February 5th, 2024

A round up of Canada news

Making the lists:

Word's out: Canada is a must-see travel destination in 2024. AFAR's “Where to Go in 2024” featured Toronto, Ontario among its 25 top spots for travel; Fodor's “Go List 2024” included the charming town of Nelson, BC; National Geographic's “Cool List” ranked Nova Scotia among its 30 most exciting destinations; Time Out's “40 Coolest Neighbourhoods in the World” featured happening streets in Montréal, Quebec and Toronto, Ontario; Bloomberg's “24 Best Places to Travel 2024” spotlighted Halifax, Nova Scotia, and Ucluelet, BC; and CNN's “Where to Go in 2024” listed Saint John, New Brunswick among the best places to visit.

Anniversaries and Milestones

2024 marks 75 years since Newfoundland and Labrador joined the Canadian Confederation. There are no special events noted yet, but it is an important anniversary.

2024 in Newfoundland and Labrador will be known as the “Year of the Arts,” a celebration of the province's artists, writers, musicians, playwrights, and many more. The Year of the Arts will feature public initiatives including events, festivals, music, and performances. There will also be several public art exhibitions and opportunities for participation and collaboration with the broader community.

The Canadian Museum for Human Rights will mark its 10 year anniversary in September 2024. The CMHR opened its doors to the public on September 20, 2014. There are two special exhibitions planned for 2024. Beyond the Beat: Music of Resistance and Change, and A threat to their country? 

2024 is the 420th anniversary of French settlement in North America. And from August 10–18, the World Acadian Congress will be held in the Acadian region of southwestern Nova Scotia in the communities of Clare and Argyle. As many as 100,000 participants are expected to attend. The theme of the event is “Venez vivre votre Acadie” (Come Experience YournAcadia). The Congrès mondial acadien 2024 will bring together the Acadian diaspora from across the world for nine days of celebrations, discovery and reunions. There will be many ways to experience Acadian culture - outdoor concerts, culinary experiences, family gatherings, kitchen parties, and outdoor concerts with big names from the Acadian music scene.

The Adrenaline Bike Festival will celebrate its 15th anniversary from August 16-18, 2024 at Sugarloaf Provincial Park in Atholville. This downhill mountain biking competition will join forces for the first time with the Crankworx Summer Series. Next summer's event will attract weekend warriors and road trip fans to northern New Brunswick and establish Atholville as the province's destination for downhill mountain biking.

In 2024, Winnipeg will mark the milestone of 150 years as a city. The milestone will be officially marked on January 24, 2024, the anniversary of the first meeting of Winnipeg City Council. There is a community grant available to festivals, events, museums and other community organizations wishing to create programming around the Winnipeg 150 theme: Our shared stories. Our shared future.

Journey to Churchill, the award-winning exhibit at the Assiniboine Park Zoo celebrates 10 years in 2024. The exhibit, whose features include an underwater viewing tunnel and Conservation Centre with information on polar bears and climate change research, opened in July 2014.

 Bookish birthday: Nov 30, 2024, will mark the 150th anniversary of the birth of author and novelist, Lucy Maud Montgomery. It has been more than 115 years since her beloved debut novel, Anne of Green Gables, was published and in that time the book has never been out of print. The book has sold more than 50 million copies worldwide And it has been adapted into plays, television shows and movies. You could spend several days on an Anne of Green Gables itinerary in Prince Edward Island.

 Indigenous Tour Operator Celebrates 20th Anniversary in 2024: Visitors can experience that history with Xwisten Experience Tours, an Indigenous-owned tour operator celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2024. One of the longest-running Indigenous Tour Operators in British Columbia, Xwisten Experience Tours was founded in 2004 with only two employees.

https://www.xwistentours.ca/ 

Solar Eclipse April 8th, 2024

 On April 8, 2024, large swathes of Newfoundland and Labrador will have front-row seats to the Total Solar Eclipse. Some of the best places to see the Solar Eclipse from the island of Newfoundland include the Southwest Coast (including the scenic, mountainous Codroy Valley), Gander, Terra Nova National Park (home to a Dark Sky Preserve), the Baccalieu Coastal Drive, and the Bonavista Peninsula. April also coincides with iceberg season—come see 10,000-year-old ice cathedrals drifting along Iceberg Alley while witnessing the event of a lifetime.

 The Fogo Island Inn has a dedicated Total Solar Eclipse getaway, with special guests including ESA/Hubble & James Webb Space Telescopes Chief Science Communications Officer, Bethany Downer, and former NASA aerospace research engineer, Dr. Tom Edwards. Other sites and communities such as Gander and Terra Nova National Park have also hinted at special events.

The Total Eclipse of April 8, 2024 in Toronto-Hamilton The Toronto-Hamilton area is truly a tale of two cities on eclipse day. Hamilton lies solidly in the path and will see almost two minutes of totality.

Quebecs  Eastern Townships region: This spring, a total solar eclipse is set to happen directly above a world-class astronomical observatory. On April 8, 2024, the Eastern Townships is on the trajectory of a total eclipse, a rare phenomenon that only happens once every 375 years. It will happen in the world's first international Dark Sky Reserve, a 5,300 km (3293 miles) parcel of sky above and around Mont-Mégantic.

The Total Solar Eclipse will hit more than half of New Brunswick on April 8, 2024, and this makes the province one of the three best places in Canada to witness it. The best places to experience this in New Brunswick are Miramichi, Fredericton and the western region.

Indigenous Owned and Run : Moonbikes and Ice Fishing

Rural Rivers Winter 2024 Rural Rivers is a Metis-Canadian owned and operated business specializing located on Treaty No. 6 Territory within St. Albert, Sturgeon County and the Greater Edmonton Area, Alberta. Canada's first immersive moonbike experience has launched in Edmonton. Mookbikes are ultra-light electric snow bikes. Nestled on a historic 23-acre property west of St. Albert, our grounds offer a unique Winter experience that is both thrilling and eco-friendly. 

Clear Lake Ice Fishing Village will open in winter 2024, it is woman and Indigenous-owned and Original Original certified. It will feature 5-7 ice fishing structures available for rent alongside experiential add-ons including culinary, how-to-fish and hands-on workshops. Connected to the village will also be a skating trail network with ice sculptures, snow carving demonstrations, musical performances and other events throughout the winter

Ski and Snow News:

Whistler Mountain's Fitzsimmons Express upgrades are anticipated to be completed for the winter 2023/24 season. The existing four-person chairlift is being replaced with an eight-person high speed chair, increasing uphill capacity by 73 per cent in winter. This upgrade will also provide major benefits for Whistler Mountain in Summer 2024, reducing lift line wait times and increasing capacity for the Whistler Mountain Bike Park.

The new West Bowl Express chairlift is scheduled to open for the 2024/25 ski season. The new high-speed Doppelmayr Quad chairlift, located on the upper reaches of Mt. Tod, provides enhanced access to a ski and snowboard area known for quality snow and scenic vistas. 

Bella Coola Heli Sports has partnered with Tomorrow's Air to become their first buyer of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).

 New Knob Quad Chair at Marmot Basin • The new chair will be a fixed-grip quad chair with conveyor loading, taking you to an unload elevation of 2,518 metres (8,261 feet). Access to The Cirque, our newest opened expert terrain will be easier, as will access to the peak.

New glamping experiences, pods and unique places to stay

New seaside pods in the Haute-Gaspésie Visitors looking for a comfortable place to stay this winter should consider the Panora seaside pods in Sainte-Anne-des-Monts, a mere 30-minute drive from the mountain peaks of Parc national de la Gaspésie. These modern, well-insulated pods on the shores of the St. Lawrence River feature a private hot tub and many other winter amenities.

Station Boréale is a glamping resort where visitors can reconnect with nature—and themselves. The resort's modern, eco-friendly domes are perfect for a dream getaway, in every season. They sleep two to four people comfortably, are fully equipped, and are designed for Québec's northern climate. 

 Located at the entrance to Mont-Tremblant's provincial park on Chemin du Lac Supérieur, Farouche Tremblant is a unique place to stay: a Nordic farm with seven eco luxurious cabins and a farm lounge with a seasonal menu featuring items from the farm and other small local producers. This deluxe agritourism experience gets travellers off the beaten path and showcases the region's magnificent terroir.

 Toronto Andaz Toronto–Yorkville - opening in early 2024 It was revealed back in May 2019, that the Hyatt Hotels' ANDAZ brand will make its first Toronto appearance with the ANDAZ Toronto–Yorkville hotel, planned to occupy floors 4 through 16 of the building. The 160-room property will boast more than 15 luxury suites, over 12,000 ft² of event and conference space, a spa, and other amenities, including food and beverage spaces.

https://torontolife.com/real-estate/vision-behind-the-ones-hotel/ 

Nobu Hotel Toronto Rising 45-stories in the heart of Toronto's vibrant Entertainment District, Nobu announces its Canadian debut with Nobu Hotel, Restaurant & Residences. 

Moxy Marriott Ottawa A 222-room hotel in Ottawa, the Moxy Marriott will be aptly located in downtown Ottawa's Byward Market, an area located east of the government and business district, buzzing with retail and entertainment. 

Winter Camping in Yurts at Bruce Peninsula National Park 

The 10 yurts at this rugged park at the tip of the Bruce Peninsula are open for winter camping. Cozy and snug, each yurt is equipped with a wood stove, beds, propane BBQ and more. Washrooms are no problem - heated comfort stations are a short distance away, with flush toilets, individual showers and potable water.

Blackbush Resort Blackbush is Prince Edward Island's newest coastal resort, scheduled to open in 2024. Overlooking beautiful Tracadie Bay on the Island's north shore, Blackbush will feature 30 rooms, breakfast bar, library, rooftop bar, saunas, hot tubs, and year-round outdoor pool

Turtle Village is an Indigenous-owned glamping operation in Wasagaming campground in Riding Mountain National Park, Manitoba These off-the-grid tiny homes are called 'turtle shells', and each offer a queen-sized Murphy bed, indoor sitting area, plenty of natural light and are heated for winter. Bring your own camping gear.

Ways to travel

Kayaking down the Fjord: New adventures in cross-country ski touring and kayaking ventures into otherwise inaccessible territory in the boreal forest to admire the magnificent scenery of Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean and the Saguenay Fjord. This four-day excursion takes visitors to paddle past endless frozen cliffs and pack ice. When night falls, it's time for a cocktail and a hearty meal.

Inuit-owned Ungava Polar Eco-Tours will offer five-day adventures to the uninhabited Gyrfalcon Islands in Ungava Bay in northern Quebec. Visitors will be able to spot wildlife from polar bears to musk ox and caribou, as well as experience some of the highest tidal elevations in the world. Even more wildlife-viewing experiences will become available in the summer when the Wolastoqiyik Wahsipekuk First Nation opens the Putep 't-awt observation site, providing a one-of-a-kind land-based location to view a beluga whale nursery on the St. Lawrence River.

EKEAU Once known as Ottawa Boat Cruise, the company (which also offers cruises on the Ottawa River) is rebranding as EKEAU, with plans to introduce to the Ottawa River the world's first electric amphibian bus in 2024 and an electric catamaran in 2025, after designing and launching the world's largest fully electric passenger boat on the Rideau Canal in 2016.

LeBoat Trent-Severn Waterway Route Luxury houseboat rental operator LeBoat expands its Canada offering with the addition of a brand new route along the historic Trent-Severn Waterway, a 386-kilometre waterway linking Lake Ontario with Georgian Bay. Embark on a captivating journey along the Trent-Severn Waterway and Kawartha Lakes, an enchanting natural paradise that unveils the true essence of Central Ontario.

Be Rad Adventures , New Brunswick offers mountain biking tours for different riding styles and skill levels at Mountain Bike Minto, near Fredericton. This is a great story of sustainability as a doctor spent 10 years converting a former wasteland into 50km of Atlantic Canada's best mountain biking destinations.

National Healing Forests

Payhonin National Healing Forest at Prairie Gardens 2024 (year-round) The Payhonin National Healing Forest is located within Prairie Gardens and Adventure Farm, 25 km north of Edmonton. One of 33 healing forests in Canada, it received funding from the David Suzuki Foundation and is a meaningful action toward truth and reconciliation. Healing Forests are rooted in reconciliation, involve local Indigenous communities and highlight native trees, plant species and biodiversity.

Arts and Culture

Toronto Biennial of Art The Toronto Biennial of Art's mission is to make contemporary art accessible to everyone. A ten-week event every two years, the Biennial commissions artists to create new works for a city-wide exhibition in dialogue with Toronto's diverse local contexts. September 21 - December 1st, 2024

For more information on Canada as a holiday destination go to www.explore-canada.co.uk

For images, video and story ideas go to www.destinationcanada.com/media

For more media information please contact Nim Singh, Media and PR Manager, Destination Canada, singh.nim@destinationcanada.com (Not for Publication)