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The Destination Events Program supports tourism, arts, culture and sport events across British Columbia to drive economic growth and position the province as a leading destination for diverse events.
The Destination Events Program (DEP) provides funding up to 10% of your total event budget, with a maximum of $200,000 per event. You can use the funds to cover a range of operational expenses.
Note: Your total event budget must be a minimum of $150,000 to be eligible to apply.
The program is administered through a time-limited application process. Applications will be accepted from April 7, 2025, until May 5, 2025 at 11:59 p.m. (PDT).
Eligible organizations:
- Indigenous community or organization
- Not-for-profit organization
- Business
- Local government
Ineligible organizations:
- Individuals
- Federal, provincial or territorial governments (and their Crown corporations and agencies)
- Educational institutions, including universities, colleges, and school boards
- Unions
Eligible events include:
Arts and culture events, such as:
- live music festivals
- film festivals
- cultural festivals
- art walks and mural festivals
Ineligible events:
- Events that are primarily commercial/retail, religious, political, or academic in nature, such as:
- consumer shows
- trade shows
- pageants
- award ceremonies
- conventions
- meetings and conferences
- seminars and clinics
- rallies or demonstrations
- educational competitions
- craft fairs or swap meets
- vendor-based markets
- farmers’ markets
- Attractions, shows, tours, or recurring events held over an extended period of time (e.g. more than 21 days):
- seasonal arts and cultural events
- scheduled art exhibitions or other regular programming
- seasonal spectator sport games/leagues
- Community events/holiday celebrations that are designed for residents versus attracting overnight visitors
- parades
- Canada Day/holiday celebrations
- neighbourhood block parties
- Virtual events
- Events in the bid phase
Mandatory eligibility criteria:
Eligible events are scheduled to take place in B.C. between June 1, 2025, and September 30, 2026 and meet the following eligibility criteria.
a. Open to the public
- Events must be open to all members of the public
- Events that are only available to the organization’s members are not eligible
b. Frequency limit
- Events occurring more than 21 days in a calendar year are not eligible for funding
- The 21 days do not need to be consecutive
c. Financial viability
- While event budgets do not need to be balanced, events are required to be financially viable in order to qualify for funding
- Event organizers must provide a detailed budget covering all expenses and expected revenue, along with projected ticket sales, sponsorships and other income sources
d. Minimum event operating budget
- Events must demonstrate a minimum operating budget of $150,000
e. Secured venue
- The event venue must be secured at the time of application
- Event organizers must provide the venue name and address during the application process
- You may be asked to provide evidence that the event venue is secured (e.g., municipal permits, rental agreements, proof of insurance, emergency management plan or other documentation)
- Events in the bid phase are not eligible
f. Destination event
- Events must demonstrate the ability to attract overnight visitors specifically for the event
- Events that are primarily community focused are not eligible
g. Letter of support
- A letter of support must be provided by either a host community (i.e. municipal or regional government), First Nation government, and/or destination management organization, unless one of these is the applicant
Event evaluation: Your application will be used to evaluate how well your event meets the DEP objectives to generate economic and tourism benefits.
Economic Impact:
- Direct impact to local businesses/suppliers: estimated spending by event organizers, exhibitors, participants, and attendees on local goods and services
- Local jobs supported: estimated number of local jobs supported, and total wages paid to put on the event
Tourism Benefits:
- Visitor attendance: estimated number of attendees travelling internationally, across Canada, from outside the region and locally to attend the event
- Room nights: anticipated number of room-nights generated from hosting the event
- Seasonal impact: drives visitation during low or shoulder seasons, addressing off-peak demand
- Geographic distribution: attracts visitors to more regions of the province to share the benefits of tourism with everyone in B.C.
- Destination awareness: showcases the unique attractions and tourism offerings of B.C.’s communities
