What's in it for Parry Sound? Wait and see on spinoffs from G8 Summit.(PARRY SOUND)

Next year's G8 Summit of international leaders in Muskoka should produce some economic spinoffs for Parry Sound.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

The preparations for the June 25-27,2010 event at Huntsville's Deerhurst Resort will lead to a whirlwind of new construction across the federal riding of Industry Minister and Parry Sound-Muskoka MP Tony Clement.

About $50 million is being dumped into the region including a new $20-million G8 Centre that will host the event, as well as other related infrastructure.

Clement promised last winter that West Parry Sound area will benefit from the spinoffs.

So far, the details from a G8 leadership organizing committee in Muskoka are scarce.

Parry Sound's G8 committee chairman Paul Scofield said they await a meeting with Clement in late May to get a better idea on how the community will participate. The town has proposals into the government and has been stalled by the integration of the G8 with the government infrastructure stimulus package.

Clement's office was to have delivered a report in late March outlining criteria to evaluate the anticipated demand to host and entertain several thousand foreign dignitaries, security officials and international media.

But that report has not yet be seen.

"We're waiting in a holding pattern," said Parry Sound's director of Economic Development and Leisure Services Lynn Middaugh. "All the request for funding are being filtered through FedNor and evaluated by this criteria that was to be done by March 31."

Middaugh said Parry Sound can help with the tourism and accommodations end since the number of hotel rooms in Muskoka should be tight. "The reality is we're only 50 minutes (drive) away from Huntsville.

She' said the delegate spillover will provide great international tourism exposure for West Parry Sound.

Middaugh said all the infrastructure project funding they receive will have some lasting legacy benefit to the community will extend beyond the life of the summit.

"When we've been at the leadership meetings in Muskoka, that's the message that's come across loud and clear from Tony's office."

All direction is coming from a central leadership committee set up through Clement's office and made up of area mayors and reeves. But there's been no leadership meeting since February

While the G8 Summit is only expected to last three days, Middaugh said other events leading up to the conference could last "several months" with many world organizations expected to attend.

In Huntsville, the legacy of the summit is a new University of Waterloo environmental research centre, which will occupy the G8 building after the world leaders leave.

The 30,000-square-foot eco-system research and graduate studies facility will include laboratories, seminar and meeting rooms with accommodations for up to 50 students and faculty.

The City of North Bay will benefit from the G8 with a federal investment of $10.8 million at Jack Garland Airport to repave its 10,000-foot runway.

www.g8accommodation.com

By IAN ROSS

Northern Ontario Business

Print Get the Mag Weekly Updates