Plaster Rock will benefit from improved tourism offerings to attract visitors to the region
News release
August 5, 2022 · Plaster Rock, New Brunswick · Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA)
Canada has much to offer visitors: breathtaking landscapes and wide open spaces; diverse and inclusive experiences; and welcoming 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.
The pandemic has had an undeniable impact on Canada’s tourism sector. The Government of Canada continues to help tourism businesses recover and position the industry for strong future growth.
Today, the Honourable Ginette Petitpas Taylor, Minister of Official Languages and Minister responsible for ACOA, announced a non-repayable investment of $86,913, through the Tourism Relief Fund (TRF), for the Village of Plaster Rock.
The Government of New Brunswick is also contributing $76,000 to the project through the Regional Development Corporation.
These investments will help the municipality add a healing garden and introduce paddle board, pedal boat and kayak rentals to the existing offerings at Roulston Lake. This will enable Plaster Rock to expand the range of recreational activities available at the lake and meet increased customer demand for unique tourism experiences.
Launched in July 2021, the 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, the Village of Plaster Rock will be able to prepare for the future. This is an important step in the recovery effort as visitors rediscover 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
“We are pleased to invest in enhanced tourism experiences for the Village of Plaster Rock. The tourism sector is an important part of economic growth in all areas of the province, and particularly in our rural communities.”
- The Honourable Gary Crossman, Minister of Environment and Climate Change and Minister responsible for the Regional Development Corporation
Quick facts
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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.
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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.
o 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.
o $48.5 million from the Tourism Relief Fund has been allocated to ACOA to administer the fund in the Atlantic region.
Associated links
Contacts
Marianne Blondin
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Official Languages and of the
Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
Marianne.Blondin@acoa-apeca.gc.ca
Emilie Williams
Communications Officer
Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
Emilie.Williams@acoa-apeca.gc.ca
Mary-Anne Hurley-Corbyn
Director of Communications
Regional Development Corporation
506-429-2624
Tom Eagles
Mayor
Village of Plaster Rock
mayor@plasterrockvillage.com
teagles@nbnet.nb.ca
506-356-6080
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