Formula 1’s governing has announced the cancellation of the 2021 Canadian GP due to concerns related to to Canada’s third wave of the COVID19 virus. Canada’s Economy Minister Pierre Fitzgibbon announced that for the second year running the Canadian Grand Prix will not take place – after officials in Montreal raised concerns about the race, which was due to take place at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve on 13th of June 2021.
“It was done jointly, we obviously were attentive to public health in Montreal, who expressed some concerns, same thing with public health in Quebec and Canada, so we decided as a government it was the best decision to be taken, to cancel the Formula One race.”
During the announcement, Canadian health officials stated that the race would return next season. It was also announced that an agreement has been made to keep the Canadian GP in Montreal until 2031, at a cost of $25m CAD. The three-day racing event brings an estimated $100 million in economic benefits, including $10 million for the province of Quebec.
As well as the two year extension, the provinces of Quebec and Ottawa have agreed both to invest $5.5 million in order to promote the event and increase tourism, once health officials have given the all-clear.
To help the country get to that stage , Federal Economic Development Minister Melanie Joly, said pointed out that Canada is in the process of an aggressive COVID vaccination campaign.
“We’ll be one of the first ones in the world to be able to have international tourists here in our country and we’ll be able to sell the fact we are a healthy and secure place to visit.”
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