The Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency (CanNor) has approved $225,000 in funding to promote the Northwest Territories and attract French-speaking tourists, residents, employees and investors to the territory. The funded initiatives are expected to strengthen and diversify the region’s economy by recruiting skilled workers and promoting NWT tourism and investment opportunities in French-speaking regions nationally and internationally.
A decline in the number of new residents, investors and visitors coming to the Northwest Territories in the last decade has resulted in skilled labour shortages, decreased investment opportunities, and lower revenues for tourism-related businesses. This funding will support a number of targeted initiatives designed to promote the territory in new French-speaking markets as a great place to live, work, visit, and invest.
The Conseil de développement économique des Territoires du Nord-Ouest (CDETNO) assists the French-speaking community in the areas of business development and employability, and promotes territorial opportunities to potential tourists and investors from French-speaking regions in Canada and Europe. CDETNO will work with NWT tourism operators and other organizations to implement the project activities that address French-speaking markets. Highlights include:
- New marketing products using the GNWT tourism brand “Spectacular”
- Ongoing advertising in Quebec and France
- A culinary tourism package
- A brochure for conference organizers
- Enhanced content on the French tourism website
- A business traveler section in the French explorer guide
- A French services center for new immigrants
- A ‘mini’ tourism information center in Yellowknife’s Old Town area
- Training for employers on developing HR plans and policies that will help attract and retain qualified employees
- Marketing incentives to encourage family and friends of residents to visit or move to the NWT
Federal funding for this initiative has been provided through the Strategic Investments in Northern Economic Development (SINED) program made possible through Canada’s Economic Action Plan. SINED is delivered by CanNor in the three territories. CanNor is a newly established agency responsible for coordinating and delivering federal economic development activities in the North.
