Government recognizes the importance of the tourism and hospitality sector in Budget 2023 with critical investments

March 28 2022 (OTTAWA) – The Hotel Association of Canada (HAC) is pleased with the commitments made in Budget 2023 to support the growth of Canada’s tourism sector.

This includes $50m in additional funding for Destination Canada to support business events and a $108m investment in a regional development tourism product fund, among other measures.

“In a lean budget focused on affordability, we are delighted to see these investments,” said Susie Grynol President & CEO of HAC. “Today’s commitments reflect our industry’s tireless work and we are grateful to the government and Minister Boissonnault for his leadership in supporting employment and economic growth in our sector.”

HAC views these investments as foundational to a transformational Tourism Growth Strategy that the government will release later this spring.

As the labour shortage continues to hamper growth, HAC was also delighted with yesterday’s announcement extending the industry’s prioritized access to the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (30% cap for hotels) and the inclusion of lower-skilled tourism and hospitality workers in the Economic Mobility Pathways Program pilot. HAC will continue to build on this progress to ensure that labour is a central pillar in the Tourism Growth Strategy.

Throughout COVID the federal government made targeted investments that kept the hotel sector alive. With Budget 2023, the government is now helping us to rebuild and grow.

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The Hotel Association of Canada is the leading voice of the Canadian hotel and lodging industry. For over 100 years, it has worked to enhance the prosperity of the industry through strong member engagement, effective advocacy, and the provision of value-added programs and services. The Hotel Association represents more than 8,200 hotels, motels and resorts that encompass the $20.8 billion Canadian hotel industry which employs over 300,000 people across Canada. For more information, please visit www.hotelassociation.ca.

Media Inquiries:

Leigh-Ann Redmond

Director, Communications

Phone:  613 263 0786