Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario
The Shaw Festival-one of the world's leading repertory theatre companies with 13 or more productions each year-is the second largest repertory theatre company in North America and one of the largest employers in the Niagara Region. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Shaw Festival's 2020 season was cancelled and the 2021 season was significantly reduced due to closures and capacity restrictions. The Government of Canada is committed to revitalizing major events and festivals, like the Shaw Festival, positioning them for a strong future.
Today, Chris Bittle, Member of Parliament for St. Catharines, on behalf of the Honourable Helena Jaczek, Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario), announced a non-repayable investment of over $6 million to support the Shaw Festival's recovery from the impacts of the past two years.
This investment, through the Major Festivals and Events Support Initiative (MFESI), will help the Shaw Festival return to its pre-pandemic scale with 13 shows, a new concert series and Fairground and Shawground events.
This investment will create a positive ripple effect across the Niagara Region's tourism and hospitality sectors, strengthen southern Ontario's position as a tourism destination of choice and position the Shaw Festival for strong growth.
