• Renovation of the convent into the Tignish Heritage Inn

This heritage building was sitting vacant in the community, with very little hope of a future when the Initiatives took possession of it in 1993 and carried out a major restoration and renovation the project. It was a huge undertaking, and significant debt was taken on by the corporation through an ACOA repayable loan, which became difficult to repay. In 2001, after negotiations with ACOA and the province a debt settlement was reached. Tourism is still a little unpredictable in this region, and we have years in the property running a deficit, which Tignish Initiatives absorbs because we are committed to maintaining and operating this cherished heritage property in our community.

• Restoration of the Dalton Annex

The Dalton School was vacated in 1989 when the new Tignish Elementary School opened, and would have no doubt not have survived had it not been for the formation of the Tignish Initiatives. It currently houses the  IWMC, Constituency Office of the  Honorable Bobby Morrissey, MP for Egmont, Transportation Infrastructure Renewal Finance Offices, Carla L Kelly Law Office, and DFO Catch Certification, Access PEI, and Bradley Handrahan Chartered Accountant’s Satellite Office in Tignish. It continues to be a strong asset to our community.

• Holiday Island Production

Originally specializing in ceramic figurines, this operation has found its salvation in recent years in a line of bath and body products that was developed in-house during the course of an HRSDC JCP project utilizing our local Irish Moss, which is harvested on our shores. The product line was carried by gift shops throughout PEI and the Maritimes and made up over 80% of our wholesale revenues. Unfortunately, this operation was drastically affected by the COVID-19 turn of events and closed in 2020 and never reopened.

• Tignish Cultural Centre

The Tignish Cultural Centre, which houses the local museum featuring artifacts and documentation of the local history and culture, was the 1999 Bicentennial Celebrations Legacy Project. It was turned over to the Tignish Historical Preservation Foundation, which operated it for the first 6 years.  In 2005, with mounting debt and a lack of capacity, the group approached Tignish Initiatives to purchase the asset and take on the operation and mandate. Tignish has successfully operated the centre since and has been host to art exhibits, both local and provincial, as well as quilt shows and cultural experiences. Also located in the building is the Community Library and the community museum/interpretive centre.

• North Cape Enhancement Project

An extensive expansion a renovation project with the assistance of ACOA, NRCan, Department of Development & Technology, and Department of Transportation & Public Works was carried out in 2003, which involved the development of the Wind Energy Interpretive Centre, expansion of the Wind & Reef Restaurant, and the North Cape Gift Shop. The project also included the construction of a large paved parking lot and other necessary site upgrades to make the site safer for visitors and locals alike. Our North Cape operation continues to generate revenues to help sustain the corporation. We just participated in an accelerated market readiness program and hope to implement a few recommendations for next season. in 2021, a full refresh to the interpretive centre as well as upgrades to the building and site!

• Community Beautification Project

In 2004 & 2005, TIC carried out beautification projects in and around the community with the assistance of the province and ACOA that included street scapes as well as the construction of extensive gardens at the Heritage Inn and a pocket park located at the corner of Phillip and Church. We continue to support the beautification work around the community and partner with the community council to hire an individual to oversee and maintain all the gardens and flowers for Tignish Initiatives and the community.

• Wireless Broadband Project

We were the community champion that facilitated the rollout of the wireless broadband network in Western PEI with assistance from Industry Canada and ACOA.. The region in which our project covered was the Tyne Valley west. The project made high-speed internet available to those throughout the region who would have otherwise not been able to get high-speed from the other providers. This will give everyone an even playing field and has the potential to generate economic development in the technology sector.

• STEP 

Strategic Tourism Enhancement Program, funded by ACOA, allowed Tignish Initiatives to hire a consultant to work with a group of community stakeholders to evaluate the current tourism product, identify gaps, and develop a strategic plan to enrich the visitors’ experience and keep them in the area longer. The STEP process has spawned several initiatives, such as the  Tignish Tourism Ambassador Program, which reached out to area businesses with education and skills development to encourage the use of social media to promote their business and area tourism to keep folks abreast of local activities and events.  Through Skills PEI, we were able to hire a manager to set up and roll out the program for the community in 2013. This led to TignishArea.com, Tignish Area Twitter, Facebook, and more, enhancing and expanding the Tignish area’s exposure online. The MacLeod’s Ledge Bluefin Tuna Cup and Lobster on the Wharf – Tignish Style is a direct result of that work as well.

Our Board has supported a number of other initiatives in the community:

• Bicentennial Celebrations in 1999
• Tignish Cultural Centre
• Friends of the Heritage Inn
• Dalton Seniors Complex
• Tignish Downtown Enhancement Plan
• Craft Development Project
• Tignish Shore Tourism Development Plan
• Western PEI Public Transit Study
• North Cape Enhancement and Updates
• Heritage Post Office Renovation & Capital Repairs
• Upgrades to Dalton Annex lower level for DFO and Provincial Finance Dept
• Construction of Outdoor Stage at Fisherman’s Haven Park, Interpretive Panels &upgrade to parking
• Construction of storage building for Heritage Inn & Gardens
• MacLeods Ledge Bluefin Tuna Cup Challenge 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2015 (Tunacup.com)
• DFO Approved Tag Supplier (DFOtags.com)
• Lobster at the Point celebration 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2015 in partnership with Royal Star Foods 
• Stompin’ Tom Festival Series www.stompintomfest.com
• Canadian Cultural Series www.stompintomcentre.com