Backgrounder: Financial Assistance for Quebec’s Tourism Sector

From: Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions

Backgrounder

Sherbrooke, Quebec, June 23, 2020 – Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions (CED)

The following information is in addition to the news release on the Government of Canada’s financial assistance for the tourism sector, issued on June 23, 2020.

This assistance worth over $30M, detailed below, is the result of the Government of Canada’s support for the Alliance de l’industrie touristique du Québec (Alliance), regional tourism associations (ATRs), sectoral tourism associations (ATSs), as well as tourism businesses, organizations and agencies in Quebec.

Details

• Financial assistance granted to the Alliance de l’industrie touristique du Québec (Alliance) by Destination Canada:
  
  
  • The Alliance will receive $6M from Destination Canada, Canada’s national tourism marketing agency. This funding will enable locally targeted marketing programs to be implemented to encourage Quebecers to discover their part of the country.
    
• Financial assistance granted to the Alliance by CED:
  
  
  • CED is allocating $7M for the Alliance to provide financial support to Quebec tourism SMEs to implement adaptation measures in line with new health standards. Through this project, the Alliance will grant non-repayable contributions to tourism SMEs mainly in the accommodation, attractions and tourism services sectors. This support will enable them to fund leasehold improvements to their infrastructure and the purchase of protective equipment to meet public health rules. The funding granted to the Alliance is conditional upon the signing of an agreement with CED.
    
  • In addition, financial support has been granted by CED to the Alliance under the Canadian Experiences Fund of the new Federal Strategy on Jobs and Tourism. The non-repayable contribution of $500,000 will enable the tourism offering to be developed by structuring, creating and enhancing the digital presence of businesses, mainly in rural and remote regions, within Google’s travel ecosystem.
    
• Flexibility in agreements with ATRs and ATSs:
  
  
  • With a view to relaunching tourism activities, CED is bringing some flexibility to its agreements with the ATRs and ATSs. Renewed in March 2019 for the 2019‑2022 period, these agreements represent a total investment of $28.5M over three years. The flexibility in these agreements for the year 2020-2021, representing $9.5M per year, will enable the associations to accompany tourism organizations more so they can make the necessary adjustments to their activities in the wake of the pandemic. This measure will also enable monies destined for international promotion to be reallocated to the promotion of tourism within Quebec.
    
  • The Government of Canada is thus working with the Alliance and the ATRs and ATSs to develop and kickstart the tourism industry by targeting mainly clients within Quebec.
    
• Financial assistance granted by SADCs and CAEs:
  
  
  • Quebec’s SADCs and CAEs are supporting 140 projects by tourism businesses and organizations, for a total of $4.8M, under the Regional Relief and Recovery Fund (RRRF) implemented in Quebec by CED.
    
• Financial assistance granted by CED for 16 projects:
  
  
  • A total of $2,844,538 in financial contributions to the following 16 projects:

* The types of CED funding are repayable contributions, non-repayable contributions and grants.

Information

Media Relations, CED
dec.media.ced@canada.ca