- A Message from NOTO's President
- NOTO Success - LUP, BMA and other Crown resource fees to be waived for 2020
- What's Happening in Stage 3 & FAQs
- Canada-US Border Closure Extended
- TIAO Survey 7
- CWD: Proposal to Reduce Risk
- TIAC Letter Campaign - ACTION ITEM
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 President
Bob Garson, Garson's Fly-In Outposts
Hello Fellow NOTO Members,
I hope that for those who can open and get resident guests all is well and safe. With the risk of sounding like a broken record, we continue to work with government to seek aid for are members, especially those that are unable to generate any income.
I feel that our hard working government representatives and staff really understand our situation at this point. I am very hopeful that there will be positive news about our sector soon as government has eluded to this in many of the calls and meetings.
I am confident in our approach to government and we can just remain patient for another week or two.
Your Optimistic President,
Bob Garson
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NOTO Successfully Lobbies for LUP, BMA and Other Crown Resource Fees to be Waived for 2020
As some of you may know, NOTO sat on the MNRF's Hunting, Fishing and Resource-Based Tourism advisory committee. There were also a number of tourist operators on this call who represented the industry very well and helped to bring light to the impacts of COVID-19 on our sector.
Participation on this committee allowed the Minister to hear directly from stakeholders on how the pandemic has affected these sectors and share ideas to help with recovery. Our work through this committee and additional direct discussions with the Minister's office staff have proven fruitful.
Today I received a call from the Minister himself letting me know that he is moving ahead with one of the requests we made in March at the onset of this pandemic. It was clear from our discussion that the Minister truly understands the devastating situation our sector is in and wants to help through his Ministry.
Minister Yakabuski will be announcing the waiving of fees for 2020 for resource-based tourism operators. This includes bear operator fees, baitfish operators fees and commercial outpost camp land use fees for the 2020 calendar year. More details will be released in the official announcement from the Minister next week.
The Minister has also committed to working closely with Minister MacLeod to promote hunting, fishing and resource-based tourism in Ontario as everyone shifts their marketing efforts to the domestic market.
NOTO would like to send a heartfelt thank you to Minister Yakabuski on behalf of operators across the Province for listening to our industry's concerns and for his hard work in getting operators some financial support to help them get through these difficult times. We look forward to further discussions on how his Ministry and the Provincial Government as a whole can help our sector through the devastating affects of this unprecedented situation.
I know that this does not provide relief for all of our sector but it is a welcomed first step. We will continue to advocate for meaningful financial assistance for all operators at both the Provincial and Federal levels.
Be well,
Laurie
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Ontario Begins Stage 3
As of Friday, public gatherings will be extended to 100 people outdoors and 50 people indoors.
People need to continue to practice social distancing from any individual outside their social circle if they choose to gather in larger groups.
Social circles are gatherings where individuals from different households can gather without needing to socially distance. As it currently stands, social circles will remain at 10.
For regions that remain in stage 2, the social gathering restriction of 10 individuals will remain in place.
Dine-in at restaurants, bars, gyms, theaters, recreational facilities, parks and other facilities will be able to open as of Friday as well. The Chief Medical Officer of Health, public health experts and other officials have identified high-risk places and activities that are
not yet safe to open
, even if a region has entered Stage 3 due to the likelihood of large crowds congregating, difficulties with physical distancing, or challenges maintaining the proper cleaning and sanitation required to prevent the spread of COVID‑19:
- Amusement parks and water parks;
- Buffet-style food services;
- Dancing at restaurants and bars, other than by performers hired by the establishment following specific requirements;
- Karaoke rooms;
- Prolonged or deliberate contact while playing sports;
- Saunas, steam rooms, bath houses and oxygen bars;
- Table games at casinos and gaming establishments.
Good hand hygiene and wearing masks will remain critical as restrictions continue to loosen. The Government continues to encourage working from home if businesses can continue and choose to do so. The Chief Medical Officer of Health will continue to monitor the situation. Any spike in cases can and will result in the tightening of restrictions. Some municipalities have implemented restrictions or requirements, such as mandatory face coverings in commercial establishments and indoor public spaces. Please contact your local health unit or municipality for more details. We will be in stage 3 for the foreseeable future.
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FAQs Surrounding Stage 3 Specifics:
With the gatherings moving to 50 indoors, can I rent a single cabin to a group with more than 10 individuals?
Unfortunately it is not recommended. All individuals must continue to socially distance from anyone outside of their household and social bubble. Social bubbles are gathering of 10 individuals who may gather without needing to socially distance. Social bubbles will remain at 10 individuals and may be increased latter in stage 3.
Do my employees count towards the gathering restrictions?
No. Your employees do not count towards gathering limits in stage 3.
What does stage 3 mean for bars and restaurants? What about dining halls?
All restaurants, bars, concession stands, and other food and drink establishments may open for indoor dine-in. You must ensure physical distancing (2m or 6ft) between tables. You may choose to have live performers however they must be 2m or 6ft away from all other individuals. Similarly to staff, performers don't count towards gathering limits.
You
may not
offer buffet style dinners in stage 3. Remember to properly disinfect all tables and chairs between clients and to clean frequently touched surfaces (i.e door handles, washroom spaces) regularly.
Are masks mandatory in all indoor public spaces for stage 3?
Several health units, municipalities and cities have mandated the use of masks in all commercial establishments and indoor public spaces. Regulations differ by health unit district. We encourage all camp operators to get in touch with
their local health unit and/or municipality for more information.
Can I open my playground and water play structures in stage 3?
Yes you can however it is recommended that you create a type of booking system to limit the amount of individuals using these structures at any one time and to ensure physical distancing.
Say an area has a capacity of 45 individuals, can I open it at max capacity?
Gathering restrictions of 50 individuals indoors and 100 outdoors must include enough space to maintain a physical distancing (2m or 6ft) distance between all individuals. Unless your area is fit to accommodate 45 individuals with 2m between individuals, you may not run it at full capacity.
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The Canada-US Border Remains Closed
Next review to take place by August 21st, with possibility of extension.
Cases in the US have been increasing at an unprecedented rate. They have now surpassed 3.6 million cases and have been reporting over 60,000 new cases daily. On Tuesday, a
record-breaking single day increase of 67,417 cases was reported in the United States. Canada has only reported a total of 109,000 cases across the country
since the start of the pandemic
and has been averaging between 200 to 400 new cases daily, most of these new cases coming from Ontario and Quebec.
The US/Canada border opening before the end of the season is very unlikely. Many
health officials are calling on Government to keep the border to remain closed until the end of the year. This is why we must focus our efforts on securing meaningful financial support from Government. This is not easy information to relay to all of you who are dependent on the US market.
Minister MacLeod and Minister Rickford both mentioned in the Northern Tourism Townhall last week that the Provincial Government is pushing for the Federal Government to provide us with a clear timeline as to how long the border will be closed in order to provide businesses with better certainty and to help them plan for the future rather than relying on the updates every 20 to 30 days.
We encourage each of you to look to the current Government programs if you haven't already at
Canada.ca
and keep us posted of any shortfalls or challenges in making application.
NOTO is also looking into what this will mean for non-resident bear and moose hunts for 2020. If the border does remain closed and the fall hunts are lost, we will need clear direction from MNRF to ensure that operators are supported and do not face penalties due the loss of the season which is beyond their control.
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TIAO Survey #7
Since the beginning of this pandemic, we've been incredibly grateful for your support in completing our stakeholder surveys.
As the province continues on its path of slowly reopening and the lifting of some restrictions, we know the experience of this period can be different for our members, stakeholders and partner organizations.
As we all begin to adapt to the 'new normal' we know that there remain significant challenges and regulatory impediments. At TIAO we continue to collect this information, assist those trying to access provincial and federal government support and advise government on how to best support our industry.
The information we collect in this survey will also directly impact our Association of Municipalities Ontario (AMO) Conference briefing papers and meetings with key ministers in August.
Survey 7.0 is now open until Friday July 31st at 8am.
Thank you,
The TIAO team
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Proposal to Reduce the Risk of Chronic Wasting Disease From Entering Ontario
The Ontario government is seeking public input on a proposal to increase protections for the province's wildlife populations from Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD).
T
he government is proposing amendments to regulations under the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act that would:
- Prohibit people from importing into Ontario live, captive cervids from outside of the province, with some exceptions.
- Prohibit people from moving live cervids from one part of Ontario to another, with some exceptions.
- Expand the existing prohibition on the use or possession of lures, scents and attractants made from cervid parts to include any purpose beyond hunting.
- Expand the existing prohibition on import of high-risk parts of cervids hunted in other jurisdictions.
The proposed changes are now available on the Environmental Registry of Ontario for public feedback until August 31, 2020. Click on the button below to view the full details and to submit comments.
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Write to Your Local MPs!
TIAC is also calling on operators from across Canada to submit letters to their local MPs identifying your struggles and what types of support you need as we continue to face this pandemic.
In your letters, you may choose to include:
- the financial losses you've suffered
- the need for more meaningful financial assistance
- the challenges that you have and will continue to face
- the staffing issues
- the concerns for safety of staff and guests
- the lack of respect and acknowledgement for seasonal businesses who are the backbone of the economy
- the inability for businesses to plan with no clear dates or timelines
- and any other points you want to make.
If you choose to include the items listed above, re-purposing the letters you sent to the Provincial MPPs is an option and can certainly be a time saver.
Over 800 tourism operators have participated in this campaign. The larger the number, the louder the voice.
If you haven't already done so, please submit letters to your local MPs and participate in TIAC's Tourism Counts campaign by clicking the button below and submitting your letter there as well.
Here are the e-mail adresses to the Federal Party Leaders:
You may also wish to cc:
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NOTO Employment Board
As operators begin to open, many need help with finding employees. NOTO's website features an employment discussion board where those looking for work and those looking to hire can post in hopes of filling vacant positions.
This board is free to use for everyone and will be shared regularly on our social media pages.
NOTO also encourages all operators to take advantage of the CEWS program and the CEWS extension once it becomes available. Accessing CEWS will provide operators with more pay flexibility and could be used as an incentive to encourage individuals who are currently relying on CERB to come back to work for the summer.
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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. 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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