A $50,000 grant from the province will support Greater Victoria's bid to host the 2014 Juno Awards.

Ida Chong, Minister of Community, Sport and Cultural Development and Oak Bay-Gordon Head MLA, made the announcement last week after the Capital Region Music Awards Society completed its rounds asking municipal councils for financial support.

Five separate councils, including the City of Victoria and Saanich, approved funding in support of the bid to host the awards gala at the Save-On Foods Memorial Centre and related events at other venues around the region.

The society formally submitted its bid to the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences in time for the April 30 deadline.

The B.C. government also pledged an extra $1.5 million toward staging the event, should Victoria's bid to host the Junos be successful. The commitment was based on the understanding that local governments and other partners would provide at least $500,000 toward hosting the event and that the host society will complete its due diligence.

Regina is hosting the 2013 Junos next April. The 2014 host city is expected to be announced sometime this fall.

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