ACOA spends $6.3 million to boost N.S. projects
A tourism start-up in Nova Scotia is getting a half million dollars from the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency to establish a year-round wellness destination in Baxter’s Harbour.
Saltair Spa and Wellness, with a plan to build a destination complete with Nordic pools and a trail system, is one of several projects announced Wednesday by Ginette Petitpas Taylor, Minister of Official Languages and Minister responsible for ACOA.
She said the projects will be funded by $6.3 million in new money from the Tourism Relief Fund. This is on top of $7.1 previously announced for Nova Scotia tourism projects since the program launched in July, 2021.
PROJECTS
Petitpas Taylor highlighted five more of the 53 projects that will be funded this year.
The Eskasoni First Nation will get $500,000 to help Eskasoni Cultural Journeys, an award-winning immersive Indigenous experience, become a year-round destination with new programming.
The Nova Scotia Museum of Natural History in Halifax is getting $121,998 to construct a new, long-term exhibit called Pjila'si, meaning "welcome” in Mi'kmaw, celebrating the history and lives of the Mi'kmaq People in Nova Scotia.
Another $100,000 will go to Kabina in Tatamagouche to develop a six-unit tiny home year-round wilderness accommodation located close to the Wentworth ski hill.
The Quarterdeck Resort in Summerville will get $100,000 to increase the number of accommodations available to tourists.
The Friends of Mcnabs Island Society in Halifax will get $41,500 to develop interpretive and resource materials for the restored Teahouse building which has been converted into an Outdoor Education Centre on Mcnabs Island.
Launched in July 2021, the relief fund has helped organizations in the tourism sector upgrade their products and services, enticing new visitors, and reinvigorating the economy. ACOA, along with Canada’s other regional development agencies, have been delivering the $485 million in TRF support.
In a news release, Petitpas Taylor said the funding is about more than helping a few businesses.
“As we launch the tourism season, we are reaffirming the sector’s vital importance to our economy, and our commitment to helping tourism businesses and organizations in Nova Scotia develop the world-class experiences that make Atlantic Canada such a sought-after destination.”
Darlene Grant Fiander, president of the Tourism Industry Association of Nova Scotia said the ACOA funding of the past two years has helped ensure the province’s tourism industry could survive the impacts of COVID19.
“The Nova Scotia tourism economy lost $3.2 billion in revenue during the height of the pandemic, and the Tourism Relief Fund program greatly helped stabilize and mitigate business losses,” Grant Fiander said in a news release. “Strategic and focused investment in our tourism infrastructure will be a priority, as we rebuild tourism and trade in the region.”