Tourism Sprint Program

• Two letters of support

• The applicant must be a Canada-based, incorporated or legislated entity (including band councils as defined under the Indian Act) that has existed for at least 1 year as of the application deadline.
• The applicant must be an eligible organization type: local/regional/municipal (including provincial/territorial) government; Indigenous community or organization; incorporated not-for-profit with a clear tourism mandate; or for-profit tourism business/organization.
• The applicant must have consulted with Destination Canada in advance (via an Expression of Interest process) to confirm that the project and expenses are eligible.
• The applicant must have a Canadian bank account, at a Canadian financial institution conducting business in Canada, in the legal name of the applying organization.
• The project must occur in Canada, align with an existing strategic plan/master plan/feasibility study (or similar plan), and be substantially complete within 1 year of project approval.

Who is eligible?

• Local, regional, and municipal governments (including provincial and territorial governments) involved in tourism initiatives
• Indigenous communities and organizations (First Nations, Inuit, and Métis governments, communities, and tourism-focused organizations)
• Incorporated not-for-profit organizations with a tourism mandate
• For-profit tourism businesses and organizations (e.g., accommodations, attractions, tour operators)

Who is not eligible

• Organizations that are not Canada-based incorporated or legislated entities that have existed for at least 1 year as of the application deadline.
• Organizations without a Canadian bank account in the legal name of the applicant at a Canadian financial institution conducting business in Canada.
• Organizations in default of the terms and conditions of any grant or loan agreement with any ministry or agency of the Government of Canada or provincial/territorial governments.
• Organizations located and operating in Quebec that are subject to Quebec’s Act respecting the Ministère du Conseil exécutif (M-30) and do not obtain the required authorization before signing an agreement with the Government of Canada.

Eligible expenses

• Consulting fees and project management services directly tied to the project (e.g., financial, environmental, market research).
• Professional services directly related to the project (e.g., architects, designers, sustainability experts).
• Other reasonable costs directly attributable to the project, provided they are approved in writing by Destination Canada.

Ineligible Costs and Activities

• Capital costs (e.g., materials, motorized vehicles, land acquisition, equipment purchases)
• Organization operating costs (e.g., administration, permanent or full-time contract staff salaries, ongoing maintenance; rent, utilities, phone/communications, card processing, memberships, printing/subscriptions)
• Travel, hospitality, or incidental expenses for staff or volunteers
• Marketing costs (e.g., paid advertising, promotion, branding, websites, mobile applications), plus festival/event programming, operations, and marketing costs
• Other excluded costs: general legal/audit/interest fees; insurance/buyouts/restructuring; refundable GST/HST; grant-writing fees; food, alcohol, or cannabis

Eligible geographic areas

• Canada (projects must occur in Canada; applicants must be Canada-based entities).

• Innovation in tourism products & experiences (score range: 1–5; weight: 10%)
• Private sector investment leverage (score range: 1–5; weight: 15%)
• Seasonality diversification (score range: 1–5; weight: 10%)
• Economic & employment impact (score range: 1–5; weight: 10%)
• Alignment with Destination Canada strategies & initiatives (score range: 1–5; weight: 10%)

• Destination Canada reviews your submission against the program’s objectives, priorities, assessment criteria, and available funding (funding is discretionary and not guaranteed).
• If shortlisted, Destination Canada’s Destination Development team contacts you with next steps and guidance.
• Destination Canada makes the funding decision (including the option to fund all, part, or none of a request).
• If approved, you must sign a Partnering Agreement with Destination Canada before funding is provided.
• Funded projects must submit a mid-term progress report and a final report; additional reports may be requested for audit or evaluation purposes.

• The Tourism Sprint Program is a discretionary, non-entitlement program, and funding decisions depend on program fit and the availability of funds.
• Destination Canada notes it may provide additional funding to projects deemed nationally significant.
• Applicants located and operating in Quebec may need to ensure compliance with Quebec’s Act respecting the Ministère du Conseil exécutif (M-30) before signing an agreement with the Government of Canada.
• Projects must use Destination Canada’s portion of approved funding by December 31, 2025 (Stream 1) or December 31, 2026 (Stream 2).