TIAC Calls for Equitable Distribution of RRRF Funding
October 2, 2020 OTTAWA, ON – Today, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced $600 million in additional funding for the Regional Relief Recovery Fund – RRRF ($456M) and Community Futures Fund -CFF ($144M). Businesses in the tourism sector have been identified as one of the targeted beneficiaries of this increased funding. This is a welcome announcement for the sector, and the Tourism Industry Association of Canada (TIAC) is pleased to see tourism mentioned directly as a key sector. TIAC has been calling for additional funds for RRRF through our recovery plan to government.
“As we have been saying for a long time, tourism was the first sector hit, the hardest hit, and will be the last to recover from the economic impacts of COVID-19,” stated Charlotte Bell, TIAC President & CEO. “We were pleased to see the tourism sector recognized as a primary benefactor of government support programs. We hope that this increased funding, and direction to Regional Development Agencies to prioritize tourism businesses, will see a more equitable distribution of funding to those businesses hardest hit in all areas of the country. “
TIAC encourages the Government and Regional Development Agencies to implement a standardized model of fund distribution across the country. We strongly believe that tourism businesses, not-for-profits and Destination Marketing Organizations from British Columbia to Newfoundland and Labrador should expect equitable access to government support.
TIAC wishes to thank Minister Mélanie Joly for her unwavering support of additional support for the industry through these unprecedented times.
For more information:
Vince Accardi
Vice President Stakeholder Relations and Business Development
vaccardi@tiac-aitc.ca
Throne Speech & BC Small and Medium Business Recovery Grant Update
The Throne Speech on September 23 announced the following updates on programs, further details will be provided during the Fall Economic Update:
Extending the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy until summer 2021
Expanding the Canada Emergency Business Account to help with fixed costs
Improving the Business Credit Availability Program Introducing further support for industries that have been the hardest hit, including travel and tourism, hospitality, and cultural industries like the performing arts;
And supporting regional routes for airlines.
As planned, the Canada Emergency Response Benefit will expire October 3, 2020, with recipients then being transitioned to an enhanced Employment Insurance program.
Click here for more details.
BC SMALL AND MEDIUM BUSINESS RECOVERY GRANT
Small and medium sized businesses that have experienced a significant and sustained downturn in sales and revenues due to COVID-19 will have access to a grant that will support business recovery for those that have a recovery plan and the ability to continue operations in a post-COVID economy.
The new Small and Medium Business Recovery Grant program commits up to $300M to support one-time grants for eligible small businesses that have been hard-hit by COVID-19. Grant amounts will be scalable based on the size and annual pre-COVID revenues of the business, with eligible amounts ranging from $10,000 to a maximum of $30,000. Hard-hit tourism operators will be eligible to receive a top-up of up to $10,000, for a maximum grant of $40,000 based on overall eligibility criteria. Eligible businesses will include those with between 2 and 149 employees that have seen a COVID-related revenue reduction of at least 70% and continue to have revenues below 50% of pre-COVID levels. It is estimated that 15,000 small businesses will benefit from the program that will help protect more than 200,000 jobs province wide.
This is not a loan program to be repaid down the road. Instead, this grant will provide direct support to ensure eligible businesses will have the resources they need to recover and pivot their businesses to be successful within the new normal. Grant funding can be used to support business recovery, whether to help pay for short-term fixed costs, or to support other costs related to business transition in a post-COVID economy – things like advancing business diversification, business reinvention, marketing and advertising.
In addition to recovery grants, this program will also provide valuable support to small businesses to help with recovery planning. Eligible small businesses will be able to access up to $2,000 in services from professional service business advisory providers to help chart a viable path forward.
Community Economic Recovery Infrastructure Program
This program provides fully funded provincial grants to support economic resilience, tourism, heritage, and urban and rural economic development projects in communities impacted by COVID-19.
The projects will help communities impacted by COVID-19 and support B.C.’s post-pandemic economic recovery.
Eligible applicants can receive a one-time, 100% funded provincial grant to support four key streams:
Community Economic Resilience
Destination Development
Unique Heritage Infrastructure
Rural Economic Recovery
Review each stream for specific funding cap information. All funds will be paid out by March 31, 2021. Projects must start by December 31, 2021 and end by March 31, 2023.
All application forms and supporting documentation must be received, through the LGIS by Thursday, October 29, 2020 (11:59pm PDT).
Click here for more information.
Click here to access the Application Check List.
BC Tourism Resiliency Network Ideas Lab Backgrounder & Launch
To meet the changing needs of BC’s tourism businesses as the COVID-19 pandemic continues, the BC Tourism Resiliency Network will be expanding its support to industry for the Fall/Winter. To begin, the program will launch a series of Ideas Labs, delivered by Tourism Café Canada, to support the evolving educational and industry engagement needs of tourism operators. The Ideas Labs are 45-minute facilitated online workshops, led by an inspiring Industry Topic Specialist (tourism operators, sector specialists, business consultants, program advisors). Our region was the first to pilot the Ideas Labs in the province and so far we have had very positive feedback.
Launching this October, the Ideas Labs will offer 30 online workshops on nine original topics selected from requests by tourism operators across the province. The labs will bring small groups (maximum of 12 participants) together in a business-to-business learning environment to address hot topics where solutions to common problems are discussed and shared, and new ideas are incubated. Legacy learning materials will also be created to support tourism businesses for months to come.
Ideas Labs are open to tourism businesses who register for the BC Tourism Resiliency Network in the BC Regional Tourism Secretariat’s five regions, including Tourism Vancouver Island (and the Sunshine Coast), Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association, Kootenay Rockies Tourism Association, Cariboo Chilcotin Coast Tourism Association and Northern British Columbia Tourism Association. Schedule and registration is not live yet, but should be shortly. For more information and to register (when live) please click here: https://tourismresiliency.ca/
Backgrounder info: Click here
Ideas Lab 1
The BC Regional Tourism Secretariat is pleased to announce expanded support through the BC Tourism Resiliency Network. Launching this month, Ideas Labs are a series of 30 online workshops on nine original topics selected from requests from tourism operators across the province. The labs will bring small groups together in a business-to-business learning environment to address hot topics where solutions to common problems are discussed and shared, and new ideas are incubated. These are 1-hour online workshops and each is led by an inspiring Industry Topic Specialist.
Each session is limited to only 12 participants from across the province.
A new topic, with an accompanying registration link, will be released each week in October.
The first topic, with four different delivery dates/times to choose from, is now available for registration.
Welcome Signals: Creating Consumer Confidence Through Experience Design and Communications
In this session, Nancy Arsenault, Managing Partner at the Tourism Café, will introduce the concept of ‘welcome signals’ – the on-line and in-person indicators that strengthen the perception of visitors that their presence is valued. Nancy will set the stage for the group discussion, highlighting the different types of welcome signals and provide examples of companies and communities that are excelling as they re-invite visitors.
Dates to Choose From (Note: 1 Session per Stakeholder Only).
All sessions are held virtually, via the Zoom Webinar platform.
Oct 7, 2020 @ 10am
Oct 8, 2020 @ 2pm
Oct. 14, 2020 @ 2pm
Oct. 22, 2020 @ 2pm
Cariboo Chilcotin Coast Tourism has teamed up with eLearningU to bring you tourism online marketing webinars during this uncertain time
As many of you find yourselves working from home, now is the perfect opportunity to invest some time in projects that may have found themselves on the back burner.
We would like to encourage you to explore the archive of tourism marketing webinars from the team at eLearningU!
You have access to 350+ hours of recorded tourism marketing courses, as well as access to live tourism marketing webinars every Thursday. The time you spend absorbing cutting-edge marketing knowledge will be well spent when travelers are able start to exploring again.
Some staff picks for great webinars from the archive to get started with are Social Media Planning:Build a Content Calendar for Next Week, Tips to Create Crazy, Phenomenal Videos – Yes You Can!, and Create, Curate and Newsjack Your Social Media Content.
Click here for more info.
[Reminder] FINAL Survey: Valuation of Forest Service Roads for Recreation & Tourism
The Cariboo Chilcotin Coast Tourism Association (CCCTA) is conducting its second and final stakeholder survey regarding the valuation of recreation and tourism on Forest Service Roads (FSRs) in the Cariboo Forest Region.
The main purpose of this survey is to provide you with an opportunity to review and comment on the proposed FSR recreation valuation approach, including the number of “points” allocated to different types of recreation features / assets (lakes, trails, businesses, scenic areas, etc.). This will help to more efficiently prioritize access to the “most important” recreation features in the region, theoretically shifting resources from those that receive less use and have less value for tourism and recreation
.This is the only region in B.C. to have undertaken this type of valuable analysis to date.
This short survey will only take about five (5) minutes to complete. No sensitive or confidential information is being requested in this survey.
Survey respondents will be entered into a draw to win one of three Gift Certificates for Mountain Equipment Co-op (M.E.C.), valued at $100 each.
Please complete the survey by October 30, 2020.
ISCBC Tourism Sector Survey
We hope that you are willing to take 10 minutes to participate in this survey about tourism as related to invasive species in British Columbia. This survey has been developed by the Invasive Species Council of British Columbia in consultation with a tourism industry advisory panel. At the end of the survey, you have an opportunity to enter your name in a draw for a $200 gift card.
First Cariboo Chilcotin Coast Digital Summit
NOTE: DATE CHANGE
November 25 – 26, 2020
Nominations start now!
Be sure to nominate your business and your neighbor.
Be sure to watch for more information.
Nomination Forms
Nomination Package
2020 Best Tourism Marketing Initiative Award
2020 Digital Excellence Award
2020 Innovation in Tourism Award
2020 Good Neighbour Award