ARMSTRONG – New Democrat MLA Harwinder Sandhu says new support from the BC New Democrat government will help local fairs, festivals and community events resume in the North Okanagan and Shuswap.

“Community events are such a big part of our region, delighting tourists and locals alike, and bringing us all together like nothing else can.” said MLA Sandhu. “They also provide incredibly important economic benefits. I’m excited to see all of these event organizers getting the support they need to keep our communities vibrant, and want to send a special thank you to the folks who run the IPE who worked so closely with our team and government to see these supports through.”

24 fairs, festivals, and events in the North Okanagan and Shuswap will benefit from nearly $1.2 million in recovery funding. Events and festivals like the Lumby Family Days Festival, Interior Pacific Exhibition, Salmon Arm ROOTS and BLUES Festival, the Greater Vernon 2022 BC Winter Games, and the SilverStar Bike Fest are all among the recipients in the region.

These fairs, festivals, and events are among the 680 events across the province supported by the BC New Democrat government’s investment. The government is providing nearly $30 million in one-time grants to eligible event organizers to support their efforts to resume safely. Grant amounts for each event are up to 20% of the total event budget, up to a maximum of $250,000.

Successful recipients demonstrated the economic and social benefits of their event, as well as strong local or regional support. Examples of eligible expenses include operational costs, health and safety measures, venue rental, marketing, wages and promotion.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, the New Democrat government has worked closely with B.C.’s tourism sector and provided $225 million in support to ensure businesses and non-profits can continue to draw visitors and benefit local communities for years to come.

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B.C. fairs, festivals and events benefit from recovery funding