Another million dollars in funding has been announced for the Dynamic Earth Go Deeper project, which is currently under construction in Sudbury. The money was announced Tuesday morning by Sudbury MP Viviane Lapointe on behalf of Patty Hajdu, the minister responsible for FedNor.
FedNor, which is Northern Ontario's economic development agency, announced that $1 million will be used to help develop Go Deeper as a regional tourism project.
Go Deeper is described as a hands-on experience into the world of modern mining and the attraction will be part of the Dynamic Earth project which is run by Science North.
Funded through FedNor’s Northern Ontario Development Program (NODP), the Go Deeper project is expected to help create and maintain 47 jobs and generate $10.1 million in economic benefits for Northern Ontario, said a news release from the agency.
The Science North capital campaign for the project was announced last spring.
Lapointe said she was pleased to make the announcement not only because it is another learning experience being offered by Science North, but also because the Sudbury-based science centre has become such a vital part of tourism in Northeastern Ontario.
"As a lifelong northerner, I have witnessed firsthand how important Science North is to tourism in northern Ontario," Lapointe said.
"The funding announced today will allow Science North to engage audiences through permanent interactive go deeper exhibits at eight or more partner tourism attractions located in rural and underserved communities," she added.
Science North CEO Ashley Larose remarked on the importance of maintaining high standards for tourism.
"We know that changing and high quality visitor experiences are critical to the success and sustainability of Northern Ontario attractions, their community festivals and their events," Larose said.
"Science North over the years has developed strong partnerships with Northern Ontario municipalities, attractions, First Nations communities, educational institutions, and mining sector companies which will ensure robust, impactful and sustainable visitor experiences across Northern Ontario," she added.
The Go Deeper project is also expected to educate more young people, especially young women and Indigenous youth, on the importance of the mining industry. Larose said one of the goals is to get more people interested in science, technology, math and engineering (STEM) as a possible career choice.
"By stimulating interest in career choices in mining, geology and engineering, we can create a future for youth in their communities and help to ensure a skilled workforce for the industry. We are very thankful to FedNor for their generous support of this exciting new project," Larose said.
Len Gillis covers mining and health care for Sudbury.com.
