The Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF) will be relocating its Parry Sound office to the downtown, in order to open up the waterfront property to new opportunities.
The move was announced by Parry Sound-Muskoka MPP Graydon Smith on April 19.
Smith says moving the MNRF office was best for the town.
“The location of this office, while functional in many ways and full of great people doing great work every day, is a not so beautiful building in a beautiful location. My thought was I think we can do better here,” said Smith. “We need to create an opportunity by taking this office and moving it somewhere else. It is going to unlock potential on the waterfront here in Parry Sound and unlock potential for this area.”
Service Ontario, also located inside the building, will be relocated to a new space.
All the MNRF jobs the building provides will stay local, according to Smith.
Parry Sound Mayor Jamie McGarvey said it was a long time coming.
“We have always seen this as a key piece of property within the waterfront to really shine and make something happen,” said McGarvey, who thanked Smith for finally freeing up the land.
“When I look at what is happening on our waterfront and what is getting into place, this waterfront in five years is going to look incredibly different than it does now.”
The relocation process is expected to take several years.