Beginning today, tourism businesses in Toronto, Mississauga and Brampton can apply for support through the Tourism Relief Fund (TRF) to expand and enhance visitor experiences.
Destination Toronto is administering the program in its capacity as Regional Tourism Organization 5 (RTO5), working in close partnership with the City of Toronto, Tourism Mississauga, and the City of Brampton Tourism Office, on behalf of FedDev Ontario.
Announced by the federal government in July 2021, the Tourism Relief Fund supports tourism businesses and organizations in adapting their operations to meet changing public health requirements, while investing in new products and services to attract visitors and drive growth in the region.
On April 6, the Honourable Helena Jaczek, Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario), announced an investment of $68.5 million for 11 Regional Tourism Organizations across southern Ontario and the Indigenous Tourism Ontario.
As part of this investment, Destination Toronto is receiving a non-repayable contribution of $10 million through the Tourism Relief Fund, delivered by FedDev Ontario. With this funding, RTO5 is providing eligible tourism businesses in Toronto, Mississauga, and Brampton with non-repayable contributions of up to $100,000 to help local tourism businesses recover from the impacts of the pandemic and invest in new products and services to attract visitors and drive growth in the region
“This support will ensure the tourism sector in this region has the tools to innovate and find new business opportunities as we safely welcome back tourists from within Canada and around the world,” officials said.
The application portal for the RTO5 Tourism Relief Fund is now open. Tourism businesses and organizations in Toronto, Mississauga, and Brampton can visit rto5.com to learn more about eligibility and the application process, scheduled webinars and business liaisons to help businesses navigate the process, and for the link to begin an application.
“This program supports businesses at a critical time as they work towards recovery in the near term, while also building for the future by enhancing and expanding experiences and making their businesses more accessible for more customers,” said Scott Beck, President & CEO of Destination Toronto.
