B.C. tourism organizations receive $1.5m federal funding boost

Two B.C. tourism organizations will receive a combined $1.5 million from the federal government to help their members recover from the devastating effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The federal government, through Western Economic Diversification Canada, pledged a total of $3.45 million to Western Canada, which is meant for regional tourism associations that provide services to small- and medium-sized businesses.

Indigenous Tourism B.C. will receive $500,000, and Tourism Vancouver Island will receive $1 million for the B.C. Tourism Resiliency Program.

“It’s really to help businesses stay afloat. We know that the tourism sector has been deeply impacted by the pandemic and the economic crisis, so we are supporting businesses through different measures,” said Economic Development Minister Mélanie Joly on Sunday.

Although there are federal initiatives to support businesses, such as the wage subsidy, interest-free loans and rent relief, Joly said businesses in the tourism sector were falling through the cracks. Money will go to the tourism associations, which will decide where the need is the greatest. Joly described it as a “third-party agreement.”

“They’re closer to the ground, than sometimes the federal government can be and at this point we just are seeking impact and we’re trying to get the businesses that are, you know, much more in dire need,” she said.

Funding distributed through Indigenous Tourism B.C. will go to help businesses with their cash flow. Paula Amos, the organization’s chief marketing and development officer, said more than 90 per cent of Indigenous tourism businesses, many of which are relatively new ventures, have had to temporarily close or reduce their operating hours because of the pandemic.

Amos said grants of up to $10,000 will be given to “market ready” businesses.

“We know that everybody is in the same situation of needing as much assistance as they can get, so we’re really still in the state of sustaining the businesses, but we’re also planning ahead for the recovery,” Amos said.

Tourism Vancouver Island will use the money for the B.C. Tourism Resiliency Network, which involves six regional tourism organizations from across the province.

It will be distributed equally among regions.