Government of Canada makes investments to empower communities and create middle class jobs
May 23, 2019 - Halifax, Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia's tourism sector continues to grow, particularly in smaller centres where tourism is an economic driver. Helping innovative tourism businesses grow and enter new markets is critical to fuelling Atlantic Canada's economy and creating more well-paying jobs in the region.
That's why Alaina Lockhart, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Tourism, Official Languages and La Francophonie, visited Halifax, Nova Scotia, to discuss Creating Middle Class Jobs: A Federal Tourism Growth Strategy with local tourism stakeholders.
This strategy will empower communities of all sizes through short- and long-term measures by:
- providing $58.5 million in funding through the Canadian Experiences Fund to enhance Canada's tourism experiences;
- developing tourism investment groups where all levels of government will collaborate to invest more efficiently and identify ways to raise private investment; and
- creating the new Tourism Industry Economic Strategy Table to provide a platform for government and industry leaders to work together on overcoming challenges in the tourism sector.
These three pillars will take a whole-of-government approach to addressing barriers to growth, such as lack of investment coordination and labour shortages.
"Our government knows that tourism helps every part of the country by creating good jobs for middle class families. We've seen many examples of how it transforms communities and diversifies their economies. That's why we've developed this strategy, which will stimulate growth in the tourism sector through new and ongoing investments. We are committed to diversifying and expanding our country's tourism products and experiences to maximize the sector's potential year-round from coast to coast to coast."
- The Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Tourism, Official Languages and La Francophonie
"Nova Scotia has so much to entice tourists: beautiful coastline, wonderful farm-to-table experiences, delicious seafood, and iconic places like Peggy's Cove and the Halifax Citadel. Innovative tourism operators and their tireless employees have attracted record numbers of international tourists in recent years to great destinations across the province. Our new federal strategy expands on our tourism sector's strengths by providing funding for new tourism experiences to ensure that visitors come to communities like this one year-round."
- Alaina Lockhart, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Tourism, Official Languages and La Francophonie
Quick facts
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Tourism represents more than 2% of Canada's gross domestic product.
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Tourism supports more than 1.8 million jobs in Canada, with 56% of those being in rural areas.
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Total tourism revenues in 2018 from domestic and international travellers were $102.1 billion, an increase of 5.2% over 2017.
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In 2018, Canada welcomed a record 21.1 million international tourists, surpassing the previous year's record of 20.9 million by 1.2%.
