April 29, 2022 · Red Bay, Newfoundland and Labrador · Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA)

Canada has much to offer the world as travel safely resumes: breathtaking landscapes and wide open spaces; diverse and inclusive experiences; and friendly people from coast to coast to coast who provide outstanding service. Combined with a strong focus on health and safety and high COVID-19 vaccination rates, Canada is among the most alluring and smartest destination choices for visitors.

The pandemic has had an undeniable impact on Canada’s tourism sector. The Government of Canada has helped keep tourism businesses open and the Tourism Relief Fund will help them be even better positioned to welcome back guests.

On April 29th, Yvonne Jones, Member of Parliament for Labrador, announced total investments of $1,079,645 for 11 projects through the Tourism Relief Fund (TRF) and another $25,438 for one project through the Regional Economic Growth through Innovation (REGI) program in Labrador. The announcement was made on behalf of the Honourable Ginette Petitpas Taylor, Minister of Official Languages and Minister responsible for ACOA.

For the full list of projects, please see backgrounder.

Launched in July 2021, the Tourism Relief Fund (TRF) was created to help organizations and businesses in the tourism sector adapt their operations to meet public health requirements, offer innovative products and services to visitors and prepare to welcome back travellers. The TRF is administered by Canada’s regional development agencies (RDAs) and Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED).

Quotes

“As we recover from this pandemic, we are focused on being there for the tourism sector. With the support announced today, tourism businesses and organizations in Labrador will be able to prepare for the future. This is an important step in the recovery effort that will allow visitors to discover the world-class tourism experiences Atlantic Canada has to offer.”

• The Honourable Ginette Petitpas Taylor, Minister of Official Languages and Minister responsible for ACOA

“The Canadian tourism sector continues to be one of the most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. We are fully committed to supporting businesses and organizations through these challenging times, keeping safety as the top priority while ensuring they get support to quickly recover, innovate their products and services, and thrive. The Tourism Relief Fund will help businesses adapt, make improvements, and be ready to welcome back guests. It also feeds into a broader strategy to help the sector survive the pandemic, recover and grow. The Canadian economy will not fully recover until our tourism sector recovers.”

• The Honourable Randy Boissonnault, Minister of Tourism and Associate Minister of Finance

“Labrador offers visitors a diverse and memorable experience like no other. Through this funding from the Government of Canada, tourism operators and organizations throughout Labrador will dedicate their efforts and invest solid resources into elevating visitor experiences and boosting the tourism sector back to pre-pandemic levels and beyond. These operators and their businesses play a very important role in a healthy and thriving economy.”

• Yvonne Jones, Member of Parliament for Labrador

Quick facts

• The tourism sector is a key contributor to the Canadian economy. In 2019, tourism generated over $104 billion in revenue and directly employed 692,000 people, including those in underrepresented groups like women, students, racialized people, and Indigenous populations.
• With a national budget of $500 million, including $485 million for regional priorities administered by Canada’s Regional Development Agencies (RDAs) and $15 million for national priorities administered by Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, the Tourism Relief Fund is part of the billion dollars in tourism support announced in Budget 2021.
• A minimum of $50 million of the fund’s budget has been earmarked for Indigenous tourism projects. Indigenous communities that rely heavily on tourism have been disproportionately affected by the pandemic.
• $48.5 million from the Tourism Relief Fund has been allocated to ACOA to administer the fund in the Atlantic region.
• While all 12 projects support the tourism sector, the project with the Southern Labrador Development Association is through the Regional Economic Growth through Innovation (REGI) program.

Associated links

• Tourism Relief Fund
• Tourism and Hospitality Recovery Program (THRP)
• Sectoral Workforce Solutions Program (SWSP)
• Regional Economic Growth through Innovation (REGI)

Contacts

Marianne Blondin

Press Secretary

Office of the Minister of Official Languages and of the

Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency

[email protected]

Paul McGrath

Director of Communications

Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency

709-689-5731

[email protected]

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