As prepared for the Annual General Meeting March 31, 2026
$ 525,000 for Destination Management and Development. Our Board of Directors has endorsed using some of the Destination Management budget to provide seed capital for projects we feel will provide sustainable growth opportunities to our local tourism infrastructure. This growth, which would benefit both residents and tourists, would be paid for by increased flow of investment capital, the sources of which would typically be public / private partnerships, or increase user fees.
The current list of projects being seed funded by Tourism Fernie include:
• Contribution to funding the newly formed office of Economic Development.
• Development of a valley trail system framework plan for all seasons.
• Development of a comprehensive plan to construct a multiuse recreational complex for local resident and visitor use.
• Development of a plan to redevelop the current Visitor Information Centre which currently houses the Fernie Chamber of Commerce, Fernie Search and Rescue, as well as Tourism Fernie.
• Funding support and planning for the Fernie Shuttle to ideally be taken over by BC Transit once the operating model is refined and is functioning.
The Future
We believe that a focus on tourism in the town of Fernie is a natural direction for community growth. However, supporting tourism means sourcing capital to produce amenities that can sustainably attract tourists. These sources are likely to include private / public partnerships and also increased user charges for tourist visits, which may include higher MRDT rates and the creation of a new levy on visitors. We believe that pure government funding and increased local tax options are saturated.
Our success in attracting capital will depend on allocating our collective resources to develop a well-planned, focussed approach which yields targeted outcomes. Tourism Fernie will continue the planning and analysis of projects deemed to be capable of improving the available recreational options for locals and tourists. Hopefully, these projects that can attract funding from properly matched sources. We stand ready to collaborate with those who share our vision.
Reto Barrington Chair- Board of Directors Tourism Fernie
Photo Credit: Destination BC / Toby Stier
Report for 12 month fiscal period of January – December, 2025 5