To help the tourism industry recover from the pandemic, North Superior Charters, a hunting and fishing lodge, received a $100,000 grant to construct two new cabins and upgrade infrastructure at its Moss Island and Lake Nipigon locations through FedNor’s Tourism Relief Funding.
Vice-president of operations Darrell Splett said the funding helped fill a gap in employment.
“We build two cabins. One at each location. The goal of those is not for traditional guests but for guides because we see our business changing a little bit and we needed a nice comfortable place for our guides,” Splett said.
North Superior Charters offers a remote experience of Northern Ontario’s Moss Island and Lake Nipigon, where patrons can enjoy rustic cabins and partake in guided tours.
Splett said the lodge applied for the funding in April 2022, but didn’t receive the grant until September, with a stipulation that they must use the grant by March 2023.
Although Splett said that the timeline was quite unusual because the lodges are in remote locations, but they were able to build the two new cabins before any major snowfall could impede construction.
“It allowed us to build it sooner and employ people sooner, so in that regard, it did exactly what it was supposed to do and we are very thankful,” said Splett.
Splett said that prior to receiving the grant, most of their guests were self-guided while they stayed at one of their lodges. Now, with guided tours, North Superior Charters can offer patrons a wealth of experiences during their stay. Whether patrons want to hunt and fish or enjoy the scenery, Splett believes that a more guided experience in the wilds of northern Ontario will enhance their experience.
The federal grant also enabled North Superior Charters to improve their water filtration and install solar panels on their lodges.
Splett said that the purified water system will cut down on plastic waste. Moreover, their lodges were powered by gas generators. With the transition to solar electric power, “we won’t have generator noise or the emissions that go with it.”
Splett anticipates they will see a return to normal in the tourism sector now that the pandemic border restrictions are lifted. According to Splett, North Superior Charters is already starting to see bookings.
“People are dying to go somewhere. They are sitting at home for three years, so they’re ready to go,” said Splett.