Government of Canada announces $68.5 million in relief support for southern Ontario tourism sector

Backgrounder

Today, the Honourable Helena Jaczek, Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario), announced a Government of Canada investment of $68.5 million to support Indigenous Tourism Ontario and 11 Regional Tourism Organizations (RTOs) in southern Ontario.

This support, provided through the Government of Canada's Tourism Relief Fund, delivered by FedDev Ontario, will allow the following not-for-profit organizations to provide non-repayable contributions of up to $100,000 to tourism businesses and organizations, to help them develop new and enhanced products and services to attract visitors and prepare for future growth. This investment is pending successful completion of signed contribution agreements.

This builds on a FedDev Ontario investment of $6.6 million for ITO and some RTOs at the beginning of the pandemic, to help the region's tourism sector in adapting to the impacts of COVID-19.

Organization Region Served Total Funding
(non-repayable)

Indigenous Tourism Ontario (ITO)

Ontario

$3.5 million

Southwest Ontario Tourism Corporation (RTO 1)

Windsor/Essex/Sarnia-Lambton
London/Middlesex
Oxford County; Norfolk County
Haldimand County
Elgin County
Chatham-Kent

$7 million

Tourism Partnership of Niagara (RTO 2)

Niagara Region
Niagara-On-The-Lake
St. Catharines
Niagara Falls
Fort Erie
Port Colborne
Grimsby

$8.5 million

Hamilton Halton Brant Regional Tourism Association (RTO 3)

Brant County
Brantford
Hamilton
Regional Municipality of Halton
Six Nations of the Grand River Territory Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation

$5 million

Regional Tourism Organization 4 Inc. (RTO 4)

Guelph
Waterloo Region
Huron County
Perth County
Wellington County
Stratford

$5 million

Toronto Convention & Visitor Association (RTO 5)

Toronto

$10 million

Central Counties Tourism (RTO 6)

Durham Region
York Region
Headwaters Tourism Region

$8 million

Regional Tourism Organization 7 (RTO 7)

Bruce County
Grey County
City of Barrie
City of Orillia
Simcoe County

$7 million

Regional Tourism Organization 8 (RTO 8)

Peterborough
Kawartha Lakes
Northumberland
Port Hope
Cobourg

$3 million

Region 9  Regional Tourism Organization (RTO 9)

Quinte West
Prince Edward County
Belleville
Kingston
Brockville
Cornwall

$3 million

Ottawa Tourism and Convention Authority Inc. (RTO 10)

Ottawa

$5.5 million

Ontario's Highlands Tourism Organization (RTO 11)

Lanark County
Frontenac County
Lennox and Addington County; Hastings County
Haliburton County
Belleville
Quinte West
South Algonquin
Trenval
Renfrew County

$3 million

To learn more, visit FedDev Ontario's web page. Applications will open in the coming weeks. Visit your local RTO or ITO website to learn more about eligibility and how to apply.

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News Release: Government of Canada announces $68.5 million in relief support for southern Ontario tourism sector

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