Developing the Lake Superior North Shore Tourism Strategy
The Lake Superior North Shore Tourism Strategy and Implementation Plan, championed by Dean Main, past Community Development Supervisor for the Township of Terrace Bay, was successfully completed in 2017. Main, a long-time advocate for boosting tourism along Lake Superior’s North Shore, saw great potential in uniting regional efforts to enhance the area’s appeal.
The project, led by Tourism Northern Ontario and Parks Canada, involved extensive consultation with local stakeholders and included a literature review, inventory, and gap analysis. The plan’s key objectives were to prioritize tourism-enhancing actions and identify funding sources, as well as to establish a model for regional tourism coordination.
The strategy aligned with the Lake Superior National Marine Conservation Area’s Visitor Experiences Strategy and initiatives like the Lake Superior Circle Tour. David MacLachlan, Executive Director of Tourism Northern Ontario, credited the project’s success to a committed steering committee of North Shore tourism representatives, First Nations, and private operators working together.