B.C.s COVID-19 Response: Destination Development Grants [Video]

The COVID-19 pandemic devastated B.C. tourism, with nearly two-thirds of people in the industry losing their jobs in 2020. The B.C. government included tourism-related Destination Development grants in its broader strategy for economy recovery.

The Ministry of Tourism, Arts, and Culture and Sports launched the Community Economic Recovery Infrastructure Program – Destination Developments grants under a compressed timeline, raising the risk of grant applications being inconsistently assessed. The ministry approved 106 grants totalling $41.4 million between 2021 and 2022.

This audit looked at whether the ministry administered the grant program according to government transfer payment policy and program guidelines.

Discussed at PAC:This report was discussed by the Legislative Assembly’s Select Standing Committee on Public Accounts on October 16, 2023.