Twenty-two projects receive $3 million in tourism relief funding in P.E.I.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW THESE SALTWIRE VIDEOS
CORNWALL, P.E.I. —
Quick information
Following are a few of the initiatives ACOA is funding below the tourism reduction fund:
• Epic Electrical Scooters, Inc. – $60,390.
• Nellie’s Touchdown Marina – $54,600.
• P.E.I. Biking Excursions, Inc. – $18,500.
• Tranquility Cove Adventures – $17,666.
• Backyard of the Gulf Court docket & Motel, Inc. (High quality Inn) – $466,938.
• 101076 P.E.I., Inc. – $100,000.
• P.E.I. Dream Cottages, Inc. – $94,472.50.
Supply: Press launch from ACOA; federal grants and contributions webpage
When COVID-19 shut down the P.E.I. tourism business, operators like Janice and Mike Corney needed to pivot to fulfill new calls for.
Fortunately for the Corneys, their enterprise – Rise and Climb – is constructed outdoors. Individuals might come to climb the 50-foot rope climbing course whereas simply sustaining a protected distance.
Nonetheless, the pandemic was onerous on the enterprise, which additionally noticed some harm throughout post-tropical storm Fiona in 2022.
That’s why the Corneys utilized for a grant by means of the Atlantic Canada Alternatives Company’s tourism reduction fund (TRF).
“COVID was positively difficult,” Mike mentioned in a Could 23 SaltWire interview. “Much less individuals had been travelling, much less individuals on the Island. It was much more tough – after which Fiona. It was yr final yr, however Fiona positively ruined our fall plans.”
This week, the Corneys joined Malpeque MP Heath MacDonald and Ginette Petitpas Taylor, minister accountable for ACOA, for an announcement about tourism funding in P.E.I.
The Corneys are amongst 22 Prince Edward Island operators getting funding for a complete of simply over $3 million.
With the Corneys contributing $50,000, ACOA kicked in one other $50,000 to permit the corporate to purchase new security harnesses and improve its laser tag facility, Mike mentioned.
“We had been utilizing type of an older fashion security system, so we had been in a position to modernize that, use full physique harnesses, (purchase) new helmets, new lanyards.”
“COVID was positively difficult. … Much less individuals had been travelling, much less individuals on the Island. It was much more tough – after which Fiona. It was yr final yr, however Fiona positively ruined our fall plans.”
Mike Corney
Authorities
In an interview after the announcement, MacDonald mentioned the funding goes to a various vary of initiatives, break up between city and rural places.
“Most (of) P.E.I. is taken into account by the federal authorities to be rural, so it might be a excessive quantity on the agricultural facet.”
Petitpas Taylor, additionally talking after the announcement, mentioned the brand new cash provides to $2.3 million already distributed from the fund to P.E.I.
Requested a couple of timeline for funding arrivals, Petitpas Taylor mentioned it varies, with operators just like the Corneys already receiving their cash and others nonetheless ready.
Whereas the TRF is meant to offset unpreventable losses from COVID and Fiona, ACOA will proceed to “be there” for operators who want it, Petitpas Taylor mentioned.
“In Atlantic Canada, tourism is a crucial section of ACOA. It’s considered one of our key pillars. So, we offered some extra funding due to the worldwide pandemic.”
Regardless of saying a complete of $3 million in funding, the initiatives included within the press launch complete just a few hundred thousand.
Petitpas Taylor didn’t have particulars on the place bigger sums shall be going, however her assistant mentioned they might e mail a full listing to SaltWire.
No e mail was obtained by deadline.
The federal authorities’s grants and contributions webpage lists some TRF funded initiatives not included within the press launch. These initiatives are bigger and embrace $466,938 to the Backyard of the Gulf Court docket & Motel, Inc, which operates the High quality Inn in Summerside, and $94,472.50 to P.E.I. Dream Cottages, Inc.
Logan MacLean is a reporter with SaltWire
[email protected]
@loganmaclean94
