Applications Have Opened For Relief Grants Up To $20,000 Supporting Indigenous Tourism Operators
BRITISH COLUMBIA – Indigenous Tourism BC (ITBC), in partnership with the Ministry of Tourism, Arts, Culture, and Sport, is granting $3 million through the BC Indigenous Tourism Recovery Grant to support the recovery of Indigenous tourism operators across the province, with applications open from today.
The grant offers up to $20,000 to support businesses through the continued economic impacts of COVID-19. Entering the third year, and fifth tourism season after the first COVID-19 cases were detected in BC, the tourism industry is experiencing ongoing and unprecedented contraction and loss of revenues.
The $3 million grant is a continuation of ITBC’s effort to support the tourism industry and businesses to navigate the ongoing challenges of the pandemic. In 2021, ITBC supported more than 200 Indigenous Stakeholders with approximately $9 million to pivot to long-term recovery.
The BC Indigenous Tourism Recovery Grant builds on preceding support by offering additional funding to market-ready Indigenous tourism businesses that continue to experience disruption and financial loss. These grants are intended to keep these businesses solvent as they implement short and long-term recovery plans.
“The people and businesses working in the Indigenous tourism sector have faced one challenge after another. However, by working together with these businesses we can support their resiliency and empower businesses to come back stronger than ever. Our government is proud to respond to this call to action by re-investing in the BC Indigenous Tourism Recovery grant,” says Melanie Mark, Hli Haykwhl Ẃii Xsgaak, Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport.
“This boost in funding and support is crucial for the long-term future of Indigenous Tourism in BC, and we are looking forward to getting the application process underway for our Stakeholders, who have had another hard tourism season this past year,” says Brenda Baptiste, Chair of ITBC’s Board of Directors. “We are grateful to our provincial and federal partners for recognizing the importance of Indigenous contributions to local economies, to recover, rebuild and grow BC’s Indigenous tourism sector, and stand for the truth and reconciliation of our people through tourism, so we can emerge stronger than ever before.”
Funding Application Dates
January 19 – February 18, 2022
Applications will be accepted and reviewed by end of February, with approvals made, contribution agreements issued, so that disbursement of the BC Indigenous Tourism Recovery Fund grants will be issued to eligible businesses by the end of March 2022.
February 19 – March 31, 2022
Applications will be accepted and reviewed in early April, with approvals made, contribution agreements issued, so that disbursement of the BC Indigenous Tourism Recovery Fund grants will be issued to eligible businesses by the end of April 2022.
April 1 – 19, 2022 (subject to remaining fund availability)
Applications will be accepted and reviewed by end of April, with approvals made, contribution agreements issued, so that disbursement of the BC Indigenous Tourism Recovery Fund grants will be issued to eligible businesses by the middle of May 2022.
For more information about Indigenous Tourism BC, visit www.indigenousbc.com
