P.E.I. 2014 community projects leave 'positive legacy,' review finds

A report commissioned to evaluate the spending and economic impact of the P.E.I. 2014 celebrations highlights what worked and what didn't from the $26 million in federal, provincial and municipal funding.

• Contentious P.E.I. 2014 celebrations wrap up in Summerside

Here are some of the findings in the report, prepared by MRSBConsulting Services for P.E.I.'sDepartment of Economic Development and Tourism.

1. Legacy of P.E.I. 2014 Fund

Around two-thirds of the 161 community projects that received grants from up to $2,000 and $200,000 from the $4.7-million P.E.I. 2014 Fundhave no living legacy, the report said. Most of the funding went to one-off events, such as concerts, exhibits, theatre productions, community Canada Day celebrations, conferences and sporting events.

But 36 per cent of the projects can be experienced in some form today, including an art trail in Montague, a 70-page graphic novel telling the story of P.E.I.'s connection to Confederation, and the Legacy Garden at the Farm Centre in Charlottetown.

The report notes "89 per cent of recipients indicated they would not have been able to host the event without P.E.I. 2014 Inc. support. The other recipients indicated the support had allowed them to enhance their project or event."

The report estimatesjust over 455,000 people attended P.E.I. 2014-funded communityevents, 69 per cent of these being Islanders, based on reports submitted.

2. Celebratedarts, culture,heritage, community pride

MRSB also said theseprojects increased appreciation for P.E.I. arts, culture and heritage, andfostered a sense of belonging and community pride.

Of people surveyed at 2014 celebrations, between 73 and 84 per cent agreed community spirit had been enhanced, 56 to 79 per cent said they were encouraged to participatein a variety of cultural activities by Islanders, 53 to 79 per cent felt it had strengthened arts, culture and heritage platforms on P.E.I., and between 47 and 71 per cent believed it had increased local cultural identity.

Grant recipient reports said it"provided a lasting benefit," with39 per cent sayingtheir projects helped generate increased awareness of their community, buildcommunity connections and foster ideas for new projects.

"These outcomes, although intangible, were viewed as having lasting benefits to the community and to ongoing events," the report states.

3. Founders Week success

P.E.I. 2014 Productions staged fivelarge-scaleevents to mark the 150thanniversary of the1864 Charlottetown Conference, includingtwo New Year's Eve celebrations, a Canada Day event, and the 70-day Celebration Zoneon the Charlottetown waterfront.

Founders Week, in late August and early September,included the tall ships visit to Charlottetown and Summersideand the sold-out Shania Twain concert.

The report says 60 per centof the 22,000 people who attended that concertwere from off-Island, helping Founders Week generatethe most tourist dollars of any one project, at $5.9million.

The 70-day Celebration Zone was a close second, generating $5.8 million despite it being a free admission venue. The Canada Daycelebrations in Charlottetown came in third at $1.2 million.

The MRSB report found69 per cent of alltourist dollars raised through the five events were spent byoff-Island visitors.

4. Visitor recommendations low

The MRSB report crunched resultsfromon-site surveys ofpeople attending P.E.I. 2014 productions and supported events, and found on averagemost attendees at about90per centweresatisfied with the events.

However, surveys also found only 53per centofvisitors from off-Island would recommend others attenda P.E.I. 2014 event, while 60per cent of P.E.I.residents surveyedsaid they would recommend P.E.I. 2014 events to others.

5. Big tourism boost

Provincial tourism officials set a target to increase tourism revenues by fiveper centin 2014. That was more than achieved, with a 5.1 per centincreasetojust over$400million the highest gain in10years, the report said. In contrast, tourism revenues in neighbouring New Brunswick only increased three per cent that year, and tourism revenues nationally increased 3.3 per cent.

But the report goes on to concludeP.E.I. 2014 events were responsible for only 10 per centof tourism spendingthat year around $40million.

Tourism expenditures influenced by P.E.I. 2014 celebrations contributed almost $18 million in taxes, the report concludes.

"All three levels of government would have experienced a decline in taxes compared to 2013 had the P.E.I. 2014 celebrations not been held in 2014," it states.