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Government of Canada supports Fanjoy Cooking Up Change through the Tourism Relief Fund

Fanjoy Cooking Up Change receives $100,000 from Central Counties Tourism through FedDev Ontario to create culinary training and experiences for marginalized and racialized communities


Pam Fanjoy, Executive Director, Fanjoy Cooking Up Change

January 12, 2023 Hillsburgh, ON

The tourism sector is vital to the economy and jobs in the Headwaters region. Fanjoy Cooking Up Change, a new, not-for-profit association, will use food, interactive cooking classes and food education programs for marginalized and racialized communities in the Headwaters region to improve mental and physical health and well-being.


Today, Fanjoy Cooking Up Change received a non-repayable contribution of $100,000 from Central Counties Tourism to bring new culinary training and experiences for marginalized and racialized communities to teach skills that will reduce the negative impacts of social isolation on mental health and strengthen local communities. This is part of the Government of Canada’s Tourism Relief Fund, delivered by the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario).


Central Counties Tourism received $8.65 million from FedDev Ontario to to help local tourism organizations and businesses safely welcome back visitors, recover from the impacts of the pandemic and prepare for future growth.


This investment will help Fanjoy Cooking Up Change adapt and recover to attract new visitors and drive economic growth in the Headwaters region.


Quotes


“Our government is happy to invest $78 million through the Tourism Relief Fund to help communities across southern Ontario rejuvenate local tourist attractions. With this funding, southern Ontario’s Regional Tourism Organizations and Indigenous Tourism Ontario are providing hundreds of local businesses and organizations with the support they need to create jobs, attract more visitors and grow local economies, now and into the future.”

  • The Honourable Filomena Tassi, Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario

“With the help of the Tourism Relief Fund, Fanjoy Cooking Up Change will establish a new accessible culinary hub in Hillsburgh that will not only serve the entire community in the Headwaters region, but also attract new visitors to the area.”

  • Pam Fanjoy, Executive Director, Fanjoy Cooking Up Change

“The visitor economy creates thriving, vibrant communities across Ontario. Visitors bring new money into a community and for many businesses in York, Durham and Headwaters, these additional revenues can mean the difference between staying solvent and having to shutter their doors forever. Central Counties Tourism applauds the Government of Canada for recognizing the importance of growing our collective capacity to welcome and entertain visitors. Its investment in tourism is helping municipalities and individual businesses build compelling destinations that will attract visitors and residents alike. The economic impact from the Tourism Relief Fund will be felt for years.”

  • Chuck Thibeault, Executive Director, Central Counties Tourism


Quick facts

  • Fanjoy Cooking Up Change is a not-for-profit association established in 2021 by Pam Fanjoy, a registered Clinical Social Worker and therapist with more than 25 years of experience working with children, adolescents and families. Pam is also an award-winning chef and Chopped Canada Champion.

  • Central Counties Tourism is the provincially-funded not-for-profit dedicated to developing, supporting and promoting tourism in Durham Region, York Region and the Headwaters Tourism Region. Since their inception, they have assisted dozens of municipalities through destination development and hundreds of tourism related businesses grow their capacity, strengthening the visitor economy in the region.

  • The Government of Canada’s $500-million Tourism Relief Fund is helping tourism-oriented businesses and organizations recover from the pandemic and prepare for future growth. FedDev Ontario is delivering nearly $120 million of the Tourism Relief Fund across southern Ontario.


Associated Links


Contacts


Edward Hutchinson

Press Secretary

Office of the Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario


Saskia Brussaard

Fanjoy Cooking Up Change


Chuck Thibeault

Executive Director

Central Counties Tourism


About Fanjoy Cooking Up Change

Fanjoy Cooking Up Change is a not-for-profit association that uses food, interactive cooking classes and innovative counselling and education programs to improve the mental and physical health of people of all ages, including youth and families.


About Central Counties Tourism (CCT)

Central Counties Tourism (CCT) was established as a regional tourism organization in 2010 under a framework developed by the Ontario Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport. Its mandate is to identify sustainable best product and practices that will build a stronger and more competitive tourism industry within the York, Durham, and Headwaters regions. CCT is funded by the Ontario Government and managed as a not- for-profit organization by a voluntary tourism industry board. CCT’s mission is to increase tourism in the region by promoting and developing unique and competitive tourism products that attract high yield visitors from outside the Central Counties region.


About FedDev Ontario

For 13 years, the Government of Canada, through FedDev Ontario, has worked to advance and diversify the southern Ontario economy through funding opportunities and business services that support innovation, growth and job creation in Canada’s most populous region. The Agency has delivered impressive results, which can be seen in southern Ontario businesses that are creating innovative technologies, improving productivity, growing revenues, creating jobs, and in the economic advancement of communities across the region. Learn more about the impacts the Agency is having in southern Ontario by exploring our pivotal projects, our Southern Ontario Spotlight, and FedDev Ontario’s Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.



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