Scenery, snow and speed. A few reasons why visitors from throughout Western Canada are attracted to Valemount’s Winter Festival, taking place Saturday.

Visitors and locals are eager to get their helmets on and sleds revved up for the festival’s snowmobile drag races. While racers compete for prizes, spectators take in the exciting full day of winter fun.

Resort Municipality Initiative (RMI) funding from the provincial government worth $6,464 helped to make this year’s festival possible. In addition to the snowmobile races, a freestyle and avalanche safety event is also being held.

RMI is a $10.5-million-a-year program that addresses the unique circumstances of resort-oriented municipalities to develop and enhance local tourism-related infrastructure and amenities. The communities eligible for the RMI initiative are Fernie, Golden, Harrison Hot Springs, Invermere, Kimberley, Osoyoos, Radium Hot Springs, Revelstoke, Rossland, Sun Peaks, Tofino, Ucluelet, Valemount and Whistler.

B.C.’s tourism sector is one of the eight key sectors identified in the BC Jobs Plan, creating more than 132,300 jobs and over $13.9 billion in revenues across the province in 2013. Since RMI’s inception in 2007, more than $87.6 million has been invested in tourism infrastructure and programs to support local and regional tourism economies in the 14 participating communities.

Quotes:

Shirley Bond, Minister of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training and Minister Responsible for Labour, and MLA for Prince George-Valemount -

“Valemount is one of British Columbia’s most beautiful tourism spots. It particularly shines during the winter season. Resort Municipality Initiative funding for the Valemount Winter Festival helps to encourage tourism as visitors come to the area  to celebrate snowmobiling. As MLA for Prince George-Valemount, I am pleased to see the Village of Valemount grow as a tourism destination. Thank you to the organizers and volunteers for their hard work on the winter festival event.”

Naomi Yamamoto, Minister of State, Tourism and Small Business -

 “It’s exciting to see how communities are using RMI funds to create unique opportunities to draw visitors to all of the regions in B.C. Capitalizing on snowmobiling and winter activities is a fun idea. I’m looking forward to the visitor activities Valemount has in store for the spring and summer seasons.”

Jeannette Townsend, mayor, Village of

“Through the RMI funding support and the great work of several volunteers, the Valemount Winter Festivals helps to strengthen Valemount’s position as one of the best snowmobiling destinations in North America.”

Quick Facts:

• Since 2006, through RMI, more than $87.6 million has been invested in tourism infrastructure and programs to support local and regional tourism economies.
• Tourism is one of the largest industries in the province, with more than 19,250 businesses and accounting for $7.3 billion (4%) of B.C.’s overall GDP in 2013.
• Since 2003, tourism revenue in B.C. increased by 44.3%.
• B.C. continues to grow its tourism sector throughout the province using the 'Gaining the year overarching plan for increasing tourism revenues, businesses and jobs through partnership and co-ordination with industry and communities, focused marketing, creation of world-class visitor experiences, and actions to enhance tourism industry competitiveness and sustainability.
• It focuses on developing key tourism products such as touring vacations, city experiences, skiing and snowboarding, Aboriginal tourism, conventions and meetings, as well as outdoor adventure/eco-tourism.
• Total tourism wages and salaries were $4.5 billion in 2013, an increase of 3.8% since 2012.

Learn More:

To learn more about the RMI program, please visit:
http://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/topic.page?id=30A40BDA6D8346798E15C6050063F719

Valemount Winter Festival:
http://www.hellobc.com/valemount/things-to-do/festivals-events/all-events.aspx

BC Jobs Plan:  http://engage.gov.bc.ca/bcjobsplan/

Media Contacts:

Media Relations
Government Communications and Public Engagement
Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training and Responsible for Labour
250 387-2799