Celtfest getting help from the province

Nipissing MPP Monique Smith
News Release

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Ontario is helping enhance and improve Summer in the Park 2009 and this year’s Celtfest in order to attract more visitors to Nipissing.

The province is investing $37,500 to support the enhancement of Summer in the Park 2009 and $28,004 to support Celtfest, which will help to boost the local economy by attracting new audiences and generating more economic activity in the community.

This is part of the Celebrate Ontario 2009 program, which is providing $11 million to 224 festivals and events across Ontario – an increase of 150 per cent over last year.

Celebrate Ontario 2009 was originally announced as a $9 million program. However, in recognition of the significant impact that these community events have on local economies, the government has decided to invest an additional $2 million in this year’s program to help make this impact felt in more communities across the province.

“The Summer in the Park and Celtfest celebrations are important to our area,” said Monique Smith, MPP for Nipissing. “I’m pleased that our government is able to help these events grow and expand so that our community can increase its competitive advantage in the tourism market and strengthen its economy.”

“This is a great program that the province has. It is fabulous news for North Bay,” said Derek Shogren, Chair of Summer in the Park 2009. “The committee has worked very hard the last couple of years, and this funding will ensure its success this year. We appreciate everything that the province and MPP Smith have done to help this festival to be a great event.”

“On behalf of the Celtfest committee, we are thrilled to hear we have received the Celebrate Ontario 2009 funding,” said Colleen Porter, Chair for Celtfest. ”We are very grateful to MPP Smith for her support of Celtfest since its beginning. We are looking forward to continuing to grow in our new home in North Bay, as this is the only Celtic festival of its kind in the north.”

QUICK FACTS

 300,000 people in Ontario are directly or indirectly employed by the tourism industry

 In 2007, tourists spent over $22 billion in Ontario

 Since 2007, Ontario has invested a total of $25 million for festivals and events through Celebrate Ontario.

 Last year, 90 festivals and events were funded through Celebrate Ontario 2008.

 In the 2008 Ontario Budget, the McGuinty government committed to stable and ongoing funding of the Celebrate Ontario program.

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