Government of Canada grants $1,200,000 for 2024 ComediHa! hello Montréal comedy festival

Government of Canada supports ComediHa! Hello Montréal festival

MONTRÉAL, July 26, 2024 /CNW/ - The Quartier des spectacles de Montréal welcomes the ComediHa! Comedy festival this summer for its 25^th anniversary.

Today, the Honourable Soraya Martinez Ferrada, Minister of Tourism and Minister responsible for Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions (CED), along with the Minister of Canadian Heritage, the Honourable Pascale St‑Onge, are unveiling the funding the Government of Canada has granted to the Festival International du Rire ComediHa! to hold its one‑of‑a‑kind comedy event in Montréal: ComediHa! Hello Montréal.

CED has provided a non‑repayable contribution of $600,000 under its Quebec Economic Development Program (QEDP) to promote and hold the festival in Montréal.

For its part, the Department of Canadian Heritage has allocated $600,000 for 2024‑2025 under the Canada Arts Presentation Fund. Through this funding, a comedy festival can be held in Montréal from July 18 to 28, 2024. The event provides the community with free outdoor programming and paid shows in event halls. The activities are taking place at the Place des Festivals and in several halls in the area.

Quotes

"Montréal is recognized as a comedy hub that each year attracts millions of tourists from around the world. That is why I am proud that our government is supporting the ComediHa! hello Montréal comedy event, which will help the metropolis maintain its important position in this industry. I salute the work done by the entire team to organize this impressive program."

– The Honourable Soraya Martinez Ferrada, Minister of Tourism and Minister responsible for CED

"Every summer, Montréal comes alive with festivals. Fostering events such as ComediHa! Enables us to come together, laugh, and share precious moments together. This festival brings happiness to Montréalers and visitors. The financial support in partnership with different levels of government makes it possible to celebrate the creativity and joie de vivre that characterize our city."

– The Honourable Pascale St-Onge, Minister of Canadian Heritage

Quick facts

• Since it was founded in 1997, ComediHa! has stood out as a major player in the live performance, festival, film, television and distribution industry. With a passionate team of over 100 full-time employees and close to 4000 temporary employees in Québec, Montréal, Paris and Hollywood, ComediHa! makes every effort to make people around the world laugh out loud.
• The Canada Arts Presentation Fund provides financial assistance to organizations that professionally present arts festivals or performing arts series (arts presenters) and organizations that offer support to arts presenters.
• CED's Quebec Economic Development Program helps communities seize economic development and diversification opportunities that are promising for the future.

Associated links

• Canadian Heritage:
  Canada Arts Presentation Fund - Canada.ca
  
  
• CED:
  Funding (canada.ca)
  
  
• ComediHa! hello Montréal:
  Homepage | ComediHa! Fest - Montréal (comedihafest.com)

SOURCE Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions

Contacts: For further information (media only), please contact: Charles Thibault-Béland, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Canadian Heritage, [email protected]; Media Relations, Canadian Heritage, 1-819-994-9101, 1-866-569-6155, [email protected]; Marie-Justine Torres, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Tourism and Minister responsible for Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions, [email protected]; Media Relations, Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions, 514-283-7443, [email protected]