The local tourism marketing agency for Prescott and Russell Counties is still waiting for discussions with the Ontario government to take over the former provincially operated travel information centre on westbound Highway 417. Meanwhile, the building sits empty and trash bins are overflowing at the site, which is among the first things visitors see as they enter Ontario from Québec on the Trans-Canada Highway.

The information centre, which used to operate during the summer months, closed at the end of its 2025 season and did not reopen for 2026. The Ontario government had been evaluating the future of the facility and claimed it saw considerably less visitors than other travel information centres such as the one on Highway 401 near Bainsville. The provincial government claimed most of the visitors to the Highway 417 location were only commuters travelling between Montréal and Ottawa, rather than tourists.

In January 2026, the Prescott-Russell Development Corporation (PRDC) and its Destination Prescott-Russell division began efforts to seek approval from the province to take over the Highway 417 facility.

According to Regional Director of Economic Development and Tourism Nicolas Malboeuf, that as of July 2026, Destination Prescott-Russell is still waiting for Infrastructure Ontario, the provincial department responsible for government property, to start the dialogue about the potential use of the site as a regional tourism information centre.

Currently, the building is vacant and locked. Signage has been removed, and there are no flags on the flagpoles. The exit ramp from the highway remains open and there are often vehicles parked, including transport trucks. People have been leaving garbage in the trash bins, but they have not been emptied. On Friday, July 10, the bins were overflowing with garbage, and some of the refuse was piling up on the ground around the bins.

The Review contacted Infrastructure Ontario about the future of the former travel information centre on westbound Highway 417 but did not receive a response.

Photos: James Morgan