Question Period Note: CED support for festivals

CED support for festivals

• As part of its mandate, CED funds festivals all over Quebec that generate sustainable, tangible economic benefits by acting as showcases to attract tourists from outside Quebec/Canada, and by positioning Quebec and Canada's regions as destinations of choice.
• Since November 2015, Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions has supported 117 projects related to the festival sector for authorized assistance of nearly $104 million, generating total investments of over $1.4 billion.
• For the Greater Montreal region, priority is given to festivals with the greatest potential for attracting international tourists, and which promote a world-class tourism offering in order to maximize the resulting tourism spin-offs.

CED considers tourism to be an essential sector for our economy and its long-term prosperity. It helps stimulate the economic vitality of devitalized regions and supports the economic dynamism of major centers.

• CED currently supports 21 festivals across Quebec through its regular programming and the Economic Development Initiative - Official Languages (EDI), for a total of $4.8 million.
o To be supported in their regular programming, festivals must meet the following criteria according to the current approach:
* Priority will be given to events with an overall marketing strategy that includes marketing activities outside Quebec;
* The Agency's contribution targets product development and primarily marketing outside Quebec, with the exception of projects supported by the Greater Montreal office, which must target international markets (outside Canada).

• A specific temporary initiative (ending March 31, 2024) was implemented by CED as part of the recovery from the pandemic that targeted major festivals:
* Eight major festivals and events were supported, for a total of $67.8 million in approved assistance, under the Major Festivals and Events Support Initiative (MFESI).

Projects funded by CED:
• The non-repayable contribution of $135,000 is aimed at the organization and staging of the 2024, 2025 and 2026 editions of the Festival Musique du Bout du Monde, as well as its marketing on national and international markets.
• A $300,000 non-repayable grant to support marketing efforts for the 2024, 2025 and 2026 editions of the Festival Western de St-Tite.
• The non-repayable assistance of $2.06 million was used to implement a marketing strategy for the 2022, 2023 and 2024 editions of the Montreal Jazz Festival , with a view to attracting festival-goers from outside Canada, as well as developing new products.

CED is there to support the long-term prosperity of our economy, by backing the projects of companies and NPOs with an economic vocation that contribute to it. As part of its mandate, CED finances major events and festivals that generate tangible, sustainable economic benefits by attracting tourists from outside Quebec/Canada and positioning Quebec and Canada's regions as destinations of choice.