General News

Regional tourism gets a boost from provincial funding

May 29, 2025   ·   0 Comments

By Brian Lockhart

Several festivals and events in the region are getting support from the province through funding to help support local tourism.

A total of $150,000 will go to six events.

The funding is part of nearly $20 million the province is giving to festivals and events across Ontario to help organizers expand programming, draw visitors to their area, and encourage longer stays in local accommodations. The funding is also meant to encourage people to eat at local restaurants, shop at local retailers, and support main street businesses.

Events that are receiving funding include:

· Blue Mountain Film & Media Festival – $55,000.

· Collingwood Music Festival 2025: Timeless Journeys – $20,000

· Collingwood Fashion Week – $20,000

· Creemore Festival of the Arts – $20,000

· Collingwood Pride – $20,000

· 2025 Stonebridge Wasaga Beach Blues – $20,00

“Festivals and events showcase the best of Ontario, its people and its culture, all while inviting people near and far to experience and enjoy our province. They help create local jobs, provide economic benefits and bring communities together,” said Stan Cho, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Gaming. “Now more than ever, it is important that we come together to take part in made-in-Ontario experiences that celebrate our collective identity and support local communities.”

In total, Experience Ontario 2025 is supporting more than 350 festivals and events across the province.

“In our riding the calendar is full of events. From cutting-edge film and fashion, to foot-stomping rhythm and blues, there is something for everyone to enjoy,” said Brian Saunderson, MPP for Simcoe-Grey. “Provincial funding to support these fantastic events in Clearview, Collingwood, The Blue Mountains and Wasaga Beach is not only an investment in culture, but also an investment in the local economy as families from across Ontario make the trip to the South Georgian Bay region to stay, play and make plans to return.”

Tourism plays a big role in the Ontario economy. In 2023, visitors to Ontario spent $33 billion and supported more than 325,000 jobs.

Readers Comments (0)