Indigenous tourism group frets for future over funding gap in federal budget 570news.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from 570news.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
VICTORIA The pandemic has had a major impact on tourism in every corner of the country, leaving many who rely on tourism barely hanging on. One sector, in particular, has been dealt another blow. The future of First Nations tourism is in doubt after a drastic drop in funding for a non-profit organization that helps develop and promote the industry across Canada. The Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada (ITAC) says it is close to insolvency after receiving only $2.4 million of the $68.3 million it was asking for in the recent 2021 federal budget. “The budget itself had some important investments, but for Indigenous tourism, what the budget didn’t have was a clear and properly funded Indigenous-led tourism strategy,” said Keith Henry, president and CEO of ITAC.
The Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada is close to insolvency and the industry is at risk of collapse
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While the 2021 federal budget includes historic recovery investments for national tourism and Indigenous communities, Indigenous tourism has been completely neglected in both categories
COAST SALISH TERRITORY, VANCOUVER, BC, April 27, 2021 /CNW/ -
Budget 2021: A Recovery Plan for Jobs, Growth, and Resilience, released last week, suggests that there has been federal investments allocated for rebuilding and recovering the tourism industry as well as for Indigenous communities, yet it remains unclear how the Indigenous tourism sector is specifically being supported, during a critical time for its survival.
Posted: Apr 24, 2021 5:00 AM CT | Last Updated: April 24
Member of parliament for the NWT Michael McLeod said there is a lot of funding available for housing this year and the territory is going to be very busy on constructing housing and renovating housing … before this construction season’s over. (Hilary Bird/CBC)
Ministers and government officials met with Indigenous governments, small businesses and tourism industry representatives Friday about the 2021 federal budget.
This was an opportunity for participants to provide their thoughts and input on the proposed investments for the N.W.T.
MP Michael McLeod said for the most part we heard that people were quite satisfied with the support that was provided overall to people in the North, to organizations in the North and to businesses to try to keep the economy from crashing and controlling the virus here in the North.
From: Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada
The Minister of Northern Affairs met with Indigenous and territorial partners, and representatives from the small business and tourism industry in the Northwest Territories to discuss investments from Budget 2021: A Recovery Plan for Jobs, Growth, and Resilience.
Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada
Budget 2021 is the Government of Canada’s plan to finish the fight against COVID-19 and ensure a robust economic recovery that is inclusive of all Canadians.
Today, Minister of Northern Affairs, the Honourable Daniel Vandal, met with Indigenous and territorial partners, and representatives from the small business and tourism industry in the Northwest Territories to discuss investments from Budget 2021: A Recovery Plan for Jobs, Growth, and Resilience.