Backgrounder: Calgary Stampede to make full-scale come-back with major funding from the Government of Canada; four other tourism experiences in southern Alberta to benefit from federal investments

Funding includes more than $10.1 million to support a full-scale 2022 Calgary Stampede and more than $1.8 million to enhance tourism experiences to attract more visitors to Alberta

The Government of Canada is providing $10.15 million to Calgary Exhibition and Stampede Limited to support a full-scale 2022 Calgary Stampede that delivers authentic western experiences and attracts visitors from Canada and abroad to Alberta. In addition, PrairiesCan is investing more than $1.8 million to support four tourism organizations and attractions in southern Alberta to launch new or enhanced experiences. Combined, this investment of nearly $12 million will help drive Alberta’s economy forward, support tourism businesses, and ensure a resilient Alberta tourism sector.

Funding for these projects is through the Major Festivals and Events Support Initiative (MFESI), the Regional Relief and Recovery Fund (RRRF) and the Tourism Relief Fund (TRF).

Major Festivals and Events Support Initiative

The MFESI supports major Canadian festivals and events hit hard by the economic impacts of COVID-19, to adapt and enhance their activities as the economy recovers. One Alberta MFESI recipient receiving funding through PrairiesCan announced today is:

• Calgary Exhibition and Stampede Limited ($10,000,000)
  Support activities for the continued operations and enhancement of the Calgary Stampede, including COVID-19 adaptation measures, website upgrades, and reconstruction of the grandstand.

Regional Relief and Recovery Fund

As part of Canada’s COVID-19 Economic Response Plan, the RRRF is assisting businesses and organizations across Canada to mitigate financial pressures caused by the pandemic. Through the RRRF, the Government of Canada is providing over $2 billion to help keep people employed, and to sustain employers for recovery. One quarter of the RRRF is targeted to support the tourism sector. One Alberta RRRF recipient receiving funding through PrairiesCan announced today is:

• Calgary Exhibition and Stampede Limited ($150,000)
  Support COVID-19 adaptations to the BMO Centre and administer training that enables the facility to meet and exceed health and safety protocols, including the adoption of touchless technology and bio-risk cleaning management accreditation.

Tourism Relief Fund

Launched in July 2021, the TRF helps organizations and businesses in the tourism sector adapt their operations to meet public health requirements and offer new or enhanced innovative products and services to help the sector attract more domestic and international visitors and prepare for future growth. Four Alberta TRF projects receiving funding through PrairiesCan announced today are:

• Charmed Resorts Inc., Charmed Playhouses Inc., Charmed Brands Inc. ($500,000)
  Introduce eight fairy tale themed ''glamping'' cottages in Crowsnest Pass to expand the region’s unique accommodation offerings and attract more visitors to the area.

• Cochrane Tourism Association ($32,500)
  Deliver a Tourism Product Mentorship Program to a maximum of 12 local businesses within the Town of Cochrane to guide and mentor them through the process of developing and implementing new tourism product offerings.

• Heritage Park Society ($500,000)
  Create two new digital exhibits that highlight the history of Alberta’s energy sector at Innovation Crossing, the new natural resources building within Heritage Park.

• Tourism Calgary - Calgary Convention & Visitors Bureau ($800,000)
  Enhance Calgary’s tourism recovery by supporting the 2022 Chinook Blast winter festival and the creation of a digital asset library that is accessible to tourism operators promoting tourism experiences in the Calgary area.

Related products

• News release: Calgary Stampede to make full-scale come-back with major funding from the Government of Canada; four other tourism experiences in southern Alberta to benefit from federal investments