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VERNON – Revelstoke is the most recent community to sign
an agreement under the B.C. Resort Municipality Initiative with the Province,
allowing it to share a portion of provincial hotel room tax revenues to invest
in local resort-oriented projects and support a greener, healthier
environment, Community
Services Minister Ida Chong announced.
“This latest agreement, the ninth to date with the
Province, will give Revelstoke access to funding to further support several new
local tourism projects,” said Chong during a ceremony at the Southern Interior
Local Government Association (SILGA) annual convention. “In this way, we are
helping to create vibrant, sustainable resort-based communities across B.C.,
which in turn provide tourism, jobs and economic development opportunities for
all British Columbians.”
Under the
agreement, it is estimated that Revelstoke and area will receive $2.5 million over five years. The
funding is expected to result in a new conference centre, a tourism information
centre and improved landscaping on the Trans-Canada Highway, enhancements to
the city’s museum, a marina/boat launch plan, public art projects, an outdoor
performance space, multi-use trails including snowmobile trail development, and
a bus to service the resort.
As a result of these investments, Revelstoke expects to see a
significant increase in skier visits to Revelstoke Mountain Resort, a 20
per cent increase in annual hotel occupancy rates, a 10 per cent increase in
local employment and a 20 per cent in increase retail sales over the five-year
period.
“Revelstoke is seen as vibrant, healthy, clean,
hospitable, resilient and forward-thinking city,” said Revelstoke Mayor Mark McKee. “This
funding will not only help us achieve our vision of a creating a sustainable community, it will also
help us showcase Revelstoke’s natural beauty to tourists from all parts
of the globe giving us confidence
that we can meet the Premier’s goal of doubling tourism in this province.”
Under the program, an eligible community receives a share of the
provincial hotel room tax, an amount based on a formula that takes into account
the level of tourist accommodation in the community, relative to other B.C.
communities. To be eligible, municipalities must have tourism based economies
or be incorporated as a “mountain resort municipality” under the Local
Government Act.
Communities must be prepared to put in place an additional two per cent
hotel room tax, prepare a resort development strategy that reflects the input
of stakeholders and enter into a five-year results-based tourism development
agreement that sets out what will be achieved through sharing of the hotel tax.
To date, Whistler, Golden, Rossland, Harrison Hot Springs, Radium Hot
Springs, Kimberley, Osoyoos and Valemount have reached similar agreements with
the Province; four other municipalities are currently eligible to enter into
agreements: Fernie, Invermere, Ucluelet and Tofino. The Resort Municipality Revenue
Initiative is part of the Province’s ongoing commitment to meeting the goal of
doubling B.C. tourism by 2015.
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contact: |
Ministry of Community Services 250 387-4089 |
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For more information on government services or to subscribe to the Province’s news feeds using RSS, visit the Province’s website at www.gov.bc.ca. |
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