Atlantic Canada news — Ottawa just put $286,398 behind a sauna in the New Brunswick woods, and it might be the smartest tourism bet the region has seen in years. The Cedar Stone thermal spa, a Wolastoqiyik-owned Nordic spa planned for Rusagonis, won federal backing on October 22 through the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, and it is being sold as something bigger than a spa: economic reconciliation you can actually soak in.
By Maplestime News Desk | Fredericton, New Brunswick | October 23, 2026
Sources: Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency | Traders Union | Last updated: October 23, 2026
Key Takeaways
- The federal government is investing $286,398 (repayable) in Cedar & Stone Thermal Spa Inc. through the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency.
- The Cedar Stone thermal spa will be a Wolastoqiyik-owned Nordic spa in Rusagonis, N.B., offering year-round thermal therapy rooted in Wolastoqiyik culture and connection to the land.
- Planned features include saunas, hot tubs, cold plunge systems, relaxation areas, and a cultural welcome lodge with locker rooms and a lounge.
- The project was announced October 22, 2026 by David Myles, Parliamentary Secretary and MP for Fredericton—Oromocto, and is expected to draw visitors to the Fredericton Capital Region and encourage longer stays.
What the Cedar Stone thermal spa Will Actually Offer
This is not a day spa with cucumber water. The Cedar Stone thermal spa is a full Nordic thermal circuit: saunas, hot tubs, cold plunges, and relaxation areas, all wrapped in a cultural welcome lodge that grounds the experience in Wolastoqiyik traditions. Stone Bear, the company’s president, put it plainly in the announcement: “Being Wolastoqey and coming from this territory, it means so much to me to be able to create a place that brings our traditional connections to the land together with the wellness benefits of thermal therapy, a practice that has been part of Indigenous cultures for thousands of years.”
The year-round angle matters. New Brunswick tourism has always had a season problem: busy summers, quiet winters. A thermal spa that is arguably better in January than July flips that script. Cold air, hot water, steam rising off a plunge pool while snow falls around you. That is the postcard, and it sells itself.
A $286,398 Bet on Indigenous-Led Tourism
The money is repayable, which is worth noting. This is not a grant; it is a federal investment the company pays back, the kind of deal ACOA makes when it believes a business can stand on its own. Ottawa’s framing goes further: Indigenous-led economic development, economic reconciliation, a stronger and more inclusive Atlantic economy. The announcement was made on behalf of Sean Fraser, the minister responsible for ACOA, and the quotes lean hard on reconciliation language.
David Myles, who made the announcement in Rusagonis, framed it as an experience play: “This project will create a place where people can slow down, reconnect with nature and gain a deeper appreciation for Wolastoqiyik culture through a unique and immersive wellness experience.” That is the pitch in one sentence: come for the heat, leave with the culture.
Why Rusagonis, and Why Now
Rusagonis sits just outside Fredericton, close enough to the capital region to catch its visitors and far enough to feel like an escape. The bet is that the Cedar Stone thermal spa becomes a reason to stay an extra night, the kind of anchor attraction that turns a day trip into a weekend. For a region competing with better-known wellness destinations in Quebec and the Maritimes, an Indigenous-owned thermal experience is a differentiator nobody else can copy.
The harder question is execution. Rural tourism projects in Atlantic Canada have a long history of glowing announcements followed by quiet delays. What this one has going for it is a real founder with a real story, a product category (thermal wellness) that is genuinely booming across Canada, and federal money that comes with accountability attached.
Maplestime will provide updates from the Cedar Stone thermal spa as announcements are made.
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Do you think $286,398 is enough to turn a patch of Rusagonis woods into a national wellness destination, or will this one join the long list of announced-then-quiet rural projects? Tell us in the comments. And share this with every Canadian who thinks reconciliation is just a word politicians say.
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