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

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.

Related products

• News release: Minister Boissonnault announces federal investments to launch and expand tourism experiences across Alberta

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