Highways and lifeways: Highway 11 and the shaping of the ways of life and senses of place of nature-based tourism operators in South-Central Almaguin, Ontario, Canada

Transportation infrastructure played a vital role in the establishment of the communities in South-Central Almaguin, and the development of this infrastructure continues to shape the landscapes and taskscapes of the region. Nature-based tourism operators are a key stakeholder in the South-Central Almaguin region and are uniquely situated as they rely on transportation infrastructure, the natural landscape, and the local communities for the operation of their businesses. For this qualitative case study I used semi-structured interviews and the collection of news media to explore the impact of the Highway 11 development project on NBT operators. Using Ingold's concepts of landscape, taskscape, and mobility, I sought to understand how the highway changes have shaped the ways of life and senses of place of NBT operators. Through the interviews I identified major shifts in the mobility of travellers and in the organization of the communities of South-Central Almaguin. These shifts resulted in economic changes and loss of business connections for NBT operators, change in travel times and safety, increased regional collaboration, and a drive for a regional destination brand. The implications of these shifts on the ways of life and senses of place of NBT operators were largely positive for destination businesses, while being largely negative for businesses that relied on through-traffic. The nature of the given businesses also determined the impact that the highway changes have had on the place dependence and place identity of the NBT operators, and subsequent changes to place attachment. The results of this research suggest two possible paths forward for the communities of South-Central Almaguin, as communities struggle to sustain themselves in isolation and destination NBT operators push for a regional focus and cooperation. --Leaf ii.