Other Funding Sources

There are a number of funding sources that tourism industry stakeholders (businesses, regions, communities, and sectors) may consider when developing and marketing their tourism products.

BC Rural Dividend

The BC Rural Dividend provides $25 million a year to assist rural communities with a population of 25,000 or less, to reinvigorate and diversify their local economies.

BC Arts Council

The BC Arts Council serves as the BC government’s primary funding and development agency for the arts, allocating $24 million each year through an independent peer review process. The Council approves almost 1,500 grants annually, to applicants from more than 200 communities throughout the province.

Bike BC

BikeBC is a cost-sharing cycling infrastructure funding program designed to encourage healthy living and help address climate change. With an allocated $109 million, up to 75% of eligible costs will be covered for infrastructure projects that form a part of a community’s adopted cycling network plan.

Columbia Basin Trust’s Community Development Program

The Community Development Program is set up to address community priorities. The program is open to incorporated non-profit organizations, First Nations, or local governments and accepts applications year-round.

Community Futures British Columbia

Community Futures offers business loans of up to $150,000 to entrepreneurs through 34 offices across the province.

Community Gaming Grants

Community Gaming Grants support the delivery of community organization programs that benefit British Columbians. Non-profit organizations providing programs or services of direct benefit to the broader community are eligible to apply: local organizations, up to $100,000 per year; regional organizations, up to $225,000 per year; and province-wide organizations, up to $250,000 per year.

First Citizen Fund

Business loans are available to Indigenous entrepreneurs in BC, delivered in partnership with four Indigenous Capital Corporations located throughout the province.

Island Coastal Economic Trust

The Island Coastal Economic Trust invests its funds primarily through two grant programs: the Economic Infrastructure Program and the Economic Development Readiness Program. Eligible applicants include local governments, non-profits, and First Nations.

Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada

The Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada Product Development Fund supports Indigenous tourism businesses to reach a market-ready state and develop sustainable growth for economic success.

Indigenous Tourism British Columbia

Indigenous Tourism BC’s Push for Market Readiness Program provides funding opportunities to Indigenous tourism operators who are members of the association.

Southern Interior Development Initiatives Trust

The Southern Interior Development Initiatives Trust’s grant program provides funding for municipalities, regional districts, First Nations, registered non-profit societies, institutions, and industry associations to support regionally strategic investments in economic development projects that benefit the Southern Interior.

Nechako-Kitamaat Development Fund Society

The Nechako-Kitamaat Development Fund Society assists the people of the Nechako region by investing in sustainable economic and community stability projects in the area most affected by the Kemano project and the creation of the Nechako Reservoir.

Northern Development Initiative Trust and the Connecting British Columbia Program

Northern Development offers a range of funding programs suited to a diverse set of economic development priorities in central and northern British Columbia. The connecting British Columbia program helps pay for infrastructure required to deliver high-speed Internet connectivity to rural and remote areas of the province.

Resort Municipalities Initiative

The Resort Municipality Initiative is managed by the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture and is intended to assist small, tourism-based municipalities to increase visitation, resort amenities, private investment, and employment.

Business Development Bank of Canada

The Small Business Loan program provides loans of up to $50,000. The entire process is 100% online and is intended to help smaller firms address short-term financing needs. 

For more funding options, see the province’s economic development funding and grants tool.