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Ottawa Marathon awarded gold-label status; event supports $34 million in economic activity

2012 Tamarack Homes Ottawa Race WeekendOctober 22, 2015 – Ottawa, Ont. – The 2015 Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend announced today that it had received the coveted IAAF Gold Label for its Scotiabank Ottawa Marathon, joining the Toronto Waterfront Marathon as the only events in Canada to hold such a title.

The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) Gold Label designation is bestowed on races that meet rigid criteria for exceptional organization and execution. The major six marathons around the world also carry the Gold Label standard, the highest of the three levels in the IAAF ranking.

Ottawa, Ontario ---24/05/09--- Runners in the 2009 Ottawa Marathon run past Parliament Hill..GEOFF ROBINS Mundo Sport ImagesIn addition, organizers announced that the event supported $34.4 million in economic activity for the Province of Ontario in 2015. The weekend’s six events saw out-of-town participants, spectators, event sponsors and organizers spend a combined $15.1 million, a significant increase over 2014. The newly released economic impact assessment produced by the Canadian Sport Tourism Alliance (CSTA) also showed $23.1 of this economic activity occurred in Ottawa. Overall the event made a $15.8 million contribution to the province’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

An email survey, conducted following last May’s event, found that 38,220 runners and spectators came from outside the National Capital Region for the event, with 87% spending one or more nights in Ottawa.

The CSTA conducted the analysis on behalf of the organizing committee. A summary of the report can be found at www.canadiansporttourism.com.

Key numbers

  • $15.8 million contribution to the province’s GDP – increase of $1 million over last year
  • $34.4 million in economic activity for the Province of Ontario – increase of $2.1 million over last year
  • $15.1 million spent in the region by runners and participants, event sponsors and race organizers combined
  • $23.1 million in economic activity for the City of Ottawa, supporting $7.2 million in wages and salaries and 198 jobs
  • $7.7 million in federal, provincial and municipal taxes
  • 38,220 out-of-town participants and spectators
  • 2,500 volunteers helped make the Race Weekend a success
  • 8,900 runners participated in CSTA’s email survey

 

Close to 50,000 runners are expected to take part in the 2016 Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend, which will take place May 28-29, 2016.

Edited from a press release.

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