Communiqué
The Board of Trade welcomes the additional financial assistance
granted to Montréal's major festivals
Montréal, June 1, 2009 The Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal congratulates the Just For Laughs Festival which, like the Montréal International Jazz Festival, has been granted an additional $3 million in financial assistance under the Government of Canada's Marquee Tourism Events Program (MTEP).
Festivals are an integral part of Montréal's cultural image. It therefore comes as no surprise that the assistance earmarked by the Government of Canada to support well-known tourism events has been granted to these two world-class, internationally renowned cultural events, declared Michel Leblanc, president and CEO of the Board of Trade.
We are particularly pleased by today's announcement since this additional assistance will enable the Just for Laughs Festival to innovate and expand the scope of its activities. In itself, this assistance provides additional recognition and support for excellence. It will help ensure that our major festivals continue to serve as pillars of Montréal's cultural influence and will solidify their position at the head of the list of must-see events in their respective spheres, continued Leblanc.
The Just for Laughs Festival and the Montréal International Jazz Festival are convincing examples of the significant impact on the city's economy and reputation that can be achieved by public support in the cultural sector. While acknowledging the major contribution announced today, the Board of Trade therefore urges the federal government to continue in this vein and pursue its efforts to assist culture and the arts, concluded Leblanc.
The Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal has some 7,000 members. Its primary mission is to represent the interests of the business community of Greater Montréal and to provide individuals, merchants, and local businesses of all sizes with a variety of specialized services to help them achieve their full potential in terms of innovation, productivity and competitiveness. The Board of Trade is Quebec's leading private economic development organization.
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Source:
Sylvie Paquette
Coordinator, Media relations
Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal
Tel.: 514 871-4000, ext. 4015
sylvie.paquette@ccmm.qc.ca