The Indigenous Tourism Fund (ITF) fosters sustainable growth for the Indigenous tourism industry in Canada. The Signature Indigenous Tourism Experiences Stream (SITES) of the ITF aims to support tourism in Indigenous communities across Canada by scaling up significant, export-ready, market-sustainable and community-supported Indigenous key experiences and tourism destinations.
SITES supports Indigenous tourism by funding selected projects that can serve as key tourism experiences. These projects anchor other tourism-related businesses and offerings, fostering the development of tourism destinations. The program aims to enhance the supply of Indigenous tourism offerings, helping Indigenous tourism businesses attract high-yield international tourists who are interested in cultural experiences. This growth in the tourism sector not only boosts revenue for these businesses but also stimulates economic growth by developing networks of smaller, locally owned businesses. These networks can access new markets, develop new products, grow sales and create jobs within the community.
Additionally, the program aligns with the Government of Canada's commitment to building a strong Canadian economy and continues the vital work of advancing reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples.
The National Aboriginal Capital Corporations Association (NACCA), a non-profit overseeing more than 50 Indigenous financial institutions (IFI) across Canada, has been chosen to administer SITES. Over the past 35 years, IFIs have handled over $3.2 billion, boosting economic development in Indigenous areas, which makes NACCA an ideal partner for this initiative.
Funding support
Through its first round of funding, SITES provided $9.5 million in non-repayable contributions in 2024–2025 to 11 signature Indigenous tourism experiences across Canada. Building on the success of the first round, Budget 2025 noted an additional investment of $6 million in 2025–2026, supporting 6 additional signature Indigenous tourism experiences. Overall, 17 projects were funded across the 2 rounds. Selected projects received non-repayable contributions ranging from $500,000 to $1.25 million. Funding supported:
- the development and enhancement of tourism destinations
- infrastructure that complements key tourism experiences in Indigenous communities
- sustainable economic benefits and employment opportunities within communities
This program is no longer accepting applications. For more details on the program, please contact the National Aboriginal Capital Corporations Association at info@nacca.ca.
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