The B.C. government is providing nearly $238,000 to the Northern BC Tourism Association to support a program aimed at helping local tourism operators develop new visitor experiences across the region.
The funding, announced through the province’s Rural Economic Diversification and Infrastructure Program, will support the association’s Beyond the Horizon Experience Development Program, which is intended to help attract more visitors to northern B.C. and create new job opportunities for local businesses.
Brenda Bailey, minister of jobs and economic growth, said northern B.C.’s people, communities and landscapes make the region a distinctive place to live and visit.
Bailey said the investment falls under the province’s Look West strategy, which she described as supporting community growth and strengthening local businesses across the province.
Clint Fraser, chief executive officer of the Northern BC Tourism Association, said the program is meant to give tourism operators practical tools to turn ideas into fully developed visitor offerings.
Fraser said the program is focused on supporting authentic, locally rooted experiences across northwestern B.C., with the goal of helping businesses improve their readiness for visitors while giving travellers new reasons to explore the region and stay longer.
Part of a Broader Tourism Strategy
The investment is described by the province as part of its broader Look West: Tourism Sector Action Plan, which supports year-round tourism activity and aims to create new jobs and business opportunities in communities throughout British Columbia.
Tourism remains a significant contributor to B.C.’s economy. Provincial figures show the sector generates more than $22 billion in annual revenue and contributes nearly $10 billion to the province’s GDP, supporting close to 17,000 businesses and more than 126,000 jobs across the province.
The Beyond the Horizon funding adds to a broader pattern of federal and provincial investment in northern B.C.’s economy in recent months, including a separate federal commitment of more than $11 million aimed at helping northern businesses navigate trade pressures, strengthen supply chains and expand skills training, particularly in rural, remote and Indigenous communities.
No specific timeline for the rollout of Beyond the Horizon program initiatives, nor a list of participating operators, was included in the province’s announcement.
