Key takeaways:
- Concerned regarding the environment, the Plante administration sought an ‘ecological transition’ for the event.
- Laura Serri, owner of Caffè Italia in Montreal’s Little Italy, is looking forward to the return of the Grand Prix.
Laura Serri, owner of Caffè Italia in Montreal’s Little Italy, states the Grand Prix always brings the public.
“There are people from all over the city,” Serri told. “They come, and they hang about, and they cheer. There are kiosques all over. It’s a nice happy spot.”
The Grand Prix was put on delay when pandemic criteria were strict. Still, it’s coming back this weekend after a two-year break. Numerous business owners are revving their engines with expectation as the event is known for promoting the local economy.
“It’s a fun, fun weekend,” said Serri.
Also read: Quebec raises monkeypox vaccination measures as virus continues to spread
The Société du parc Jean-Drapeau, Tourisme Montréal, and the Formula 1 Grand Prix du Canada issued a study earlier this year that saw the event’s financial effect on the gross domestic product (GDP) as $63.2 million.
The study also saw that provincial and federal surcharge revenues are $16 million and that 66 percent of visitors came from outside Montreal and 52 percent from outside Quebec.
Jean-Sébastien Boudreault, a representative for the Association des hôtels du Grand Montréal, said the event is undoubtedly a boost for the province’s hotels, with visitors booking rooms all over the city. “As soon as they reported that the Grand Prix was coming, hotels were being booked,” he said.
After struggling to lease even a handful of rooms during the pandemic, hotel owners are looking to this weekend as a way to kickstart the tourism industry this summer, Boudreault said.
Source – cbc.ca
