In Today's Update
- A Message from NOTO's Executive Director
- Ontario Now Under Step 2 Regulations
- Support Programs - NEW & Those That Remain Available
- Canada Business App
- REMINDER: Minimum Wage Increase
- 2021 Northern Ontario Fixed Roof Accommodation Survey
- TIAO Calls - January 11th
- Tourism SkillsNet North - We Are In Search of Winter Employers!
- Renew or Join NOTO! - Early Bird Rates Now Available!
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:
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A Message from NOTO's Executive Director
Laurie Marcil
I am sure I speak for all of you when I say this is NOT how we had hoped to start 2022. We echo your feelings of frustration and anxiety and are continuing with our efforts to find a path for our sector through this relentless pandemic. We remain focused on these critical tasks.
We are working with other industry partners like TIAO and CFOA to line up meetings with MPs, MPPs and other senior Government officials to continue our advocacy on your behalf:
Here is a list of some of the short term priority issues we will be laser focused on for the next several weeks:
- extending loan program payback deadlines;
- making more of those loans forgivable;
- inclusion of sole proprietorships and partnerships in financial support programs;
- reconsideration of waiving crown resource fees for 2022;
- faster delivery of funds from federal Tourism Relief Program and Ontario Tourism Recovery Program;
- elimination of random testing for international guests;
- continued support for maintaining and finding staff
These are obviously critical needs for the immediate timeframe. We know that we must also focus on other longer term priorities that will help set the stage for a bright future for our resource-based tourism industry. We will be working closely with our Board over the coming weeks and months to identify these important initiatives and create a plan. These are needs and wants that Board and the industry has brought to us through our surveys and discussions over the last few years as well as important forward thinking issues that we know will open up opportunities and reduce burdens for our sector businesses.
As we prepare for these meetings, I would ask you to reach out to me by phone or email if you have any information and/or scenarios of situations that may help us to bring critical messages forward. These types of conversations help to ensure our advocacy remains effective.
In the meantime, thank you all for giving us the encouragement and support, for being open and honest with us about your struggles, and for pulling together to get through this as a united and strong tourism sector.
I know that you may not feel like you can deal with any further disappointments and challenges but we at NOTO believe in you and will be here to help you as much as we can. I encourage you all to look to one another for support as well. Check in with your fellow operators and ensure that no one is alone. We can stay strong if we continue to look out for one another and work together.
Be well,
Laurie
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Ontario Now Under Step 2 Regulations
Due to a significant increase in COVID-19 cases across the province, the strain on testing capacities, and the recent uptick in hospitalizations, the Government of Ontario has announced that the province will move to a Modified Step 2 for 21 days (until January 26th), with possibility of extension based on public health trends at that time.
Earlier this week, NOTO sent a list of all of the new restrictions to the industry. In case you've missed it, you can view a summary of all the new restrictions by clicking here. To view the official regulations, please click on the button below.
Please note: Local medical officers of health also have the ability to issue Section 22 orders under the Health Protection and Promotion Act to target specific transmission risks in the community. All operators are encouraged to reach out to their local health units to make sure they comply with all regulations and restrictions in their respective districts.
We know that all of you will be impacted by these restrictions in some way whether it is as a business owner or in your personal lives and we feel your frustration. Please know that NOTO is here to support you and we are open to taking calls and emails about how these new restrictions are impacting your lives. We also want you to know that we are moving forward with efforts to gain more non-repayable and meaningful financial supports for you.
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Support Programs That Remain Available
NEW - COMING SOON: Ontario Business Costs Rebate Program: Through this new program, eligible businesses will receive rebate payments equivalent to 50 per cent of the property tax and energy costs they incur while subject to the current capacity limits. Examples of businesses that will be eligible for the Ontario Business Costs Rebate Program include restaurants, smaller retail stores and gyms. A full list of eligible business types will be made available through a program guide in mid-January 2022, with payments to eligible businesses provided retroactive to December 19, 2021. Businesses will be required to submit property tax and energy bills as part of the application process.
The province is also providing businesses with a six-month interest- and penalty-free period to make payments for most provincially administered taxes. The six-month period will begin January 1, 2022 and end July 1, 2022. Eligible businesses will have the option to delay their payments for the following provincially administered taxes:
- Employer Health Tax
- Beer, Wine & Spirits Taxes
- Tobacco Tax
- Insurance Premium Tax
- Fuel Tax
- International Fuel Tax Agreement
- Gas Tax
- Retail Sales Tax on Insurance Contracts & Benefit Plans
- Mining Tax
- Race Tracks Tax
Eligible small businesses include:
- Restaurants and bars;
- Facilities for indoor sports and recreational fitness activities (including fitness centres and gyms);
- Performing arts and cinemas;
- Museums, galleries, aquariums, zoos, science centres, landmarks, historic sites, botanical gardens and similar attractions;
- Meeting or event spaces;
- Tour and guide services;
- Conference centres and convention centres;
- Driving instruction for individuals; and
- Before- and after- school programs.
Eligible businesses that qualified for the Ontario Small Business Support Grant and that are subject to closure under modified Step Two of the Roadmap to Reopen will be pre-screened to verify eligibility and will not need to apply to the new program. Newly established and newly eligible small businesses will need to apply once the application portal opens in the coming weeks. Small businesses that qualify can expect to receive their payment in February.
COMING SOON - Electricity Rate Relief: The Ontario government is also providing electricity-rate relief to support small businesses, as well as workers and families spending more time at home while the province is in Modified Step Two. For 21 days starting at 12:01 am on Tuesday, January 18, 2022, electricity prices will be set 24 hours a day at the current off-peak rate of 8.2 cents per kilowatt-hour. The off-peak rate will apply automatically to residential, small businesses and farms who pay regulated rates set by the Ontario Energy Board and get a bill from a utility and will benefit customers on both Time-of-Use and Tiered rate plans.
Other recent Ontario support initiatives for businesses include:
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Cutting wholesale alcohol prices to support to restaurants, bars and other businesses, as well as making it easier for businesses to create and extend patios and permanently allowing licensed restaurants and bars to include alcohol with food as part of a takeout or delivery order.
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Extending COVID-19 paid sick days until July 31, 2022 to keep workers safe.
- Ontario is calling on the federal government to strengthen federal support programs to ensure businesses and workers have the support they need. This includes adjusting the eligibility requirements for the Government of Canada’s Tourism and Hospitality Recovery Program and the Hardest-Hit Business Recovery Program to ensure more impacted businesses can apply, while also ensuring that businesses experiencing partial capacity restrictions can qualify for the Local Lockdown Program. Ontario is also inviting the federal government to work together with the province to further help businesses that are struggling with cash flow challenges, by developing a program that would allow hard hit businesses to temporarily defer the remittance of HST, starting with a commitment to allow eligible businesses to defer HST collected in December, interest-free, for a period of up to six months.
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Tourism Relief Fund: This program offers eligible businesses up to $100,000 in non-repayable contributions for up to 50% of eligible costs or up to $500,000 in repayable contributions for up to 75% of eligible costs. Applicants are encouraged to review the Application Guide and to contact a FedNor Officer prior to submitting an application. For operators located in Northern Ontario, please apply through FedNor by clicking here. For operators located from Muskoka-south, please apply through FedDev by clicking here. Please note: you must be incorporated to be eligible. NOTO continues to advocate for changes on this front.
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Canada Worker Lockdown Benefit: Provides $300 a week to eligible workers who are unable to work due to a temporary local lockdown anytime between October 24, 2021 and May 7, 2022.The benefit is only available when a COVID-19 lockdown order is designated for your region.
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Canada Recovery Caregiving Benefit: This program provides up to $500/week for up to 44 weeks per household for workers who are unable to work for at least 50% of the week because they must care for a child under the age of 12 or family members because of school, day-case or face facility closures, or because the child or family member is sick and/or requires to quarantine or is at high risk of serious health implications because of COVID-19.
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Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit: This program provides up to $500/week for a maximum of 6 weeks for any worker who is unable to work because they have contracted COVID-19, or are self-isolated for reasons related to COVID-19.
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Highlighly Affected Sectors Credit Availability Program: HASCAP provides businesses heavily impacted by COVID-19, access guaranteed, low-interest loans of $25,000 to $1 million to cover operational cash flow needs. HASCAP is available to businesses that operate in sectors such as tourism and hospitality, restaurants and those that primarily rely on in-person services. Business owners can apply for support until March 31, 2022
Wage and Rent Subsidies - For each applicable claim period, eligible employers can claim ONE of the following, whichever gives the highest amount:
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Tourism and Hospitality Recovery Program: The THRP supports businesses, charities, and non-profits who have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic through wage and rent subsidies. The THRP is available to businesses and organizations in the tourism and hospitality industry with a 12-month average revenue drop (March 2020 to February 2021) of at least 40% and a claim-period revenue drop of at least 40%. Effective October 24th. 2021 to May 7th, 2022. NEW - From December 19, 2021 to February 12, 2022, businesses with a current-month revenue loss of 25% and who are affected by a capacity-limiting public health restriction of 50% or more are eligible to apply for THRP wage and rent subsidies. Please Note: The Federal Government is advising applicants that there was a spreadsheet error that may have impacted your eligibility if you applied for period 22 (October 24 to November 20th, 2021) between Tuesday December 21st and Friday December 24th. If you submitted an application during this timeframe, please contact the Business Enquiries line at 1-800-959-5525.
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Canada Recovery Hiring Program: As a replacement to CEWS, the Government is encouraging business owners to apply to the new CRHP. This program provides a wage subsidy to businesses who continue to require wage support to keep or re-hire staff. Available until May 7th, 2022.
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Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS) Effective: March 15, 2020, to October 23, 2021 - you may still retroactively apply to the CEWS program. Learn more here.
Proposed regulatory changes to temporarily expand access to lockdown program:
The government has announced new proposed regulatory changes to temporarily expand eligibility for wage and commercial rent support for businesses and other organizations under the Local Lockdown Program. These changes would:
- apply to claim periods 24 and 25 (December 19, 2021, to February 12, 2022)
- allow those entities to qualify if they are subject to a capacity-limiting public health restriction of 50 per cent or more
- reduce the current-month revenue decline threshold requirement to 25 per cent for those entitled
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Other COVID Support Programs:
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Tourism HR Canada's Propel Student Work Placement Program: Funded by the Government of Canada through the Student Work Placement Program, Propel offers registered Canadian businesses, startups and not-for-profits related to the tourism and hospitality sector a wage subsidy of up to 75 per cent of a qualifying student’s wages, to a maximum of $7,500 for each student hired through the program (open until March 2022).
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Tourism SkillsNet North: TSNN is a program designed to train up to 300 employees and match them with employers across Northern Ontario's tourism and hospitality industry. Participants receive industry relevant training, and employers receive a wage subsidy of 30% (up to $3000) per employee. You can use this program to train and receive a wage subsidy for any employee hired after June 1st, 2021. Program open until March 31st, 2022. We have applied for a second round of funding to extend the program and are awaiting a decision.
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Non-COVID Related Funding:
To view a full list of other available programs both Federally and Provincially that you may want to access for non-COVID related initiatives or upgrades, please click on the links below. Note that these webpages are regularly updates as new programs are created and made available. Feel free to bookmark them for future reference.
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Canada Business App May Provide Streamlined Assistance to Small Business Owners
Canada Business is a mobile business consultant, simplifying access to government services. Find and use what you need, whenever and wherever you are making business happen.
Designed as a simplified all-access point for business, Canada Business provides business owners with a customized user experience to find essential information and directly interact with government resources and tools.
This app was developed for Canadian businesses by Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada.
You can download the free Canadian Business app from your preferred app store.
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REMINDER: Minimum Wage
Minimum wage has increased to $15/hour effective January 1st, 2022. Other specialized minimum wages have also changed. Click here to read more.
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2021 Northern Ontario Fixed Roof Accommodation Survey
Destination Northern Ontario (DNO), in partnership with Northeastern Ontario Tourism, Algoma Country, Sunset Country, Superior Country and NOTO, is conducting the annual Northern Ontario Fixed Roof Accommodation survey to benchmark the industry’s performance.
The past two years have been difficult and far from normal, and as the industry continues to struggle through the pandemic it is more important than ever that we continue to track performance. Input from stakeholders like you allow Destination Northern Ontario, your regional marketing organizations, NOTO and others to continue to advocate on our industry’s behalf.
The concrete data and numbers you provide help tell the story of the continued need for funding and support specifically for Northern Ontario. It also helps measure the impact of the pandemic and if/how the accommodation industry in Northern Ontario is recovering.
This 30-minute survey seeks to collect data on your operation’s performance in 2020 and 2021, including market segmentation and high-level financials, COVID-19 funding programs, and an outlook on 2022. We realize that you may be surveyed out, but as an industry stakeholder, DNO and its partners really need and appreciate your input.
Thank you, you are making a difference!
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TIAO Calls - January 11th
COVID-19 Northern Ontario Tourism Update Call
Tue, Jan 11, 2022 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM (EST)
You can also dial in using your phone.
Access Code: 856-065-133
COVID-19 Ontario Tourism Update Call
Tue, Jan 11, 2022 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM (EST)
You can also dial in using your phone.
Access Code: 372-156-957
Thank you,
The TIAO team.
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Attention Northern Ontario Employers!
Are you open over the winter months?
We have several individuals who are currently being trained through the Tourism SkillsNet North program who are in search of employment.
We have a particularly large amount of job seekers in the following areas: Sault Ste. Marie, Sudbury, North Bay, and Thunder Bay.
If you are in need of staff, please register your business to the Tourism SkillsNet North program. We have job seekers in various areas across Northern Ontario that we will train and match to your business in hopes of filling your vacancies. As the employer, you will be able to interview each candidate we send your way and decide if you would like to hire them. As an employer, you will be eligible for a wage subsidy of 30%, up to $3000 per employee hired through the program. You may also register any employee you've hired since June 1st, 2021. As long as they complete the training, you'll receive the wage subsidy!
Register your business and/or your employees today by clicking on the button below.
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Early Bird Promotion for 2022 Memberships Now Available!
Renew your membership or join NOTO before March 31st, 2022 to be entered for a chance to win the Early Bird Prize Draw! *Prize to be announced at a later date.
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Entry Level: $452.00
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Bronze:
$621.50 NOW: $593.25
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Silver:
$734.50 NOW: $706.25
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Basic:
$621.50 NOW: $593.25
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Bronze:
$779.70 NOW: $734.50
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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!
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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 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
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