Byland Estate Winery in Niagara-on-the-Lake is one of several Niagara Region tourism destinations to receive $540,000 in federal funding this spring.
Canadian Tourism Minister Soraya Martinez-Ferrada visited the Line 3 Road winery on Friday with Liberal MPs Vance Badaway and Chris Bittle to announce the Federal Development Corporation’s (FedDev) investment in the region’s tourism sector.
Byland Estate Winery has received a $90,000 repayable investment to enhance the visitor experience, with a particular focus on widening the property’s driveway and improving the landscaping to attract more visitors.
Martinez Ferrada said tourism numbers are up from historic lows during the COVID-19 pandemic but have not returned to pre-pandemic levels.
She said she hopes investment in these projects will help bring tourists back to Niagara.
“Yes, tourists will spend more money in the area, but they will have a great experience and one that will make them want to come back,” Martinez-Ferrada said.
Flat Rock Cellars in Jordan Station was awarded $200,000, and the City of Port Colborne was awarded $250,000 for improvements to its wharf terminal.
Martínez Ferrada said the government had been careful in choosing which projects to support.
“One of the main objectives is to always support organisations and businesses that really grow the tourism sector,” she said.
Post-pandemic, the government has noticed a trend among tourists seeking authenticity, she continued.
“When you come to Byland and talk to Jackson (the owner), you’re not only going to take home the bottle of wine you bought, you’re also going to take home the story behind that wine.”
Badaway echoed similar sentiments about the selected projects.
“It’s more than just touching, feeling or tasting something. It’s a sensation we can all recall as children and when we travel as adults,” he said.
“Some of the destinations we enjoy most may not be the most traditional, but they’re the ones that make us feel good.”
Julia Sacco
Julia Sacco, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Lake Report
