Canada has much to offer the world as travel safely resumes: 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 destinations.

“As we recover from this pandemic, we are focused on supporting the tourism sector. With today's investment, tourism businesses and organizations in central PEI will be able to prepare for the future. This is an important step in the recovery effort that will allow visitors to discover 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

“All Islanders should be proud of the resilience and dedication shown by our tourism operators over the last two years. As businesses across Prince Edward Island prepare to welcome visitors back in 2022, these investments will help them attract new customers, extend their operational season, reduce their carbon footprint, and make their accommodations more inclusive and accessible.” 
- Heath MacDonald, Member of Parliament for Malpeque

• 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.

• 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. 

• 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.

• $48.5 million from the Tourism Relief Fund has been allocated to ACOA to administer the fund in the Atlantic region.

Associated links

• Tourism Relief Fund
• Tourism and Hospitality Recovery Program (THRP)
• Sectoral Workforce Solutions Program (SWSP)

Marianne Blondin
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Official Languages and of the 
Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
Marianne.Blondin@acoa-apeca.gc.ca

Mike Critchley 
Senior Communications Advisor 
Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency 
Michael.Critchley@acoa-apeca.gc.ca  

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