The federal government is investing in Nova Scotia’s tourism industry.

At a gathering at the Nova Scotia Museum of Natural History, Ginette Petitpas Taylor, Minister of Official Languages and Minister responsible for ACOA, announced over $6.3 million in Tourism Relief Fund (TRF) support to 53 tourism businesses across the province.

Halifax MP Andy Filmore said that tourism was the industry hardest hit by the pandemic but that this funding would help bring Nova scotia back to its record-breaking numbers of the pre-pandemic days.

“This kind of attention from the federal government… to make sure that the tourism operators are able to keep their employees employed,” said Filmore.  “People need bicycles, they need boats, they need buildings to serve food, so this funding is helping with all of that. This really is bringing the tourism industry back in Nova Scotia. We’re hoping for a record year in 2023 and to pick up where we left off.”

During the announcement, Tourism Industry Association of Nova scotia President Darlene Grant Fiander, said the industry lost more than $3 billion of revenue and over 30,000 jobs because of the pandemic. She credited the TRF with making sure hundreds more weren’t lost.

She says that today’s announcement shows that tourism is nearing the light at the end of the tunnel and reaffirms the government’ optimism in Nova Scotia’s industry.

“In spite of what happened over the last couple of years, people are investing. What you heard today is support for a number of projects… I think it just reinforces the sense of resiliency that people in tourism have, and that there’s a belief that it’s going to be better days ahead,” said Grant Fiander.

One of the projects receiving funding is a new permanent exhibit at the museum. The exhibit will highlight the culture and history of the Mi’kmaq People in Nova Scotia. Filmore says that Mi’kmaw culture is going to become a bigger part of the tourism landscape going forward. This summer, the province is hosting the North American Indigenous Games. With over 5000 competitors, it will be the largest sporting event the Maritimes have ever seen.

“We’re going to have hundreds of thousands of visitors from around the world, and Mi’kmaw culture will be front and center,” said Filmore.