Minister Cho Visits Local Tourism Hub in Edwardsburgh Cardinal

On Friday, July 4, the Honourable Stan Cho, Ontario’s Minister of Tourism, Culture and Gaming, visited two standout tourism businesses in Edwardsburgh Cardinal: Windmill Brewery and King’s Lock Craft Distillery.

Escorted by local MPP Steve Clark, Minister Cho toured the facilities, participated in a working lunch and product tasting, and took time to hear directly from the owners about the barriers and successes they’ve experienced as rural tourism operators in Eastern Ontario.

This visit followed a provincial funding announcement to invest $82 million in modernizing St. Lawrence Parks Commission’s facilities, such as beaches and campgrounds, along the St. Lawrence Corridor. The initiative is expected to improve tourism throughout the region. Read more about the announcement. 

Mayor Tory Deschamps was proud to welcome Minister Cho to TWPEC, alongside Corinna Smith-Gatcke, Warden, United Counties of Leeds and Grenville (UCLG).

Ann Weir, Economic Development Manager, UCLG, and Bonnie Ruddock, Executive Director, RTO 9 spoke about RED funding support for the 1000 Islands Rideau Canal Waterways, the region’s self-guided tourism experiences and shared highlights from Cycle Ontario and Quebec Corridor, the inter-provincial cycling initiative.

To cap off the visit, Minister Cho was presented with a few local favourites: Village Pantry cinnamon buns, a bottle of Spencerville Fair Vodka created by King’s Lock Craft Distillery, and a selection of pints from Windmill Brewery.

This visit underscored the vital role rural tourism plays in Ontario’s economy and highlighted how meaningful, on-the-ground conversations can shape future support. It also reinforced the value of strong partnerships between the province, municipalities, regional organizations and local business owners are key to building vibrant, resilient communities. Continued investment ensures that destinations like Edwardsburgh Cardinal can keep offering authentic, high-quality visitor experiences.