Dogwood Express Newsletter
May 6 2022: Issue 24
In This Issue:
  • BCLCA Online Auction Live – Benefiting Care Camps of Canada runs until May 29 2022. So let’s start Bidding!
  • Offering Employment to Ukrainians Arriving in Canada
  • The Collection of and Amount of Municipal Regional District Tax Expands
  • Invite: BCLCA Webinar and Town Hall Meeting on May 11, 2022 - 10:00 am – 11:30 am
  • New Federal Measures Announced to Address Canada’s Labour Shortage
Dear BCLCA Member:

The Super Camping/Select Lodging Guide is at the printers Mitchell Press, but digital distribution has already begun with the posting of the online 2022/23 Super Camping Guide. Over the past year 7,780 people viewed the flip book version.

As well, listings are added, when received in the office, on the SCBC App and consumers have been accessing this over the past six months. In fact, 9,910 people accessed the App and viewed 12,802 listings, with 6,055 clicks to websites and 113 phone calls.

Later in May consumers will be able to pick up a copy in person at Visitor Centres that are open throughout British Columbia and Alberta.

Last week, the BCLCA board gathered in Richmond, face-to-face for the first time since the Pandemic began, to develop a draft 2023 - 2025 strategic plan for the organization.

At the strategic planning session, the board reviewed the Vision, rewrote the Goals, and developed nine Objectives. Next, they identified strategies for each of the nine objective statements based on current activities and forecasted wants and needs of the Association.

Over the next few months revisions and priorities will be set culminating in a new recommended strategic plan to take to the members at the Ideas Forum, October 18 -20 in Kelowna, for member input and ratification.

We hope to engage with many of you at the May 11th FREE webinar 10:00 am – 11:30 am next week. The webinar is a “Pre-Season Pep Rally with How to and Practical Ideas” delivered by the BCLCA board of directors.

To register:
BCLCA ONLINE AUCTION LIVE - BENEFITING CARE CAMPS OF CANADA RUNS UNTIL MAY 29, 2022. SO LET'S START BIDDING!
 
BC Lodging and Campgrounds Association is proud to support Care Camps of Canada with “Auction 22”. The ONLINE Auction is full of items to bid on, from Glamping, Cabin stays, experiences, clothing, small appliances and more. Care Camps allows children living with cancer to have hope, happiness and the healing powers that comes from attending specialized oncology camps where they can just-be-kids.

The Auction runs until 7pm on May 29th. Visit the auction and place a bid or two. We are also having a donation draw - for every $22 donation you make, your name will go into a draw to be held LIVE on Facebook on May 29th at 7:00 pm PST. Online "Auction 22" details here.
 
Please share the auction and donation links with your customers as we want to raise more than $22,000 this year. It costs $1,850 to send a child to camp for a week! Total raised as of writing stands at $4,134.
OFFERING EMPLOYMENT TO UKRAINIANS ARRIVING IN CANADA
 
Some BCLCA members have asked about hiring Ukrainian refugees. We reached out to go2HR and they have offered the following information: 
 
The Federal government introduced a number of special measures to support the people of Ukraine, including the Canada-Ukraine authorization for emergency travel (CUAET) which offers Ukrainians and their family members free, extended temporary status and allows them to work, study and stay in Canada until it is safe for them to return home. It also gives those who are already in Canada the option to extend their visitor status, work permit or study permit so that they can continue to live and work or study in Canada temporarily.

Canadian employers wishing to support Ukrainians through offers of employment should register their available jobs on the Canada Job Bank. Canadian officials are directing Ukrainian nationals who are seeking employment to this site.
 
Ukrainian Communities in Canada 
A number of Ukrainian communities in BC and nationally are working to connect hiring employers with Ukrainian job seekers:
 
Vancouver 
 
Outside Vancouver 
 
Click here for more information
THE COLLECTION OF AND AMOUNT OF MUNICIPAL REGIONAL DISTRICT TAX EXPANDS

In addition to the 8% PST on short-term accommodation rentals, the up to 3% Municipal Regional District Tax (MRDT) applies on behalf of municipalities, regional districts, and eligible entities to sales of short-term accommodation provided in participating areas of British Columbia.

The MRDT applies in the same manner as the 8% PST on accommodation. The MRDT is charged in participating areas to raise revenue primarily for tourism marketing, programs, and projects.

The COVID-19 pandemic has spawned a thirst for marketing dollars. Some areas are increasing the MRDT rate from 2% – 3% to capture more consumer dollars, while others are new to the MRDT collection game, and yet other areas are expanding their boundaries.

Bulletin PST 120, Accommodation, has been revised to:

Add the following to the list of areas collecting the MRDT, at the rate of 3%, effective June 1, 2022:
  • Hornby Island Local Trust Area of the Comox Valley Regional District

Reflect the MRDT rate increase from 2% to 3% for the following, effective July 1, 2022:
  • City of Penticton 
  • Town of Port McNeill
  • Village of Alert Bay
  • That part of the Columbia Shuswap Regional District consisting of the Town of Golden, Kicking Horse Mountain Resort area and Electoral Area A not including Yoho National Park
  • That part of the Regional District of Mount Waddington consisting of the Village of Port Alice and Electoral Areas A, B, C and D

Expand the collection of MRDT from that part of the Regional District of East Kootenay consisting of the Village of Radium Hot Springs and two portions of Electoral Area G to include all Electoral Area G, and reflect the MRDT rate increase from 2% to 3%, effective August 1, 2022.

For a full list of communities collecting MRDT see page 22 – 25 in the
INVITE: BCLCA WEBINAR AND TOWN HALL MEETING ON MAY 11, 2022 10:00 am – 11:30 am

All BCLCA Members are invited to a FREE Zoom webinar and town hall cracker barrel to discuss operating in 2022.

When: Wednesday, May 11, 2022, 10:00 AM Vancouver

Topic: Pre-Season Pep Rally with How to and Practical Ideas – hosted by the BCLCA Directors
 
Register in advance for this event:
 
60 Minute Open Session on Preparing for the Upcoming Season
 
The BCLCA directors will chat for 5 minutes each about business conditions and update members on their pace of bookings, pricing models in play, tips on maintenance, marketing ideas they are employing over the summer, staffing sourcing solutions and the use of technology to manage operations. This will stimulate an operational discussion on practical ideas and solutions and give attendees tips to take-away and use in their business over the season.

After the webinar, the event moves to a 30-minute question-and-answer Cracker Barrel led by Jamie Cox, BCLCA President who, along with other directors, will answer operational questions posed by operators. The cracker barrel is fully interactive, and operators can raise their hands to ask questions and chime in with answers or comments to elaborate on topics.

Register in advance for this event:


After registering, you will receive an email confirmation containing information about joining the Webinar/Town Hall. A reminder email will be sent one week prior and one day before the webinar commences.
NEW FEDERAL MEASURES ANNOUNCED TO ADDRESS CANADA'S LABOUR SHORTAGE

Recently, the Honourable Sean Fraser, Canada’s Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, announced a temporary policy to allow over 50,000 recent international graduates with expiring temporary status an opportunity to stay in Canada longer, so that they can continue to gain work experience and have a better chance at qualifying for permanent residency.

Starting in summer 2022, former international students who are in Canada and have a post-graduation work permit expiring between January and December 2022 will qualify for an additional open work permit of up to 18 months.

This welcomed policy change is one of many ways to address our industry’s ongoing labour shortage. We continue to work with our government and industry partners on other workable solutions and will provide updates as we can.
Click here to read more.
BC LODGING & CAMPGROUNDS ASSOCIATION
209, 3003 St. Johns Street, Port Moody BC V3H 2C4
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