Government of Canada supports Calgary Stampede

May 09, 2010

Calgary, Alberta — On behalf of the Honourable Tony Clement, Minister of Industry, Lee Richardson, Member of Parliament for Calgary Centre, today celebrated the Government of Canada’s investment of $1,001,625 to support the Calgary Stampede as part of the Marquee Tourism Events Program (MTEP).

“This investment greatly benefits our city and the many businesses that provide services to event attendees,” said Lee Richardson. “Through MTEP, the Calgary Stampede can continue to showcase Calgary as a destination for visitors from around the world who want to take in the spectacle we all know as The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth.”

“We are grateful to the Minister and the Government of Canada for this significant infusion of funding to support our community festival,” says Vern Kimball, chief executive officer, Calgary Stampede. “It’s great news for the Stampede, for the city of Calgary and the entire Alberta tourism industry.”

This funding will be used by the Calgary Stampede for special programming and marketing initiatives for this year’s event, July 9-18.

The Calgary Stampede is a volunteer-supported, not-for-profit community organization. Although it hosts hundreds of community events and activities all year long on Stampede Park, the organization is best known for The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth. The annual festival is one of
Canada’s most recognized tourism icons, attracting visitors from around the world and generating an economic impact of more than $100 million.

MTEP is a temporary two-year program under Canada’s Economic Action Plan. The Program supports tourism events in all parts of the country with the goal of providing a much-needed boost to the Canadian tourism industry – an industry that faced several challenges at the beginning of the global recession.

Now in its final year, MTEP will provide up to $39 million in federal investments to festivals and events to stimulate the economy and help promote Canada as a global destination of choice.

Canada’s Economic Action Plan sets out to stimulate the Canadian economy through numerous programs that support local economies. The Government of Canada is committed to tourism, a $71.5-billion industry that included 650 000 jobs in 2009. It helps communities and regions thrive from coast to coast, hosting national and international travellers to all parts of the country.