As crisp fall days are upon us, Whistler is still attracting thousands of visitors thanks to a range of events and improvements to the resort which have been completed recently and will be finished over the next few months.

Through the Province’s Resort Municipality Initiative (RMI) program, Whistler received $6,610,547 in support for 2016-17. The funding is going toward a wide range of projects and events including:

• Whistler Village signage
• BMX track
• Train Wreck Bridge
• Mon’s Valley Trail Underpass
• Whistler Writers Festival, Oct. 13-16
• Whistler 50 Relay and Ultra Marathon, Oct. 15
• Cornucopia Food and Drink Festival, Nov. 10-20
• Whistler Film Festival, Nov. 30-Dec. 4

These projects and events build on the success of recent RMI activities in Whistler which include:

• Whistler Presents Summer Concert Series, Sept. 2,3 and 10
• RBC GranFondo Whistler, Sept. 10
• Whistler Village Beer Festival, Sept. 16-18
• Mudderella Whistler, Sept. 24

The $10.5 million a year RMI program helps resort-oriented municipalities develop and enhance tourism infrastructure and amenities. RMI communities include Whistler, Fernie, Kimberley, Golden, Harrison Hot Springs, Invermere, Osoyoos, Radium Hot Springs, Revelstoke, Rossland, Sun Peaks, Tofino, Ucluelet and Valemount.

Since the RMI’s inception in 2006, over $108.6 million has been invested in tourism infrastructure and programs to support local and regional tourism economies in the 14 participating communities.

Quotes:

Jordan Sturdy, MLA for West Vancouver-Sea to Sky  –

“It has been a spectacular summer as far as tourism goes for Whistler. As fall is now in full swing, it’s great to know tourists are still keeping this part of B.C. in their travel plans. Resort Municipality Initiative funding provided by the Province is going toward a varied list of events and projects that are adding to the appeal of Whistler, helping to make it a year-round destination.”

Nancy Wilhelm-Morden, mayor of Whistler –

“Whistler is grateful for the Province of British Columbia’s RMI contributions for the last decade, which have allowed the Resort Municipality of Whistler to successfully invest in a variety of projects and programs to help increase annual provincial GDP contributions to $1.53 billion and achieve visitation of 2.7 million people per year. Investments in parks, trails, arts and culture programming, and festivals and events enhance the experience of visitors to the resort community and help to drive year-round tourism.”

Quick Facts:

• In 2015, 4.9 million international visitors came to British Columbia – an 8% increase compared to 2014.
• 3,200,503 visitors came to B.C. from January to July, a 12.5% increase over the same period last year.
• Tourism provides a job for roughly one out of every 15 people employed in British Columbia.
• RMI is a key part of supporting the province’s tourism strategy – Gaining the Edge and the BC Jobs Plan.

Learn More:

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

Resort Municipality of Whistler: https://www.whistler.ca/business/grants-funding/resort-municipality-initiative

BC Jobs Plan: http://www.bcjobsplan.ca/