Making Pugwash more appealing to visitors, new residents, businesses

News release

Multi-phase revitalization strategy to boost economic growth progresses with plans for a new waterfront multi-purpose centre

June 20, 2019 – Pugwash, NS – Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency

Investing in community infrastructure is essential to create jobs, increase tourism and contribute to quality of life in rural areas across Nova Scotia. To this end, the Municipality of the County of Cumberland and the Village of Pugwash are tackling the next step in a multi-phase plan to enhance the quality of life for residents and attract more people and businesses to Pugwash. Thanks to support from the Government of Canada, the community is proceeding with plans to design a new multi-purpose centre that will help draw more people, activities and events to the downtown core, boost tourism in the area and grow the local economy.

The project includes a detailed design of the multi-purpose centre and a business plan to determine its construction and operating costs. This will help bring the facility one-step closer to fruition. This project is a critical part of a multi-phase revitalization strategy to enhance the Pugwash waterfront and its amenities to build a more dynamic and prosperous community. Renovations to the Pugwash Farmer’s Market, the construction of a new performing arts amphitheatre, and other community infrastructure improvements were also part of the overall strategy.  

Bill Casey, Member of Parliament for Cumberland – Colchester, on behalf of the Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA), announced the support today.

This investment builds on commitments made by the Government of Canada and the four Atlantic Provinces to drive economic growth in the region through the Atlantic Growth Strategy by helping the region’s tourism industry attract more visitors and create new jobs. This approach is in line with the new Federal Tourism Growth Strategy, which will grow and diversify the sector by enhancing and developing unique experiences that attract tourists year-round to all regions of Canada. 

Quotes

“The Government of Canada is marketing Atlantic Canada as a tourism destination of choice. Investing in plans for key infrastructure projects that will make the area more attractive to visitors helps grow the tourism sector, the local economy and contributes to the vitality of communities.”

     - The Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Tourism, Official Languages and La Francophonie

“As the host for events such as the Gathering of the Clans, Harbourfest and the Tall Ships Festival, the Village of Pugwash is an important gathering place in the Province of Nova Scotia. This investment is critical to enabling the village to multiply these types of opportunities and create a more vibrant community for residents and visitors to enjoy. Once again the hard work and vision of the Pugwash Village Commission and the Municipality of Cumberland have resulted in a great project that will benefit the community for decades.”

     - Bill Casey, Member of Parliament for Cumberland – Colchester, on behalf of the Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development and Minister responsible for ACOA

“This project will continue to be a real turning point for Pugwash. It will not only provide more opportunities for visitors and residents alike, but it will contribute to the success of both the Village of Pugwash and the Municipality of the County of Cumberland.”  

     - Allison Gillis, Warden, Municipality of the County of Cumberland

Quick facts

  • The Government of Canada provided a $111,715 non-repayable contribution to this project through ACOA’s Innovative Communities Fund.

  • The Innovative Communities Fund (ICF) focuses on investments that lead to long-term employment and economic capacity building in Atlantic Canadian communities.

  • The ICF continues to build on the objectives of the Innovation and Skills Plan, a multi-year strategy to create well-paying jobs for the middle class and those working hard to join it. 

Contacts

Chris Brooks
Director, Communications and Outreach
Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
902-426-9417 / 902-830-3839 (cell)
Chris.brooks@canada.ca

Michelle Byers
Community Economic Development Coordinator
Municipality of the County of Cumberland
902-297-2765 (cell)
mbyers@cumberlandcounty.ns.ca

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