August 10, 2017
Festivals and Major Events (FAME) is inviting the Government of Canada to increase Canadian productivity and competitiveness through the festivals and major events industry, by investing a part of the allocations for the 150th anniversary celebrations. This is the crux of the written submission FAME presented to the Standing Committee on Finance, in the context of its prebudget consultation – the deadline for which was August 4th, 2017.
According to FAME, a $45 M investment will bring in 112.5 M $ in tax revenue for the Government of Canada from the first year.
“In 2011, the Government of Canada concluded, in its evaluation of the Marquee Tourism Events Program (2009–2011), that ‘the Program responded to the need for an immediate economic stimulus to the tourism sector’ and ‘created positive benefits for recipients’”, said Martin Roy, Executive Director of FAME. “This positive evaluation speaks to the potential impacts that this type of program could have in today’s context—where the international tourism market is growing like never before. Canada can, and must, seize the opportunity to compete in this lucrative market by increasing support for it festivals and major events sector”, he added.
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