Ontario to spend $35M to help rebuild Shaw Festival's Royal George Theatre
Province says the theatre's construction will create 550 jobs
Ontario will spend $35 million to help the Shaw Festival rebuild the Royal George Theatre.
Tourism Minister Stan Cho says the funding will be used to build a larger, more modern theatre as the province looks to beef up the economy in Niagara-on-the-Lake and the surrounding region.
The province says the theatre's construction will create 550 jobs and once built, the venue will have 20 per cent more seating as well as new rehearsal and work spaces.
The Royal George Theatre will close permanently later this year and the rebuild is expected to be completed in 2029.
Cho hopes the bigger venue will help drive more tourists to the area and keep them there longer.
Cho has grand visions to turn the Niagara region into "Las Vegas of the north" with an international airport, more hotels, mass transit expansion and a new amusement park.
In a news release, he said the "Shaw Festival is a cultural icon for Ontario and for Canada, and is just one of the many great reasons to visit Niagara-on-the-Lake and the broader Niagara Region throughout the year."
In last April's budget, the federal government announced $15 million in funding for the 2024-2025 Shaw Festival Theatre season.