“As we recover from this pandemic, we are focused on being there for the tourism sector. With the support announced today, tourism businesses and organisations in the Atlantic Canada region 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 we have 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

“Canada is already one of the most welcoming countries in the world for LGBT+ travellers and Atlantic Canada is well positioned to establish itself as a world-class destination for this important market. We are investing in inclusion and market readiness programs that will help businesses remove barriers and provide unforgettable travel experiences for all visitors to our region. When our tourism industry grows, our economy thrives.”

– Sean Casey, Member of Parliament for Charlottetown

“The global LGBT+ travel market is estimated at $22 billion USD. As businesses become increasingly aware of the potential of this growing market, they have realized the unique needs of this diverse community. In response, our team in partnership with Tourism HR Canada, worked to create the Rainbow Registered accreditation program, Canada’s first national standard for safe and inclusive spaces for the LGBT+ community. This program, in addition to a number of our development and training resources for the LGBT+ community, are now able to be rapidly rolled out to businesses and organizations across Atlantic Canada. This fantastic show of support from the Federal Government will create a lasting legacy of inclusivity for LGBT+ visitors, customers and employees throughout the region.”

– Darrell Schuurman, CEO of Canada’s LGBT+ Chamber of Commerce

• Canada’s LGBT+ Chamber of Commerce (CGLCC) is a national non-profit organization that brings together LGBT+-owned and operated businesses and advocates on their behalf to build a more diverse and inclusive business community. This member-based organization offers programs such as diversity and inclusion training, the Rainbow Registered Program, advocacy initiatives, the OUT For Business Initiative for youth entrepreneurs, and LGBT+ tourism market readiness.
• Canada is home to over 100,000 LGBT+-owned businesses. These businesses generate over $22 billion in economic activity and employ over 435,000 Canadians.
• 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.

Catherine Mounier-Desrochers
Director of Communications
Office of the Minister of Official Languages and of the
Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
[email protected]

Mike Critchley
Senior Communications Advisor
Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
[email protected]

Darrell Schuurman
Co-Founder and CEO
CGLCC – Canada’s LGBT+ Chamber of Commerce
[email protected]