Question Period Note: Support in tourism from Canada Economic Development for the regions of Quebec

Support in tourism from Canada Economic Development for the regions of Quebec

• Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions sees the tourism sector as a lever for diversification and economic vitality.

• Supporting the tourism sector helps position Quebec as a destination of choice with tourists from outside Quebec and around the world, helping to generate economic spinoffs across the province.
• Since April 2020, Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions has supported more than 700 tourism projects, with authorized assistance of close to $400 million, generating investments of over $1.9 billion.

CED's support for the tourism sector complements that of other federal players, including Destination Canada and Canadian Heritage, and contributes to the Federal Strategy for Tourism Growth announced in July 2023. CED also complements the Québec government's interventions in this sector.

CED's support for the tourism sector also fosters inclusive growth in the regions, including rural and small communities.

• The importance of the tourism sector has been recognized as a driver of good jobs and vibrant communities across Canada.
• DEC supports the tourism sector for the development of the tourism offer and for marketing activities, with a long-term economic development perspective.
• Assistance is generally granted directly to NPOs and SMEs in the sector, mainly festivals and sporting events, and tourist attractions and accommodations.
Since February 2025, CED has been implementing a renewed approach for festivals in Montreal to ensure a better match between attracting international tourists and the funding granted, and to better reflect the evolution of the festival offering in recent years.
• Indirect assistance is also granted to organizations that provide services to tourism businesses and NPOs, mainly regional and sectoral tourism associations (ATR-ATS).
 The agreements between CED and the ATR-ATS have been renewed and enhanced in 2023 for a 4-year period (2027), for a total amount of $11.9 million per year.
• Temporary initiatives (ending March 31, 2024) linked to the post-pandemic recovery have made it possible to target certain priorities and support the sector in a way that complements regular CED programs. In this way, CED has:
 Supported tourism entities, including tourist attractions and accommodations, for a total of $111.2 million in approved assistance under the Tourism Relief Fund (TRF).
 Supported eight major festivals and events, for a total of $67.8 million in approved assistance, under the Major Festivals and Events Support Initiative (MFESI).
• CED completes the implementation of the Tourism Growth Program announced in 2023. 54 projects were approved for $20.4 million in authorized assistance. CED is no longer accepting applications. The program ends on March 31, 2026.

Examples of projects supported by CED:
As part of the Quebec Economic Development Program (QEDP):
 CED supported Panora Loges Fluviales, a company specializing in the design, production and installation of high-quality, original ready-to-camp products. The assistance authorized in November 2023, a repayable contribution of $190,000, helped fill the gap in the four-season, high-end tourism offering in the Sainte-Anne-des-Monts region by adding three new lodging units. (Announced by the Minister during a visit to GIM on August 8, 2024).
 CED has authorized a non-repayable contribution of $520,000 to Tourisme Laval to enable this ATR to support Laval businesses over a 4-year period in developing and structuring the region's tourism offering and marketing it outside Quebec (Announced by the Minister on August 29, 2024).
 As part of the Tourism Growth Program (TGP), CED is supporting Héritage Saint-Bernard inc. the organization in charge of the wildlife and plant habitats of Île Saint-Bernard, Ruisseau Saint-Jean, Parc de la Commune and the Centre écologique Fernand-Seguin (CEFS) located in Châteauguay, on the shores of the St. Lawrence River. The $100,000 in non-repayable funding authorized in May 2024 will be used to enhance tourism products and experiences through accessibility work and the redevelopment of outdoor infrastructures (Announced August 2, 2024).

Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions’ (CED) funding of the tourism sector acts as a strategic lever for the long-term economic development of our regions. Tourism projects generate significant economic spinoffs for our regions, notably by attracting tourists from outside Quebec and abroad. In recent years, CED has implemented a number of temporary initiatives to enhance its regular involvement in the tourism sector.