Good morning! This is Queen Street Analytics' weekly roundup of regulatory developments, legislative discussions, political announcements and other government-related news concerning hotels, restaurants, event and sports venues, cruise lines, casinos, gambling, theme parks, ski resorts, outdoor spaces, RV parks, and other travel and tourism professionals. Every Monday, we break down the most important updates in this space in under five minutes.

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Start Date: 2025-05-11
End Date: 2025-05-19

Top Headlines

Main Stories

International Arrivals Down 15.2% Year-Over-Year in April, Says StatsCan

Statistics Canada's indicator of international arrivals to Canada reported 4.5 million entries by air and automobile in April 2025. This reflects a 15.2% decrease from April 2024, marking the third consecutive month of annual declines in this metric. The data includes both returning Canadian residents and arrivals by non-residents.

Sources: Open Government Data Set: www.statcan.gc.ca

Little Gold Creek Port of Entry Reopens for Summer Season

The Little Gold Creek border crossing in Yukon will resume operations for the summer season beginning May 18, 2025. The port will maintain daily hours from 9:00 am to 7:00 pm Pacific Daylight Time until September 15, 2025. The CBSA warned travellers that adverse weather in the area can impact these dates. Information on operating hours and any operational changes can be checked via the CBSA Directory of Offices and Services.

Sources: Announcements: www.canada.ca

StatsCan Releases Human Resources Module Data for Canadian Tourism Sector

Statistics Canada has published the 2023 Human Resources Module of the Canadian economy, featuring data on jobs, hours worked, and wages by various employee characteristics. The release encompasses estimates for sectors including tourism, providing annual figures based on the System of National Accounts concepts. The data breakdown covers variables such as age, gender, education, and immigration status.

Sources: Open Government Data Set: www.statcan.gc.ca

Technical Briefing and Media Accreditation Announced for 2025 Royal Visit

Canadian Heritage will hold a virtual technical briefing on May 20 regarding the Royal Visit by King Charles III and Queen Camilla. The briefing will inform media on logistics for the royal itinerary in Canada's Capital Region, where the King is set to deliver the Speech from the Throne. Press Gallery accreditation is required for media coverage, with a deadline for applications set for May 22 at 5 p.m. ET.

Sources: Announcements: www.canada.ca

Ski Resort Locations Published in BC Open Data Update

The BC government released an updated point dataset identifying the locations of ski resorts across the province.

Sources: Open Government Data Set: open.canada.ca

Tourism Feature Areas Mapped for Cariboo Region

New polygons mapping tourism use for lakes and trails in the Cariboo Region have been published by the BC government.

Sources: Open Government Data Set: open.canada.ca

Provincial Announcements

Alberta Promotes Tourism and Trade in Mexico; New WestJet Direct Flight Launched

Alberta’s Minister of Jobs, Economy, Trade and Immigration Joseph Schow will promote Alberta in Mexico City as a tourism and investment destination, coinciding with WestJet’s new direct flight from Mexico City to Calgary.

Sources: Provincial Announcement: www.alberta.ca

Ontario Announces $38 Million Investment in Wasaga Beach Tourism Infrastructure

Ontario is investing nearly $38 million in the Destination Wasaga project, focusing on redevelopment of Nancy Island Historic Site and town infrastructure to boost tourism and create jobs.

Sources: Provincial Announcement: news.ontario.ca

Alberta Concludes Legislative Session with Economic and Tourism Measures

Alberta’s spring legislative session wrapped up with legislation for economic resilience and support for tourism, including policies promoting local jobs and economic partnerships.

Sources: Provincial Announcement: www.alberta.ca

Alberta Hosts Major National and International Sporting Events

Over the next three months, Alberta will host 12 major sporting events backed by over $1.2 million in provincial funding, anticipated to generate significant visitor activity and economic benefits.

Sources: Provincial Announcement: www.alberta.ca

Public Officials' Social Media

MP Patrick Weiler met with the Squamish Windsports Society to discuss rescue services and kiteboarding access, and stopped for lunch at the newly opened House of Lager.

Sources: Social Media: x.com

MP Yasir Naqvi invited community feedback on two redesign options for Ottawa's Mooney’s Bay Beach Pavilion, with input requested by May 17.

Sources: Social Media: x.com

What We're Reading This Week

• Provincial destinations ramp up for a busy tourism season: Provincial destinations are preparing for increased visitation in the coming months.