Northern Nature Trading EXPERIENCE

The Red Lake Regional Heritage Centre and Science North collaborated to bring Northern Nature Trading to Northwestern Ontario. As a major tourist attraction and tourism driver for the North, Science North is interested in expanding its reach in Northern Ontario. Thanks to an investment by Federal Economic Development Initiative for Northern Ontario (FedNor) and the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation (NOHFC), Northern Nature Trading experiences was installed in six Northern Ontario attractions. As the first of these satellite attractions, the Red Lake Regional Heritage Centre has been trading items with visitors for over four years now!
Minister Greg Rickford, the Minister of Energy, Northern Development and Mines joined the late Mayor Phil Vinet and others at the grand opening. Phil Vinet would go on to say that

“The Municipality of Red Lake appreciates the efforts of Science North, supported by the federal government to boost tourism in the North. The partnership between the Red Lake Regional Heritage Centre and Science North is a solid example of great collaborations and partnerships,”

The Northern Nature Trading experience is based on a model that currently exists at Dynamic Earth through the Rockhound Lab and at Science North through the Nature Exchange.
On March 14, 2015 dignitaries, partners, staff and visitors celebrated the grand opening of the first of six Northern Nature Trading experiences in Northern Ontario.

​Located in the Red Lake Regional Heritage Centre, the Northern Nature Trading experience encourages people to bring in their own items from nature and trade for other natural items such as shells, rocks and polished stones, plant parts and fossils, that can be found in the constantly changing collection at the centre.

“The Red Lake Regional Heritage Centre appreciates and welcomes Science North’s support for increasing visitor experiences in the North”
     - Lise Treau de Coeli, former Director of the RLRHC

The installation of the Northern Nature Trading experience in Red Lake was an important step in growing the appeal of the Red Lake Region, it also provides the RLRHC with a valuable opportunity when it comes to educating students and the general public about the natural heritage of our area.