it will help market Killarney Park to a wider audience, which in turn, will bring economic benefits to the region. Investments like this enable communities like Killarney to develop tourism products and experiences that will attract more tourists year-round.”   

• Marc G. Serré, Member of Parliament for Nickel Belt and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Official Languages

“We are thrilled that FedNor saw this project as a priority for the community and our region, and provided the funding so we could hire a youth intern to help us market Killarney Provincial Park as a prime camping and tourist destination. We are excited to have a young creative mind join our team’s efforts to help us increase the awareness of the benefits of visiting the park.”

• Rachel Mantas, Executive Director, Friends of Killarney Park

Quick Facts

• The investment announced today is provided through the Northern Ontario Development Program (NODP)'s Tourism Relief Fund (TRF), which supports tourism businesses and organizations to adapt their operations to meet public health requirements while investing in products and services to facilitate their future growth.
• Since its inception more than three decades ago, FedNor’s youth internship initiative has helped create 1824 jobs for youth across Northern Ontario.
• The Friends of Killarney Park mission is to support the environmental, educational and recreational goals of Killarney Provincial Park, on behalf of its over two hundred individual members. FOKP's office is located at the main entrance of Killarney Provincial Park, a popular attraction that saw over 150,000 visitors in 2020.

Associated links

• To find out more about our programs and services, please visit: gc.ca
• Follow us on Twitter @FedNor

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Contacts

Alison Murphy, Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Indigenous Services and Minister responsible for FedNor
[email protected]

Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario

Media Relations