The Toronto International Film Festival got a one-time $3-million grant on Monday, aimed at boosting tourism as part of the federal government’s economic stimulus package.

Peter Kent, minister of state of foreign affairs for the Americas, told a packed press conference in Toronto that the cash injection, which is earmarked primarily for marketing, should help TIFF to ‘increase capacity… diversity… service… and elevate its profile.’ He praised the festival as a ‘critical economic event for the Canadian film industry.’

TIFF co-director Cameron Bailey said the windfall will allow the festival to improve on the $134.5 million in spending that it generated in 2008. ‘This will allow us to attract even more visitors to TIFF,’ he said.

Bailey promised ‘more free activities’ at the city’s Yonge-Dundas Square, which last year hosted free outdoor movie screenings for the public. He also said the money will be spent on a more ‘unified look’ for the fest and ‘increasing awareness for this fantastic city outside our borders.’

The new funds cannot be used on Bell Lightbox, the festival’s home-under-construction, which is still working towards raising $196 million.

Key film festivals in Montreal, Vancouver and Halifax did not make the cut for any of the fed’s $100-million Marquee Tourism Events Program, though Montreal’s International Jazz Festival, which celebrates its 30th this summer, is on the list.

Meanwhile, the first round of MTEP recipients also includes the Calgary Stampede, the Charlottetown Festival, the Edmonton International Fringe Theatre Festival, the Shaw Festival, the Stratford Shakespeare Festival and the Festival d’été de Québec. The application deadline for the second round is May 8 — winners of which will be announced in the fall.

The 34th edition of TIFF runs Sept. 10-19.