Ontario invests nearly $50 million to help festival and event organizers deliver innovative and safe experiences allowing people to reconnect with their communities safely. This one-time funding increase more than doubles the annual funding for the festival and event sector. It ensures the long-term success of the festival and event sector.
Locally, Kerr Village BIA receives $55,100 for the 27th Annual Kerr Village Christmas Tree Lighting & Holiday Market and Visit Oakville receives $63,0000 for A Taste of Oakville.
"This pandemic has been hard on our town. However, community events continued and brought us closer during these unprecedented times. I am pleased that two annual events received recognition through funding," said local MPP Stephen Crawford
Lisa MacLeod, Minister of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries, joined by Michael Thompson, Chair of the Economic and Community Development Committee, City of Toronto, provided details about the announcement today at the Grand Bizarre in Toronto.
The government is providing $43 million to support 439 festivals and events through the Reconnect Festival and Event Program, representing a record number of supported events in the program’s 14-year history.
The province developed the Reconnect program (known as Celebrate Ontario before the COVID-19 pandemic) to help festival and event organizers adapt to new public health measures with virtual, drive-through and other safe offerings. This "ensures support is directed to community-based events with safe, innovative experiences while creating opportunities that encourage Ontarians to reconnect with the beauty and diversity of their community in new ways."
This investment also includes $6 million to Celebrate Ontario Blockbuster events. The Celebrate Ontario Blockbuster program supports municipalities and organizations in Ontario to host large-scale, high-impact signature events that draw significant tourist attendance and increase tourist spending, increase Ontario’s profile through media and broadcast exposure and provide significant economic impact and legacy development for the province.
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, every $1 of provincial funding invested through Celebrate Ontario (the model for the Reconnect program) resulted in almost $21 of visitor spending.
The impact of 2021/22 Celebrate Ontario Blockbuster and Reconnect Festival and Event Program investment is estimated to generate over $1 billion in economic benefit across the province.