Prince Edward Island — Seasonal Extension Tourism Product Development Fund

Program Description

Non-repayable funding of up to $7,500 per operator for PEI tourism businesses and non-profits creating new fall, winter or spring product offerings, so the Island trades as a multi-season destination. Delivered jointly by Tourism PEI and the six regional tourism associations and destination management organizations — you apply to the RTA or DMO where your business is located, and you must be a member of it.

Eligibility Requirements

• Applicant must be from either the for-profit or not-for-profit sector, and must be a member of the RTA or DMO to which the application is addressed
• Applications go to the RTA/DMO where the business is located, not where its corporate office is — an operator with no office must pick one RTA/DMO and cannot apply to several
• The six delivery partners are Central Coastal Tourism Partnership, Discover Charlottetown, Explore Summerside, Island East Tourism Group, North Cape Coastal Tourism Partnership and Tourism Cavendish Beach
• The page states that the tourism establishment must be licensed under the Tourism Industry Act as a hotel, motel, bed and breakfast, inn, resort, cottage operation or campground
• Sub-conditions on that licensing requirement: the establishment must be used for business activity and not, in whole or part, for primary residential purposes unless it is a bed and breakfast or inn; a cottage operation's owner must have more than one cottage unit; and an owner-resident bed and breakfast or inn must have at least three guest bedrooms, each with at least one semi-private bathroom used by no more than two parties
• The same page also states that projects led by an RTA or DMO are eligible for up to $7,500, and names restaurants, accommodations, retailers, experience providers and attractions among the businesses the program is meant to affect — so the licensing condition and the program's stated reach do not fully agree, and a non-accommodation operator should confirm with its RTA/DMO rather than rule itself out
• Preference is given to tourism businesses or organizations that are open at least two weeks longer than in any of the previous three years of operation, or each year open if they have operated for less than three years — proof of this is an application requirement
• Year-round tourism operators may be eligible if the application clearly conveys how the new product offering will meet the program's goals
• At each RTA's discretion, operators that do not extend their operational weeks may still be eligible if they clearly convey how the new product offering meets the program's goals
• The applicant must contribute a minimum of 15% of total project cost, built into the proposed budget at submission
• The applicant bears all financial risk associated with the initiative
• The applicant must meet all requirements of federal and provincial legislation and municipal by-laws
• Non-Canadian companies, publicly traded companies, and any company owned by one are excluded
• Corporate-run operations of a franchise network with establishments located outside PEI are excluded
• Public sector organizations are not eligible — federal, provincial and municipal governments, development corporations and Crown corporations
• Project expenses that are eligible for funding from other provincial programs are not eligible here (Tourism PEI's own example: if an operator is winterizing cottages and buying heat pumps, the heat pumps are not an eligible expense because other programs cover them)
• Funded activities and events must list the respective RTA/DMO as a partner and, where applicable, create a Facebook event with the RTA/DMO as co-host
• Any transaction must be completed between two parties operating at arm's length
• Funding must be used for fall, winter and/or spring initiatives during September 15, 2026 to June 15, 2027; eligible costs run from the date of approval and projects must be completed by May 31, 2027