Edmonton's K-Days to get $10M from federal government
The federal government is providing $17.5 million for tourism projects in the province, including $10 million for Edmonton's K-Days fair.
Minister of Tourism and Edmonton-Centre MP Randy Boissonault made the announcement at a press conference in Edmonton Tuesday.
"To ensure K-Days remains a key part of what makes Edmonton special and continues to drive this city's economy forward well into the future," said Boissonault.
The funding for K-Days comes from the Major Festivals and Events Support Initiative and the Tourism Relief Fund administered by PrairiesCan (Prairies Economic Development Canada), a department that diversifies the economy across the Canadian prairies.
The money will go toward site improvements, operational costs and turning Klondike Park into a year-round destination. It will also include expanding programming to be more inclusive to Indigenous peoples, new Canadians, Francophones and LGBTQ2S+ communities.
"We are examining everything at the fair, and over the next few years, you will see the fair evolve to better align to our community needs," said Arlindo Gomes, from Explore Edmonton.
In addition to the $10 million for K-Days, $7.5 million is going to 29 tourism projects to help attract more visitors to Alberta. That funding comes from the Tourism Relief Fund and the Regional Relief and Recovery Fund.
"These investments will help tourism operators in Alberta launch new experiences and develop long term strategic plans that will help grow the visitor economy," said Boissonault.
Included in the dollar amount is $1.8 million for Indigneous Tourism Alberta to help operators develop authentic Indigenous cultural experiences in the province.
"Indigenous tourism offers amazing opportunities for travellers to connect with Indigenous peoples at a time when reconciliation is at the top of Canadians' minds," said Shae Bird, CEO of Indigenous Tourism Alberta.
"This investment will help Indigenous Tourism Alberta continue to support the rapid growth of the sector into a major component of Alberta's visitor economy, and support hundreds of Indigenous entrepreneurs reach their business and social goals."
Other funding includes $600,000 to the Francophone Economic Development Agency of Alberta for 20 bilingual tourism routes.
The Downtown Business Association will receive $300,000 for a pop-up Spark event to promote the downtown core of Edmonton.
The federal funding comes as tourism is picking up in Alberta, part of it is needed to help attract staff back to the industry.
"It could be up to 10 years to totally rebuild our tourism labour force. No sector was more decimated than tourism as a result of COVID-19," said Darren Reeder from the Tourism Association of Alberta.
The investment is expected to help create or maintain over 4,000 tourism jobs in Alberta and attract more than 2.1 million domestic and international visitors.
K-Days is now hiring, and organizers believe showcasing Edmonton businesses at the festival will help expedite economic recovery.
"By creating more opportunities for local businesses, local artists and performers, and create fundraising opportunities for community non-profits," said Gomes.
K-Days runs from July 22-31, the first time the fair has happened in three years.
With files from CTV News Edmonton's Jeremy Thompson.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Israel gave U.S. last-minute warning about drone attack on Iran, Italian foreign minister says at G7
The United States told the Group of Seven foreign ministers on Friday that it received 'last minute' information from Israel about a drone action in Iran, but didn't participate in the apparent attack, officials said.
NEW After hearing thousands of last words, this hospital chaplain has advice for the living
Hospital chaplain J.S. Park opens up about death, grief and hearing thousands of last words, and shares his advice for the living.
'It was all my savings': Ontario woman loses $15K to fake Walmart job scam
A woman who recently moved to Canada from India was searching for a job when she got caught in an online job scam and lost $15,000.
Families to receive Canada Child Benefit payment on Friday
More money will land in the pockets of some Canadian families on Friday for the latest Canada Child Benefit installment.
After COVID, WHO defines disease spread 'through air'
The World Health Organization and around 500 experts have agreed for the first time on what it means for a disease to spread through the air, in a bid to avoid the confusion early in the COVID-19 pandemic that some scientists have said cost lives.
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer denied bail after being charged with killing Canadian couple
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer, one of two men charged in the killings of a Canadian couple in Dominica, has been denied bail.
DEVELOPING G7 warns of new sanctions against Iran as world reacts to apparent Israeli drone attack
Group of Seven foreign ministers warned of new sanctions against Iran on Friday for its drone and missile attack on Israel, and urged both sides to avoid an escalation of the conflict.
BREAKING Iran fires at apparent Israeli attack drones near Isfahan air base and nuclear site
An apparent Israeli drone attack on Iran saw troops fire air defences at a major air base and a nuclear site early Friday morning near the central city of Isfahan, an assault coming in retaliation for Tehran's unprecedented drone-and-missile assault on the country.
Ottawa to force banks to call carbon rebate a carbon rebate in direct deposits
Canadian banks that refuse to identify the carbon rebate by name when doing direct deposits are forcing the government to change the law to make them do it, says Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault.