Six Northwest Territories communities will share $1.5 million in federal funding for tourism projects.
Hay River will see an injection of $76,000 into its destination marketing strategy.
In a news release accompanying the announcement on Friday, Mayor Kandis Jameson said the town has seen substantial growth in tourism and she expects further increases to have a “profound effect” on the town’s economy.
Judy Goucher, Hay River’s senior administrative officer, called the funding “another great thing for this community.” The town also recently received $11.2 million in federal infrastructure funding.
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“We’re trying to develop our tourism industry. I know Yellowknife is bulging at the seams in terms of its tourism,” Goucher told Cabin Radio, “and the North as a whole has lots to offer when it comes to tourists visiting.”
Goucher said the federal tourism cash would help “stretch” the Town of Hay River’s own tourism budget. “Anything that’s good for Hay River as it relates to tourism is good for the South Slave as a whole.”
In the Beaufort Delta, the Town of Inuvik is getting $475,000 for the redevelopment of Chief Jim Koe Park.
Fort McPherson’s campground will also see some changes with $300,000 for development work.
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In the Sahtu, $390,800 is going to Ne’rahten Developments Limited for a hotel project in Fort Good Hope. Tulita is developing biomass-heated chalets for which the local tourism organization will receive $280,000 in federal funding.
The Pehdzeh Ki First Nation in Wrigley will get $10,000 for a project involving the community’s Visitor Information Centre.
Correction: August 16, 2019 – 16:00 MT. This article, quoting a federal government news release, initially stated that money in Inuvik would go toward a “Joe Koe Tourism Project.” It transpires the federal government meant to say the money was for Chief Jim Koe Park’s redevelopment, according to the Mayor of Inuvik, who provided this correction.
