In a move that will sure to reduce tourism efforts in Canada’s largest city, the Ford government will eliminate tourism funding to both Toronto and Ottawa.
Tourism Toronto said they found out in a phone call that their $9.5 million from the provincial government will be yanked out from under them, slashing their budget by about 25 per cent.
“This will have real implications and we’re evaluating now what markets we can no longer promote Toronto in, which major conventions and events we can no longer bring to the city,” Tourism Toronto executive vice-president Andrew Weir said to The Canadian Press.
Slashes in tourism funding means losses in revenue generated. Last year, the city of Toronto saw 44 million visitors.
Ottawa will also see impacts of about 15 per cent, equivalent to approximately $3.4 million in funding from the province.
The minister of tourism, culture, and sport said a new plan will be rolled out in the coming months to “take action to boost Ontario’s tourism sector.”
This cut is among others to the public health, library, education, and childcare sectors.
