In Today's Update
- A Message from our Executive Director
- Ontario to Enter Step 3 of Reopening Plan July 16th
- Ontario Travel Tax Credit Delayed
- TIAO Calls Next Week
- Canada Recovery Hiring Program
-
Feedback Wanted: Study Being Conducted on Processes for Decommissioning Fuel Sites
- Tourism SkillsNet North
- Safe Travels Stamp
- Renew or Join NOTO! - Early Bird Rates Extended!
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. We are here for you.
NOTO Contact Emails:
|
|
A Message from our Executive Director Laurie Marcil
As we continue our calls on the Government to begin a phased-in approach to reopening the Canada/US border, we are pleased to see changes in the support from Provincial leaders who have been less enthusiastic about moving forward. Late last week Premiers from Ontario, Alberta and a few other Provinces penned a letter to Prime Minister Trudeau encouraging him to reopening the border now to fully vaccinated Americans that show a negative COVID test result.
NOTO is working alongside its colleagues in the Canadian Federation of Outfitter Associations to put pressure on each Premier across Canada to get their support on beginning this phase of reopening as well.
We continue to meet with MPs and Cabinet Ministers to build on the media blitz that NOTO organized a couple of weeks ago and remain optimistic that we will get an announcement soon on the a reopening.
I have spoken to many of you who are facing making hard decisions on whether you will call the season. Many of you are facing cancellations from your US guests that have bookings in July and August and your hunting seasons are also at risk. We continue to take these messages to Government and call for action.
We are pleased to see that many of you have been able to book domestic travelers but we know from our discussions that these bookings do not begin to replace the lost bookings from your American guests. There simply are not enough domestic travelers to make up for these losses and we are bringing these messages to Provincial and Federal Governments.
I know the announcement regarding the new funding program from FedNor is not what we all were hoping for. We will continue to press for non-repayable grant programs, extensions on loan paybacks and greater forgivable portions. We will provide the details on the new Tourism Relief Fund in our next newsletter later this week. In the meantime, you can follow this link to review the announcement. Tourism Relief Fund
Please know that we are here to help and have not given up the fight to get all of you to the finish line of this pandemic in a position set for recovery.
Be well,
Laurie
|
|
Ontario to Enter Step 3 of Reopening Plan July 16th
Thanks to the vaccination efforts across Ontario and a continued improvement in public health indicators, the province will enter Step 3 of the Roadmap to Reopen on Friday, July 16th. Step 3 focuses on the resumption of additional indoor services and an increase in gathering restrictions in place.
Effective Friday, July 16th, the following regulations will come into effect ( O.Reg 364/20):
Restaurants, bars, and other food and drink establishments (Schedule 2, #1)
-
The total number of patrons permitted to be seated at the establishment, whether indoors or outdoors, must be limited to the number that can maintain a physical distance of at least two metres from every other person at the establishment.
- The establishment must be configured so that patrons seated at different tables are separated by a distance of at least two metres, or plexiglass or some other impermeable barrier.
- The person responsible for the establishment must post a sign in a location visible to the public that states the capacity limits under which the establishment is permitted to operate.
- The person responsible for the establishment must actively screen any dine-in patrons before they enter the establishment.
-
The person responsible for the establishment must record the name and contact information of every patron that enters an area of the establishment (exception for pick up/takeout), maintain the records for a period of at least one month, and only disclose the records to a medical officer of health or an inspector under the Health Protection and Promotion Act upon request.
Hotels, motels, lodges, cabins, cottages, resorts and other shared rental accommodation (Schedule 2, #6)
- Any indoor fitness centres or other indoor recreational facilities that are part of the operation of these businesses must be in compliance with section 16.
Indoor recreational amenities (Schedule 2, #17)
- Indoor recreational amenities may open if they comply with the conditions set out in section 16.
Tour and guide services (Schedule 2, #29)
- The number of members receiving the service can not exceed the number of persons that would permit every person on the tour, including guides, to maintain a physical distance of at least two metres from every other person.
-
The person responsible for the business must record the name and contact information of every patron that participates in the tour/guiding service, maintain the records for a period of at least one month, and only disclose the records to a medical officer of health or an inspector under the Health Protection and Promotion Act upon request
- The person responsible for the business must actively screen employees and guides (COVID-19 questionnaire)
Marinas, boating clubs etc. (Schedule 2, #31)
- Any indoor fitness centres or other indoor recreational facilities on the premises must be in compliance with section 16.
Campgrounds (Schedule 2, #34)
- Any indoor fitness centres or other indoor recreational facilities on the premises must be in compliance with section 16.
Gatherings (Schedule 3, #1)
- 25 people indoors
- 100 people outdoors
|
|
Ontario Travel Tax Credit Delayed
The delay of the Ontario Travel Tax Credit is upsetting but understandable. In order to maximize the reach and potential of this program, it needs to be implemented for a full tourism season. However, this also reinforces NOTO's advocacy efforts. The industry urgently needs financial support that won't lead to additional debt, especially if programs designed to help the sector are being delayed.
|
|
TIAO Calls - Tuesday, July 13th
COVID-19 Northern Ontario Tourism Update Call
Tue, Jul 13, 2021 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM (EDT)
You can also dial in using your phone.
Access Code: 375-669-221
COVID-19 Ontario Tourism Update Call
Tue, Jul 13, 2021 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM (EDT)
You can also dial in using your phone.
Access Code: 711-056-117
Thank you,
The TIAO team.
|
|
Canada Recovery Hiring Program
As the Government begins to wind down CEWS, they are encouraging business owners to apply to the new Canada Recovery Hiring Program. Employers are encourage to calculate which subsidy will give them the biggest support, and apply for that subsidy.
The Canada Recovery Hiring Program (CRHP) is a hiring subsidy which will support employers with a subsidy of up to 50% on incremental remuneration paid to eligible working employees (I.e. the portion of remuneration exceeding the remuneration of the baseline period). It will be offered until November 20, 2021, to qualifying employers who have seen a drop in revenue due to COVID-19. During the periods where applicants are eligible for the CEWS, they will have the choice of benefiting from either the CRHP or the CEWS with a declining rate. Employers can not access both subsidies for the same period.
|
|
Feedback Wanted: Study Being Conducted on Processes for Decommissioning Fuel Sites
MECP, MGCS and TSSA are engaging with stakeholders as we work together on fulfilling a recommendation of the Auditor General.
The Recommendation:
To reduce the risk of contamination spreading on and beyond abandoned fuel sites, we recommend that the TSSA ...work together with the Ministry of Government and Consumer Services [MGCS] and the Ministry of
Environment, Conservation and Parks [MECP] to develop a long-term funding strategy to remediate abandoned fuel sites.
As part of this process NOTO has been asked to provide input surrounding the impacts of abandoned fuel sites and the processes required to decommission fuel sites on behalf of the RBT sector.
The purpose of this engagement is to seek stakeholder input to:
• Ensure we have a comprehensive understanding of the issue,
• Better understand stakeholder concerns regarding abandoned fuel sites and
• Seek stakeholder insight into possible solutions.
To ensure we are well informed of any existing issues, impacts, concerns or suggestions for improvement on future policies, we are asking tourism operators to reach out to us at your earliest convenience. We are asking you to share your experiences with us in confidence.
|
|
Tourism SkillsNet North
Tourism SkillsNet North (TSNN) is designed to identify specific workforce labour gaps, train up to 300 potential employees and match them with available job opportunities within Northern Ontario’s tourism sector.
Ultimately, the program will assist in the identification and training of 300 potential employees and match them with a minimum of 150 employers within Northern Ontario’s tourism sector, as tourism operators scale up for the year of the Ontario Staycation.
Qualified employers will be eligible for a 30% wage subsidy up to $3,000 per employee.
We are very excited to announce that the first training cohort is beginning which means we have people who are looking for job placements! If you are in need of staff and interested in providing a placement, please register by clicking on the button below!
|
|
Get Your Safe Travel Stamp!
The World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) created the Safe Travels Stamp which is an international symbol designed to allow travellers to recognize governments and companies around the world, which have adopted health and hygiene, standardized protocols – so consumers can experience ‘Safe Travels’.
NOTO's health and safety protocols, which have been vetted by the Government of Ontario have been recognized as standardized protocols for this purpose.
If you've implemented our protocols, or any other Government approved protocols throughout your workplace, apply to receive your stamp!
|
|
Renew Your Membership or Join NOTO!
Great news! The NOTO Board of Directors is extending the early bird membership pricing for the remainder of 2021!
If you were a member in 2019 and/or 2020 and have not yet renewed your membership, please note traditional invoices for membership will be sent out in June. This year they will be at the early bird rate.
-
Entry Level: $452.00
-
Bronze:
$621.50 NOW: $593.25
-
Silver:
$734.50 NOW: $706.25
-
Basic:
$621.50 NOW: $593.25
-
Bronze:
$779.70 NOW: $734.50
-
Silver:
$1,367.30 NOW: $1,299.50
Prices listed above include HST. To renew your membership or to join NOTO, please click on the appropriate category link above to access the membership form. Completed forms can be printed and mailed to the NOTO office, or scanned and emailed to kate@noto.net or laurie@noto.net.
Thank you for your support!
|
|
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 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.
|
|
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.
|
|
NOTO is a membership based organization that works hard to support the outdoor tourism industry through advocacy and information services. We rely on annual memberships from tourism businesses, organizations, product and service suppliers, and partners to continue our work. For more information about membership with NOTO visit noto.ca
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
