- A Message from NOTO Staff
- Continuing to Support our US Camp Owners
- Federal & Provincial Announcements
- Clarification on the New Essential Businesses List: What It Means for Camps/Lodges
- Dealing with Cancellations
- Aviation Services Update From Transport Canada
- FAQ: Can I hire staff to work at the lodge while we are closed to the public
- Help from SuccessionMatching
- Resources Operators May Find Helpful
We will continue to strive to bring forward pertinent information to the tourism industry as it becomes available. We will also do our best to find answers to your questions. Do not hesitate to contact us.
NOTO Contact Emails:
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A Note From NOTO Staff
We understand that these unprecedented times are extremely stressful and have caused a lot of anxiety and uncertainty for tourism operators across the province.
Many operators share the same concerns surrounding the Federal supports announced so far. The
Canadian Federation of Independent Business
and the
Tourism Industry Association of Canada as well as the
Canadian Federation of Outfitters Association
have been advocating for more flexible eligibility criteria for small and seasonal businesses at the Federal Level. We continue to share the concerns of operators with these Federal organizations and to the Provincial Government as well to see if they are willing to step up to the plate for our industry. We expect to hear the latest developments surrounding the federal programs and new eligibility criteria by the end of next week. We will keep you updated as we receive additional information.
This week, we've heard that the Ontario government is deferring $15 million in property taxes for people and businesses in parts of Northern Ontario located outside of municipal boundaries. More details on this can be found in this newsletter. We hope that this might provide some relief at least for the interim for our industry. We continue to press the Government to
waive
land use permit, bear management area fees and other provincially issued fees to give operators some financial relief. The entire lists of our asks to Government so far can be seen here:
NOTO's Recommendation: A Resource-Based Tourism Emergency Fund. We have no new updates today to provide regarding our requests for support but we will keep you posted as we move forward.
We have heard reports that many of you are starting to receive cancellation inquiries, especially from guests coming from the USA. We know that for most, the money from deposits is what allows you to get prepared for the season, upgrade your facilities, bait hunting sites, and so forth. We encourage everyone to push for the postponement of the trip rather than the full out cancellation. We have some additional suggestions in this email.
We know many of you are frustrated with your insurance providers regarding their denial that COVID-19 qualifies as business interruption. In addition, we have heard that some insurance companies have increased their rates by as much as 25% for this year. This is very disheartening for all businesses at the moment. Earlier this week, the Canadian Federation of Independent Businesses stated during their April 6th webinar that they are advocating for clarity and some financial relief for businesses from insurance companies. The Tourism Industry Association of Canada is also advocating on this point. The
Insurance Bureau of Canada
has also put together a FAQ sheet surrounding questions on business insurance.
For those who are concerned about making premium payments during this time, we recommend that you review your policies carefully and talk to your provider about your concerns and to see what kind of arrangements you can make for the time being. We will continue to share your concerns with other tourism partners to raise these issues to Government in unison.
We continue to take calls from individual tourism operators to help them navigate through this difficult time and we welcome any thoughts about what other resource materials or information we can bring to you in our updates. Don't be shy to reach out to us.
The NOTO Team
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Minister MacLeod's Multi-Sector TeleTownhall
Upcoming Townhall
Thursday April 9 2020-12:30 PM
Please join Minister Lisa MacLeod for the third ongoing teletown hall regarding the government's response to COVID-19.
Note: You MUST provide a number you can be reached at in your registration to be able to join the call
.
REGISTRATION CLOSES APRIL 8 2020 AT 5:00 PM SO PLEASE REGISTER QUICKLY TO AVOID DISAPPOINTMENT
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Continuing to Support our US Camp Owners
We understand the stress of this situation for American business owners. We know that all of you want to ensure your businesses are in good working order. This is why we continue to press
Government to acknowledge the importance of allowing you to cross the Canada-US border to check for vandalism, protect properties, and to ensure your camps are ready for operations to begin as soon as the situation improves. It's about much more than opening your business, it's about protecting your investments.
In the meantime, we encourage you to make arrangements with either fellow camp operators here in Ontario or perhaps your Canadian employees to check on your properties when possible. If this is not possible, we have just learned about someone that is willing to check on camps for a fee. This came to us from one of our members. Please contact Kyle directly to learn more about his offer and his qualifications,
Kyle Emslie, M.Sc
River Point Environmental
P.0. Box 101
Eagle River, ON P0V 1S0
807-251-4333
We will continue our efforts to push Government to allow US camp owners to enter Canada as soon as possible.
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Government Announcements
Federal:
The Government will be recalled to pass the new
Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy
sometime this week
. The Federal Government is still working on finalizing the details and eligibility criteria for this program. During a few conference calls and webinars with other tourism partners, we know that we have been joined by several organizations to push for changes in the eligibility criteria to make this program more accessible to small and seasonal businesses. We hope that these efforts will prove fruitful once the official wage subsidy program is launched later this week.
Prime Minister Trudeau announced a
change to 75% wage subsidy eligibility
requirements today. Now businesses need to show 15% loss of revenue on a monthly basis rather than 30%. The application process will be made available within the next three weeks and will be retroactive to March 15th. We will continue to seek clarification on whether deposits collected last spring will be considered revenues for seasonal businesses.
The Federal Government continues to focus
o
n increasing the productivity and availability of medical equipment and supplies across the nation and they are now looking into additional supports for Canadians who don't qualify for the Canada Emergency Response Benefit, including those who are still working but receiving less than the monthly benefit through CERB, those working 10 hours a week or less, and students.
Provincial:
The Province's
"Essential Business List"
has been revised over the weekend which forced the closure of additional businesses, including seasonal campgrounds and trailer parks. NOTO has reached out to Government to receive some clarity as to what this means for camp and lodge operators (more on this later in this newsletter).
The Province also announced that it is
deferring $15 million in property taxes
for people and businesses who are located outside of organized municipalities.
Through these measures, Ontario is giving taxpayers in unincorporated areas more time to pay each of the four 2020 Provincial Land Tax installments. Taxpayers will have 90 extra days to pay without incurring interest or penalties. For example, taxpayers who would be required to pay the April 7 property tax installment will have until July 6 to pay without interest or penalties. The Government of Ontario also developed the following page
which highlights all of the supports and financial reliefs announced so far
as part of Ontario's COVID-19 Action Plan.
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Some Clarifications on the New Essential Businesses List
Ontario has revised their
list of essential businesses
over the weekend which resulted in the closing of many other businesses previously deemed essential, including seasonal campgrounds and trailer parks. However, some operators have expressed confusion as to what this means for camp and lodge operators across the Province. Here's a bit of a clarification that we've received from Government.
The
declaration of the State of Emergency
by the Government of Ontario needs to be revised every two weeks in order to make the decision on whether or not it will be extended for another two weeks. As a result, subsequent emergency orders, regulations and amendments issued under s.7.0.1 and 7.0.2(4) of the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act are reviewed during this time.
The current emergency orders and the list of essential services/workplaces will be revised and updated when the Government revises the declaration for the State of Emergency on April 14th (two weeks from last extension). Government has made it clear that their recommendations to everyone is to stay home. This means no weekend getaways, no vacations, no visits with friends or family, etc.
We've received some clarification as to what the current essential services list means for "accommodations". As of right now, camps and lodges are still considered "accommodations"
.
IMPORTANT NOTES:
Any bookings taken after April 4th, 2020 need to be in relation to cover the needs of those who need a safe area to self isolate. We've been told that camps and lodges are still encouraged to book for late summer/fall, however, under the current legislature, camps
would not be able to book any
new guests
for late April/May.
This was specified under
"Short Term Rentals" section
of the essential services list.
The
ONLY
exception for those who have trailer parks/seasonal campgrounds are if they provide accommodations to "snowbirds" who's trailer is their primary Canadian residence.
Government has stated that they will decide whether or not seasonal camps and lodges and their operations will be deemed essential as we get closer to the operating season. The reason for this, as previously mentioned, is due to the fact that Government needs to review the emergency declaration and all emergency orders every two weeks. They are focusing on businesses that are operational now, as to make better and clear decisions as the situation unfolds.
Camp operators and lodges are increasingly limited in the services they can offer. Any operator who is considering opening their doors in late May would need to consider the need to comply with the following Emergency Orders before making a decision. Another thing to consider is that the
Government has implemented severe fines
for any individual or business who breaks any of the emergency orders.
- Closure of all outdoor recreational amenities
- No groups larger than 5 individuals
- No fires due to a province-wide fire ban implemented to reduce strain on first responders.
- For dining areas, you would need to limit the amount of people who can come in, set-up distancing spaces (using tape or another method to keep people 2m apart from one another) and only provide take-out services
- Any public washrooms/showers on site would need to be regularly disinfected.
- Any shared common spaces would need to be closed due to social distancing requirements and gathering restrictions.
- In addition to this, the USA-Canada border remains closed to all non-essential travel (tourism is deemed non-essential in terms of border travel restrictions). We are also starting to see provincial border restrictions as well as domestic travel restrictions.
In addition to all these restrictions, new emergency orders and restrictions may be added as the situation progresses. Businesses who have questions about closures of at-risk workplaces or how emergency measures impact their business or employment can call Ontario's Stop the Spread Business Information Line at 1-888-444-3659. Help is available from Monday to Sunday, from 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
In other words folks, all accommodations at this time are closed to anyone except those who cannot self-isolate in their own homes.
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Dealing with Cancellations
As the spring hunts and summer season approaches, calls from guests inquiring about cancellations are on the rise. We have reached out to a number of our members to ask them how they are dealing with these calls. They have all expressed great concern over refunding deposits. As our industry faces the possibility of not having an operating season or at the very least having a late start to the season, considerable thought must be given to how you handle your cancellations.
We know that relationships you build with your clients are important to you and the success of your business but at a time like this, so is the revenue that you have generated from your deposits to date. Both are critical to your business' survival. Finding a way to retain both can be a challenge but it is something you need to consider. Remember, this pandemic was impossible to foresee for anyone and it is not your fault that you cannot be open.
A number of operators have shared with us the way they are dealing with calls from guests inquiring about cancelling. This is what we have heard:
- At this point, most are offering the option to postpone May/June trips for later in the season (July/August). Bear Outfitters could offer to postpone spring hunting trips to the fall (if they can accommodate the increased number of guests for the fall)
- For those guests who wish to cancel or whose trip is being cancelled due to your inability to open, offer to defer their trip to next year and offer to apply a percentage of the deposit they paid for their 2020 trip towards their 2021 (ie, 60-75% roll over). This gives you the opportunity to retain some of the deposit towards this year and shows your guests goodwill by sharing the cost with them.
- Another option would be to offer to spread the deposit over two future trips. This would help to minimize future impacts.
- Even if you have a no refund policy for deposits, these options may help to retain clients and ensure revenues for next year.
- It is not recommended that you return deposits entirely. This will put the future of your business in serious jeopardy.
You have to know that you are not alone in making these tough decisions and we hope that the information we have provided will help you.
In the future, if you do not do so already, it is recommended that you encourage your clients to purchase trip cancellation insurance. There are a number of companies that offer it and we can provide more details to anyone who may be interested in learning more.
With all of the uncertainty that this monstrous pandemic has brought on, there is one thing that is certain, there will be aspects of our businesses that will undoubtedly change.
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A Note On Non-Resident Hunting Licenses
A few operators have received calls from American guests who have cancelled their 2020 trips who were wondering if MNRF would refund their hunting licence fees. The answer is yes. The individual would need to call
1-800-387-7011
and go through a few menu options to reach an operator who will initiate the refund procedure. Their Outdoors Card however is non-refundable but it is valid for 3 years.
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Aviation Operations Update from Transport Canada
All Canadian air operators should have received
the following notice regarding new security measures and guidance
related to COVID-19. Air operators that are certified to carry passengers and/or cargo have been identified as essential to air transportation and their employees as essential air transportation workers. However, float plane operations and other small commercial operations
may not
transport individuals for the purpose of leisure. Government has made it clear that everyone should stay home and avoid all non-essential travel.
The functions these workers carry out are critical in assisting provinces, territories, Indigenous communities, and municipalities to protect their communities, while also maintaining the reliable operation of critical infrastructure services and functions to ensure the health, safety, and economic well-being of the population. In other words, if you are an operator who transports goods to isolated communities and/or provide transportation for individuals who need to access healthcare or essential work, you may continue operating under these circumstances.
If anyone has any additional questions surrounding plane operations, you may contact Nick Taylor (Technical Team Lead - Flight Operations) at 613-952-5194 (TTY: 1-888-675-6863).
To view all Updates to transportation related measures taken by Transport Canada in response to the evolving novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), please click on the button below.
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FAQ: Maintenance
Q: Although we can't open our business to the public, can we still hire staff to do maintenance?
A: Yes. Although your business is closed, you may still hire staff to do maintenance to get your businesses ready for the season as maintenance has been deemed an
essential service:
Maintenance, repair and property management services strictly necessary to manage and maintain the safety, security, sanitation and essential operation of institutional, commercial, industrial and residential properties and buildings.
The clarification we've received from Government is that the maintenance work conducted needs to be structural or important to the real estate or physical property. In other words, you can't hire staff to only do aesthetic work such as trim the grass or rake some leaves. The maintenance conducted needs to be in relation to something that can't wait. For example, the upkeep of buildings is deemed essential. The sanitation of your cabins, kitchen, washrooms, etc. counts. Any work that would be in relation to the health and safety of your guests and employees can be classified as essential maintenance. However, the Ministry of Labour will expect that you have some kind of enhanced health and safety policy that your employees have signed and proof that you have applied these enhanced measures to ensure the health and safety of your employees. An example of this policy can be seen by clicking the button below.
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Help From SuccessionMatching
SuccessionMatching
have
launched a program to help those concerned about how the changing market conditions have impacted their succession planning. This
formal process will help business owners understand where they are today in their process and what their next steps would be.
This process includes helping businesses find out which programs they could access locally, provincial and federally depending on their timelines or match with buyers.
Their objective is to help ensure business owners have access to resources to help navigate this process. For free assistance from SuccessionMatching, business owners are asked to complete this survey:
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Resources Operators May Find Helpful
In our last newsletter, we encouraged operators to develop plans A, B and C in order to best navigate and prepare for the possible outcomes of this season. Here are are number of resources that we hope you find helpful in your plan development. We are working on other supports and will share those in the coming days and weeks,
- To help businesses prepare for and manage through COVID-19 escalation in Canada, the Canadian Chamber of Commerce developed this pandemic preparedness guide. It is designed to assist business planning and continuity efforts. This tool includes links to the some of the most relevant and credible information, best practice tools and resources.
- The Government of Canada and the Canadian Chamber of Commerce established the Canadian Business Resilience Network to help Canadian businesses navigate the COVID-19 reality and prepare for recovery. They are also partnering with Stats Canada on a national survey – goal to measure the impact on business, from a national perspective.
- With the emergence of COVID-19, the primary concern at CFIB is keeping you, your employees and your business safe. This page will provide you with expert advice to guide you through this difficult time, as well as templates and policies that prevent viral transmission in the workplace. Topics such as business continuity, how to access financial support, EI and employee income, employee management, business security and health and safety information can be found on this page. CFIB will also continue putting pressure on governments to give your business greater relief—including direct income support.
- This flyer will help employers complete record of employments (ROEs) for employees who are need to undergo quarantine, were sent home due to the company temporarily closing, layoffs, and other reasons surrounding COVID-19. It also covers various scenarios on how to handle payroll for employees who need to stay home to take care of a sick family member or children, special measures surrounding the work sharing program and other scenarios.
- On this page, you will find all the information on the supports and programs announced by the Federal Government up-to-date for individuals, businesses, and industries.
- All tourism operators impacted by the sudden shifts in the economy who need pressing assistance could reach out to their local RDAs to receive assistance with accessing federal funding to help you stay in business and provide advice and pathfinding services to other federal programs and services applicable to you.
- The government’s first steps will make available $10 billion in support for people and businesses through tax credits and deferrals to improve their cash flow, protecting jobs and household budgets, while providing the resources necessary to protect their health. The announcements and supports announced so far can be seen on the link above.
Other Resources:
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NOTO's COVID-19 Page
This page was created to keep you informed on the latest developments that may impact/help your businesses. This page features links to our COVID-19 newsletters, Government resources, information that may be useful to tourism operators and links to supports for tourism operators as they become available. This page will be updated regularly during this pandemic.
There are FAQ's with answers and tips from NOTO surrounding comforting concerned guests, how to market for the upcoming season, encouraging postponing vs cancellations of trips, and what to do about staffing. FAQs will be regularly updated as well.
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Federal & Provincial Government Information
The Ontario and Federal Governments are regularly updating COVID-19 information, travel information, Minister statements, Government initiatives and statistics on their websites. For additional information from the Ontario or Federal Government, please click on the buttons below.
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NOTO is a membership based organization that works hard to support the outdoor tourism industry through advocacy and information services. We do not receive Government funding for operating and rely on annual memberships from tourism businesses, organizations, product and service suppliers, and partners. For more information about membership with NOTO visit
noto.ca
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