Canada has much to offer visitors: breathtaking landscapes and wide open spaces; diverse and inclusive experiences; and welcoming people from coast to coast to coast who provide outstanding service. Combined with a strong focus on health and safety and high COVID-19 vaccination rates, Canada is among the most alluring and smartest destination choices.
The pandemic has had an undeniable impact on Canada's tourism sector. The Government of Canada continues to help tourism businesses recover and position the industry for strong future growth.
Today, the Honourable Ginette Petitpas Taylor, Minister of Official Languages and Minister responsible for ACOA, announced a non-repayable investment of $86,913, through the Tourism Relief Fund (TRF), for the Village of Plaster Rock.
The Government of New Brunswick is also contributing $76,000 to the project through the Regional Development Corporation.
These investments will help the municipality add a healing garden and introduce paddle board, pedal boat and kayak rentals to the existing offerings at Roulston Lake. This will enable Plaster Rock to expand the range of recreational activities available at the lake and meet increased customer demand for unique tourism experiences.
Launched in July 2021, the TRF was created to help organizations and businesses in the tourism sector adapt their operations to meet public health requirements, offer innovative products and services to visitors and prepare to welcome back travellers. The TRF is administered by Canada's regional development agencies (RDAs) and Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED).
