Minister Boissonnault announces federal investments to launch and expand tourism experiences across Alberta

More than $4 million through PrairiesCan is enabling small businesses, not-for-profit organizations and communities to share their unique attractions and draw visitors from across Canada and around the globe

EDMONTON, AB, Sept. 27, 2024 /CNW/ - Alberta's tourism sector provides jobs and drives economic growth in small towns, major centres, rural and remote areas, and Indigenous communities across the province. To further strengthen this key cornerstone of the Alberta economy, the Government of Canada is making investments to help local tourism operators seize new opportunities to showcase attractions and draw more visitors.

Minister Boissonnault announces federal investments to launch and expand tourism experiences across Alberta (CNW Group/Prairies Economic Development Canada)

Today, on World Tourism Day, the Honourable Randy Boissonnault, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Official Languages, on behalf of the Honourable Dan Vandal, Minister for PrairiesCan, announced more than $4 million in federal funding for 19 projects that advance the work of small- and medium-sized tourism operators across Alberta.

Investments will support new or enhanced programs, activities and services that increase accessibility and expand the seasonality of unique tourism experiences. Examples of projects announced today include:

• Explore Edmonton is receiving $500,000 to showcase rodeo culture, rural prairie life, and authentic Indigenous experiences in conjunction with Farmfair International and the Canadian Finals Rodeo.
• The Philip J. Currie Dinosaur Museum in Wembley is receiving $250,000 to launch interactive experiences, install new displays, develop a new annual event celebrating the study of dinosaurs, and provide Indigenous-led excursions that connect participants with paleontologists.
• Métis Crossing near Smoky Lake is receiving $500,000 to upgrade outdoor amenities and adapt activities so that individuals of all abilities can participate in authentic Indigenous tourism experiences available to visitors.
• The Hangar Flight Museum in Calgary is receiving $100,000 to upgrade facilities and exhibits to improve access for visitors of all abilities.
• The Badlands Amphitheatre in Drumheller is receiving $500,000 to upgrade equipment and facilities at the Badlands Arts Centre to support year-round programming.

Canada's tourism sector is diverse, creating inclusive employment opportunities for women, racialized individuals, members of 2SLGBTQI+ communities, Indigenous people, youth and newcomers. Projects announced today advance economic reconciliation and small business growth in Alberta's tourism sector.

Today's investments are expected to support more than 165 jobs and leverage approximately $2.8 million in additional funding through other orders of government and industry. This announcement reflects the principles of the Government of Canada's Framework to Build a Green Prairie Economy, a long-term commitment to work collaboratively with partners across the Prairies on their priorities to seize new possibilities for good-paying jobs in a globally competitive economy.

Quotes

"Today's investments are about working together with our partners across industry and government to help businesses, organizations and Indigenous communities capitalize on new opportunities for economic growth. Our government's support for these 19 projects will help more visitors discover the places, spaces and culture that Alberta has to offer, while contributing to sustainable jobs that Albertans can rely on."

–The Honourable Dan Vandal, Minister for PrairiesCan

"Alberta is home to some of the most beautiful sites, attractions, and venues in the world. That's why, today, we're investing more than $4 million across 19 projects in our local tourism operators, giving them the funding, capacity, and confidence they need to support new activities, programs, and services year-round. This funding is good for our tourism sector, Alberta, and the many travelers looking to book their next vacation out West."

–The Honourable Randy Boissonnault, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Official Languages

"With its wide-open spaces and unique Indigenous experiences, Canada's Prairies have what tourists want. That's why we're helping local tourism grow and thrive through the Tourism Growth Program. This important funding means that businesses and organizations can expand, create jobs and attract more tourists to Alberta. I look forward to seeing the difference it makes in the years to come!"

–The Honourable Soraya Martinez Ferrada, Minister of Tourism

"We're thrilled to see Indigenous entrepreneurs being supported in building their dream tourism experiences through these PrairiesCan investments in Alberta. Programs like this not only support Indigenous business-owners, their families and their communities, but they further position Alberta as one of the world's best places for Indigenous tourism, which creates a market differentiator that helps the province stand out in a hyper-competitive global industry."

–Shae Bird, CEO, Indigenous Tourism Alberta

"Explore Edmonton sincerely appreciates the steadfast support of PrairiesCan as a strong partner in Edmonton's visitor economy. This funding will directly impact and enhance upcoming visitor experiences in Edmonton, supporting local jobs and businesses and enabling us to showcase the best of what our city has to offer to the world. We look forward to seeing the direct community benefits of this funding as we celebrate the excitement of Rodeo Week and the proud return of the Canadian Finals Rodeo to Edmonton."

–Traci Bednard, CEO, Explore Edmonton

"Métis Crossing has a goal to share and celebrate our Métis culture with all people, and this goal has been enhanced through PrairiesCan's shared commitment to ensure accessibility for all. This investment builds our capacity to ensure that our authentic experiences can be enjoyed by people of all abilities."

–Juanita Marois, CEO, Métis Crossing

"La Cité Francophone has been building out our Francophone Tourism products since 2015 and we have seen exponential growth ever since! With the support of the Tourism Growth Fund, we are able to closely work with our Flying Canoë Volant partners and build unique 360 degree projection tourism experiences that can travel throughout Alberta. Phase 1 of this initiative has been extremely positive with the participation of Explore Edmonton, KDays, La fête franco-albertaine and the 2024 edition of the Flying Canoë Volant Festival."

–Daniel Cournoyer, Executive Director, La Cité Francophone

Quick facts

• Federal funding for these 19 projects is being provided through the Tourism Growth Program, delivered by PrairiesCan in Alberta.
• The $108 million Tourism Growth Program was announced in Budget 2023 to support the Federal Tourism Growth Strategy, a plan for long-term growth, investment and stability in Canada's tourism industry.
• PrairiesCan is the federal department that diversifies the economy across the Canadian Prairies by delivering programs and services that help businesses, not-for-profits and communities grow stronger: its mandate is to support economic growth and diversification in the Prairie provinces and advance the interests of the region in national economic policy, programs and projects.

Backgrounder

The Tourism Growth Program (TGP) is a key element of the new Federal Tourism Growth Strategy, which builds on Canada's inherent strengths and unique qualities while using a whole-of-government approach to realize the full potential of the tourism industry. Through the TGP, the federal government is investing $108 million over three years to support Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities, small- and medium-sized businesses and not-for-profit organizations in developing local tourism products and experiences to help more domestic and international visitors discover all that Canada has to offer.

Today, PrairiesCan is announcing $4,029,500 for 19 projects in Alberta through the TGP. These investments are expected to support over 165 jobs and leverage tourism opportunities in communities. Under the TGP, for-profit organizations are eligible for repayable funding, while not-for-profits are eligible for non-repayable funding.

Projects announced today include:

• Badlands Amphitheatre ($500,000)
  Upgrade utility systems, audio-visual equipment, roofing and cooking facilities at the Badlands Arts Centre to support year-round programming that attracts visitors to the Drumheller area.
• Calaway Park ($447,427 repayable)
  Construct and install a family-friendly ride, the Riptide Racer, to enhance the visitor experience at Calaway Park.
• Canada Snowboard ($150,000)
  Deliver outdoor winter experiences including an outdoor concert, light show, vendor village and a recreational snowboarding ramp as part of the Style Experience Snowboard Big Air World Cup in Edmonton.
• Explore Edmonton ($500,000)
  Develop and deliver cultural and agri-food tourism experiences to showcase rodeo culture, rural prairie life, and authentic Indigenous experiences in conjunction with Farmfair International and the Canadian Finals Rodeo.
• Fort McMurray Wood Buffalo Economic Development & Tourism ($175,995)
  Launch a mobile tourism centre that uses virtual reality to immerse viewers in the incredible tourism experiences available in the Wood Buffalo region and attract visitors to Northern Alberta.
• Friends Society of the Galt ($128,616)
  Upgrade facilities and develop new experiences to transform Fort Whoop-Up, a replica of an original fur trading fort in Lethbridge, into a year-round tourism destination.
• Girth Hitch Guiding ($99,999)
  Deliver new active outdoor tourism experiences and launch a mountain guide training program for Indigenous tour guides to increase the quantity and quality of authentic Indigenous tourism experiences available in the Nordegg area.
• Glamp Good ($99,999 repayable)
  Construct two new A-frame cabins, a cookhouse, a shower house and improve infrastructure to deliver a quality experience that attracts visitors to rural Alberta.
• The Hangar Flight Museum ($100,000)
  Upgrade facilities and exhibits, including a new fully accessible entry point; widened corridors; bilingual signage; and seating, to improve access for visitors of all abilities.
• Hideaway Adventure Grounds ($96,500)
  Construct an accessible year-round shower facility at the Hideaway Adventure Grounds within the Kikino Métis Settlement.
• Indigenous Edmonton Entertainment Group Association ($150,000)
  Plan and host the Indigenous Experience - Canada's largest Indigenous festival which features Indigenous story tellers, demonstrations, vendors, and food offerings from First Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples - at K-Days 2024.
• La Cité Francophone ($250,000)
  Create cultural experiences that incorporate storytelling, music, and dance to share the history of Alberta's Francophone, Indigenous and Métis people and deliver these experiences at events across Alberta.
• Métis Crossing ($500,000)
  Upgrade outdoor amenities and adapt activities to better enable individuals of all abilities to participate in the authentic Indigenous tourism experiences available at Métis Crossing.
• Painted Warriors ($99,999)
  Develop and deliver an immersive authentic Indigenous tourism experience that includes unique accommodations, culturally rich activities and traditional foods in rural Alberta.
• Pearson Lake Outfitters ($90,000)
  Upgrade cabins and a camp in Northern Alberta with new equipment to create eco-friendly accommodations that support active outdoor enthusiasts in remote Northern Alberta.
• Philip J. Currie Dinosaur Museum ($250,000)
  Launch interactive experiences — including a livestream of an ongoing dinosaur skull excavation, installation of new displays, a new annual event celebrating the study of dinosaurs and Indigenous led excursions that connect participants with paleontologists — to attract visitors to Northern Alberta.
• Tourism Calgary ($40,965)
  Host four tourism experiences to spotlight Treaty 7 artists and promote Indigenous culture at Chinook Blast 2024.
• UNCEDED: Voices of the Land ($100,000)
  Deliver an immersive exhibition that uses full-length documentaries, traditional drumming sounds and curated walkways to share the story of Turtle Island's Indigenous peoples at venues in downtown Edmonton and Calgary.
• Yamnuska Wolfdog Sanctuary ($250,000)
  Construct new pathways and an indoor day use area with a stage and seating to increase the accessibility, capacity and seasonality of eco-tourism experiences available at Canada's only wolfdog sanctuary located near Cochrane.

Associated links

• Prairies Economic Development Canada (PrairiesCan)
• Tourism Growth Program in the Prairie provinces
• Federal Tourism Growth Strategy
• Green Prairie Economy
• The Framework to Build a Green Prairie Economy
• United Nations World Tourism Day

Stay connected
Follow PrairiesCan on X (formerly Twitter) and LinkedIn

Toll-Free Number: 1-888-338-9378 TTY (telecommunications device for the hearing impaired): 1-877-303-3388

SOURCE Prairies Economic Development Canada

Contacts: Carson Debert, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Northern Affairs and Minister responsible for PrairiesCan and CanNor [e-mail]; Rohit Sandhu, Communications Manager, Prairies Economic Development Canada, [e-mail]