No Tourism grants for Barkerville

Adding to that, the Opposition says Barkerville has been snubbed by the government for not being one of 83 tourism operators to get COVID-relief funding from the government under what’s called the Major Anchor Attractions program, which provides up to a million dollars for tourism operators to rebound from COVID.

“The Anchor Attraction Program, they divide the funding into two streams. The one that is 250 will get the maximum of $500,000. Only those in the Lower Mainland will get a maximum of $1 million,” explains Tourism Critic Teresa Wat. “And Barkerville, with the Anchor would get $500,000. Not even enough to cover their budget shortfall of $670,000. And now they don’t get one cent.”

The Province argues that Barkerville does not fall under the purview of the Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport ministry. Rather it falls under Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations, or FLINRO. Ergo it is not eligible for tourism grants.

“We cannot accept the fact that, because it’s under FLINRO, that Minister [Melanie] Marks cannot talk to the Forests Minister. We are asking to facilitate a meeting.”

Barkerville is actually owned by the Province and is operated by the Barkerville Heritage Trust.

by Cheryl Jahn

No Tourism grants for Barkerville

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