In Today's Update
- Message from NOTO's Executive Director
- N. Ontario Tourism Workforce Development & Industry Training Survey Highlights and Follow-Up
- Ontario's New Reopening Plan & Regulatory Changes
- Ontario Extends Vaccine Booking Eligibility
- Canada-US Border Closure Extension
- TIAO Call Tuesday May 25th
- Ontario Tourism & Travel Small Business Support Grant
- Forestry Notices
- Great Ontario Getaway Giveaway
- 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:
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A Message from NOTO's Executive Director
Listening to yesterday's announcements was frustrating to say the least. We have been communicating for over 14 months now that tourism businesses need clarity in order to plan and navigate their way through this pandemic. I'm afraid what we got yesterday was the farthest from clarity we have seen yet.
We know that many of you have questions based on the large volume of calls and emails that we have received since yesterday afternoon. We do too. We are submitting a long list of questions to Minister MacLeod for her to bring back to the Health Table. I would warn readers that we will likely not have any answers until late next week at the earliest.
Of course, the moment we do get answers, we will share them with all of you.
Please note that the changes that Premier Ford announced to the current shutdown orders do not change the fact that the stay at home order is still in place so everything that we communicated in Wednesday's message still holds true.
Please take some time to unplug and unwind this weekend if you can and we will be back to you next week with more information as it becomes available.
Be well,
Laurie
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Northern Ontario Tourism Workforce Development & Industry Training Survey Highlights and Follow-Up
NOTO, Destination Northern Ontario, Ontario Tourism Education Corporation, District Social Services Administration Boards and the Northern Ontario Workforce Planning Boards would like to thank all of the operators who took the time to answer the Workforce Development & Industry Training Survey. Click here to see the survey highlights.
The data collected will help analyze and identify specific workforce labour gaps and available opportunities within Northern Ontario’s tourism sector. The results will also aid to understand and support the skills and talent needs of the tourism sector to develop and deliver skills training to meet the labour gaps identified by you, the employer.
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 you scale up for the year of the Ontario Staycation. Qualified employers will be eligible for a 30% wage subsidy to $3,000 per employee.
If you are interested in learning more about this program and potentially participating in the 2020 season, please fill in the follow-up form below. Thank you for your participation and interest!
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Ontario's New Reopening Plan & Regulatory Changes
Marinas:
37. (1) Marinas, boating clubs and other organizations that maintain docking facilities for members or patrons that meet the following condition:
1. Any clubhouse, restaurant, pool, communal steam room, sauna or whirlpool, meeting room, fitness centre or other recreational facility on the premises must be closed to the public, except for any portion of those areas that,
- is used to provide first aid services,
- is used to provide take-out or delivery service,
- contains a washroom, or
- provides access to an area described in subparagraph i, ii or iii.
(2) For greater certainty, nothing in this Order precludes a person responsible for a marina, boating club or other organization that maintains docking facilities for members or patrons from operating a grocery or convenience store on the premises or from providing fuel supply, boat or watercraft repair and servicing, boat or watercraft docking and boat or watercraft launching services.
Outdoor Recreational Amenities:
Outdoor recreational amenities are permitted to open so long as individuals maintain social distance of 2m from anyone outside of their household who happen to be using the facilities.
The Government has included a stipulation specifically surrounding recreational boating:
Each person responsible for a boat or watercraft shall ensure that if a group of persons uses that boat or watercraft together for recreational purposes, the members of the group are all members of the same household OR one other person from outside that household who lives alone or a caregiver for any member of the household
The remainder of the regulations for lodges, resorts, and seasonal campgrounds remain the same.
The province will remain in each step for at least 21 days to evaluate any impacts on key public health and health system indicators. This plan outlines three steps to easing public health measures, guided by the following principles:
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Step One (60 per cent of adults vaccinated with one dose): An initial focus on resuming outdoor activities with smaller crowds where the risk of transmission is lower, and permitting retail with restrictions. This includes allowing outdoor gatherings of up to 10 people, outdoor dining with up to four people per table and non-essential retail at 15 per cent capacity.
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Step Two (70 per cent of adults vaccinated with one dose and 20 per cent vaccinated with two doses.): Further expanding outdoor activities and resuming limited indoor services with small numbers of people where face coverings are worn. This includes outdoor gatherings of up to 25 people, outdoor sports and leagues, personal care services where face coverings can be worn and with capacity limits, as well as indoor religious services, rites or ceremony gatherings at 15 per cent capacity.
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Step Three (70 to 80 per cent of adults vaccinated with one dose and 25 per cent vaccinated with two doses.): Expanding access to indoor settings, with restrictions, including where there are larger numbers of people and where face coverings can’t always be worn. This includes indoor sports and recreational fitness; indoor dining, museums, art galleries and libraries, and casinos and bingo halls, with capacity limits.
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NOTE: The Government has not released the official document with regards to their new reopening plan. There are many unknowns at this time. It is expected that the Government will release more details on this plan in the upcoming week. NOTO is also seeking more information on the reopening plan and will continue to keep the industry informed as details are released. |
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Ontario Extends Vaccine Booking Eligibility
In addition, the province continues to work with public health units, First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities and boards of education to ensure that individuals between 12 and 17 years of age will be eligible to book an appointment beginning the week of May 31, 2021, to receive their first dose of the Pfizer vaccine.
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Canada-US Border Closure Extension
Prime Minister Trudeau stated that 75% of Canadians will need to be vaccinated before restrictions begin to loosen. Canada’s chief public health officer, Dr. Tam, also said that 75% of adults need to get at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine for a summer with fewer public health measures.
As it currently stands, 48% of Canadians have received at least 1 dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.
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TIAO Calls Tuesday May 25th
COVID-19 Northern Ontario Tourism Update Call
Tue, May 25, 2021 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM (EDT)
You can also dial in using your phone.
Access Code: 586-939-805
Joining us on the Northern Ontario Tourism Update Call, we have special guest Marie-Josée Filo, Program Coordinator & eBusiness Lead for North Eastern Ontario Communications Network Inc. (NEOnet), a not-for-profit organization that is proudly supported by FedNor. NEOnet was established in 1999 and has since acted as the region’s information and communication technology (ICT) champion.
The organization has a mandate to promote and develop the three pillars of the ICT sector:
- Infrastructure Enhancement
- Education and Awareness
- Application
NEOnet’s approach to large-scale projects echoes its mandate: it works with stakeholders to develop applications, awareness and infrastructure concurrently, so that funded projects are sustainable and encourage competition.
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COVID-19 Ontario Tourism Update Call
Tue, May 25, 2021 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM (EDT)
You can also dial in using your phone.
Access Code: 741-807-917
Thank you,
The TIAO team.
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REMINDER: Ontario Tourism & Travel Small Business Support Grant
The Ontario Tourism and Travel Small Business Support Grant is now available. The application portal will remain open until June 25th, 2021. This program will provide grants of $10,000-$20,000 to eligible businesses. Businesses can use this support grant in whatever way makes the most sense for their business.
For more information and details on the grant and what information you will need for your application, please click here.
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Forestry Notices
NOTO would like to take this opportunity to remind operators of the importance of staying up-to-date on the forestry activities happening in your region. We encourage all operators to take some time to review Forest Management Plans (FMP) and to participate in the consultations to ensure your business values are respected in the development of an FMP.
The latest notices NOTO has received are listed below:
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Inspection of Approved Insect Pest Management Program Red Lake, Trout Lake, Kenora, Whiskey Jack, Dryden, Wabigoon, English River, Lac Seul and Caribou Forests - Closes May 30th
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Invitation to Participate: Whiskey Jack 2023 - 2033 Forest Management Plan - Closes May 27th
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Inspection of Approved Amendment #2 to the 2020-2030 Forest Management Plan for the Red Lake Forest - Closes May 30th
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Review of Draft Forest Management Plan for Kenogami Forest 2021-2031 - Closes June 22nd
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2021-2024 proposed operations for a Contingency Plan for the Lac Seul Forest. - Closes June 14th
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FMP Amendment for the Gordon Cosens Forest - Closes May 31st
To view the notices and to participate in the consultation, please click on the button below. To receive notices for your Forest Management Unit directly in your inbox, register an account on the MNRF's new forestry website by clicking the button below as well.
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Great Ontario Getaway Giveaway
Looking to Participate?
If you haven't submitted an application yet, you can still do so. We've had a number of resource-based tourism businesses submit their packages for this program which highlight the great variety of unique experiences Northern Ontario has to offer! The contest will run until August so it's never too late to join in on the action. Please remember, awarded trips can be fulfilled in 2021 OR 2022.
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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!
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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!
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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 so much for your support!
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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 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.
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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 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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