Closed
Source verified September 29, 2026
Tourism Sprint Program
Cost-shared funding for short-term innovative tourism product development
Get notified when Tourism Sprint Program reopens
Latest source updateLast Update: September 29, 2026Latest change: The Tourism Sprint Program page now shows new funding terms, eligibility rules, project priorities, and reporting requirements.View change
Latest source update
Last Update: September 29, 2026
Latest change: The Tourism Sprint Program page now shows new funding terms, eligibility rules, project priorities, and reporting requirements.
Tourism Sprint Program updated
The Tourism Sprint Program page now shows that funding covers up to 50% of eligible expenses, to a maximum of $25,000 per project, with at least 10% of total project costs required as a cash contribution from the lead applicant. It also adds staged disbursement terms, including 90% upon execution of the Partnering Agreement and 10% upon acceptance of the Final Report. The page now includes detailed applicant and project eligibility rules, two required letters of support, new evaluation criteria, reporting requirements, and a list of supported project examples. No deadline or intake-window change is shown.
Funding available
$ 25,000
Deadline
Unspecified
Location
Canada
Who can apply
Local, Regional, and Municipal Governments, including cities, towns, villages, regional districts, and provincial or territorial governments engaged in tourism-related initiatives
See full eligibility
Overview
The Tourism Sprint Program is a competitive, cost-sharing program from Destination Canada that provides up to $25,000 (covering up to 50% of eligible expenses) to support short-term projects that develop innovative, purchasable tourism products and help unlock new tourism investment in Canada. Eligible activities include non-capital project delivery costs such as consulting, project management, and professional services directly related to investment preparation (e.g., business cases and investor prospectuses, market demand studies, site suitability or land use assessments, and sustainability or climate risk assessments).
Receipt of requests is now closed
Get notified about updates to this grant.
At a glance
Funding available
Financing goals
- Develop strategic partnerships
- Develop a new product or service
- Reduce environmental footprint
Eligible Funding
- Maximum amount : 25,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
Funds Providers
Eligible candidates
Eligible Industries
- All industries
Location
- Canada
Legal structures
- For-profit business
- Non-profit
- Public or Parapublic institution
Annual revenue
- All revenue ranges
Organisation size
- All organization sizes
Audience
- Indigenous Peoples
- Canadians
Non-profit candidates
Sector of operation
- All industries
Target groups
- All the groups
Revenue structures
- All structures
Scope
- All dimensions
Next Steps
1
Determine your project
2
Validate your eligibility
Availability timeline
2026
Periods: 1
Activities funded
- Business Case and Investor Prospectus to present a compelling, investor-facing rationale for funding or financing a project
- Financial projection modeling and Proforma development and support
- Market Demand Study to validate visitor interest in a tourism product
- Site Suitability or Land Use Assessment that assess land, zoning, access, and servicing capacity for tourism infrastructure
- Sustainability or Climate Risk Assessment that evaluates climate vulnerabilities, water use, carbon impact, etc.
Documents Needed
- Two letters of support
Official resources
Eligibility
Who is eligible?
- Local, Regional, and Municipal Governments, including cities, towns, villages, regional districts, and provincial or territorial governments engaged in tourism-related initiatives
- Indigenous Communities and Organizations, including First Nations, Inuit, and Métis governments, communities, and tourism-focused organizations
- Not-for-Profit Organizations with a clear mandate to support, promote, or develop tourism
- For-Profit Tourism Businesses and Organizations whose primary operations deliver tourism products or services, such as accommodations, attractions, or 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).
Selection criteria
- 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%)
How to apply
- Review the Program Guidelines and FAQ to ensure your project is a good fit and meets eligibility requirements.
- Submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) to Destination Canada.
- Destination Canada will advise which stream best matches your project’s delivery timeline and ability to expend funds.
- After receiving your EOI, a member of the Destination Development team will contact you with next steps and guidance on completing the full application form.
- Submit the full application by 5:00 p.m. Pacific Time on October 1, 2025.
Processing and Agreement
- Applications are reviewed for eligibility, alignment with priorities, and against the evaluation criteria.
- Funding is competitive and not guaranteed.
- The decision to fund all or part of an applicant request depends on its fit to the program objectives and priorities, assessment criteria and the availability of funds in the program.
- If successful, you will enter into a Partnering Agreement with Destination Canada, and the organization that applies must also incur and pay the project expenses and report back to Destination Canada on the project.
- All funding recipients are required to submit a mid-term progress report and final report; additional ad hoc reports may be requested for audit or evaluation purposes.
Additional information
- 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).
Contacts
Frequently Asked Questions about the Tourism Sprint Program Program
What is the Tourism Sprint Program?
The Tourism Sprint Program is a competitive, cost-sharing program from Destination Canada that provides up to $25,000 (covering up to 50% of eligible expenses) to support short-term projects that develop innovative, purchasable tourism products and help unlock new tourism investment in Canada. Eligible activities include non-capital project delivery costs such as consulting, project management, and professional services directly related to investment preparation (e.g., business cases and investor prospectuses, market demand studies, site suitability or land use assessments, and sustainability or climate risk assessments).
How much funding can be received?
Tourism Sprint Program Funds up to 50% of admissible expenses, capped at $25,000 per project.
Who is eligible for the Tourism Sprint Program program?
To be eligible for the Tourism Sprint Program program, you must:
Canada-based incorporated/legislated entity (in existence ≥ 1 year).
Eligible applicant type: for-profit tourism business/organization.
Not in default of any government grant/loan agreement.
What expenses are eligible under Tourism Sprint Program?
Business Case and Investor Prospectus to present a compelling, investor-facing rationale for funding or financing a project
Financial projection modeling and Proforma development and support
Market Demand Study to validate visitor interest in a tourism product
Site Suitability or Land Use Assessment that assess land, zoning, access, and servicing capacity for tourism infrastructure
Sustainability or Climate Risk Assessment that evaluates climate vulnerabilities, water use, carbon impact, etc.
Who can I contact for more information about the Tourism Sprint Program?
You can contact Destination Canada by email at destinationdevelopmentteam@destinationcanada.com.
Where is the Tourism Sprint Program available?
The Tourism Sprint Program program is available across Canada.
Is the Tourism Sprint Program a grant, loan, or tax credit?
Tourism Sprint Program is a Partnering and Collaboration