Campbellton will benefit from new offerings to help attract more visitors to the region

News release

September 6, 2022 · Campbellton, 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 vaccination against COVID-19, 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, René Arseneault, Member of Parliament for Madawaska—Restigouche, announced an investment of $180,000 for the City of Campbellton through the Tourism Relief Fund (TRF). The announcement was made on behalf of the Honourable Ginette Petitpas Taylor, Minister of Official Languages and Minister responsible for ACOA.

The support will allow the city to install a themed playground and a splash pad at the municipal RV park to create a more enjoyable experience for young people and families. The project will also attract more residents and tourists to the Restigouche River waterfront, bringing economic benefits for downtown businesses.

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. Canada’s regional development agencies are delivering $485 million in TRF support.

Quotes

“As we recover from the pandemic, we are focused on being there for the tourism sector. With the support announced today, the City of Campbellton will be able to prepare for the future while attracting more residents and visitors to the Restigouche River.”

-       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

“For over two years, tourism operators have shown tremendous determination to keep their doors open, adapt their services and create new experiences for visitors. This investment will help Campbellton remain an attractive tourist destination, bringing people to the Restigouche River waterfront and providing economic benefits throughout northwestern New Brunswick.”

-       René Arseneault, Member of Parliament for Madawaska—Restigouche

“The tourism landscape has changed drastically in the last two years, as the COVID-19 outbreak had a devastating impact on our tourism industry both in Campbellton and across the region. Working in collaboration enables us to enact the vision developed by the municipal council while at the same time adapting our actions to the needs of our communities.  Investments from the federal government, like the one announced today, will go a long way to help our city and tourism industry as it continues to recover.”

-       Ian Comeau, Mayor, City of Campbellton

Quick facts

  • The City of Campbellton’s RV park on the Restigouche River waterfront is a key outdoor camping and aquatic tourism offering for the area, which offers salmon and trout fishing, fiddleheads, river runs, canoeing, boating, kayaking and paddle boarding.

  • The Tourism Relief Fund is a $500-million national program to support the tourism sector in Canada, including $485 million for regional priorities administered by Canada’s regional development agencies and $15 million for national priorities administered by Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada.

  • 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 the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency to administer 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

Dominique Bouchard
Senior Communications Officer
Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
Dominique.Bouchard@acoa-apeca.gc.ca

Julie Caissie
City Clerk
City of Campbellton
clerk@campbellton.org

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