Visitor Rebate Program

The fight for the return of the Visitor Rebate Program continues

Since last fall FDFA has cranked up its advocacy efforts to reinstate the visitor rebate program. We have met with parliamentarians from all political stripes and continue to work closely with our partners like RCC and TIAC to ensure the government commit to restore this important program.

Last month, Executive Director, Barbara Barrett met with Blake Richards, Conservative Shadow Minister for Tourism, to introduce the association and discuss issues of importance to our industry. During this productive meeting we made the case for the return of the visitor rebate program. We also recommended that duty free stores administer the program to maximise benefits, increase traffic at stores and repatriate more revenues to Canada. There was further discussion on the significant contribution of the duty free industry to the Canadian economy and the need for government to protect and enhance the duty free program. 

Going Forward

Budget 2019 included a number of measures to support the tourism industry including the creation of a Canadian Experience Fund and additional funding to Destination Canada for a tourism marketing campaign to promote Canada as a Tourism destination. While we are encouraged by the government’s recent announcement to support tourism in Canada, we believe that the government has missed an opportunity to bring forward measures such as the visitor rebate program to boost the visitor economy in Canada. Canada is only OECD country with a federal sales tax that does not have a visitor rebate program and this is an anomaly within the country, visitor spending being the only form of export not exempt from sales tax.

FDFA is engaged with members of parliament and key decision-makers in Ottawa to encourage the government to take action on this issue. We will also continue to work with our industry partners for the reinstatement of the visitor rebate program.

COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP

Niagara Duty Free is supporting the "One Foundation" - the Niagara Region Hospitals Foundation to help with the replacement of their Defibrillators. They need to buy approx. 35 at $25,000 ea. for the hospitals in the Region. Niagara Duty Free pledged to buy one over two years.

SOCIAL MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS

Follow us on social! @FDFAInsider & @CanadaDutyFree

FDFA HILL DAY: SAVE THE DATE

Calling all members! Are you attending the Frontier Duty Free Association’s 2019 advocacy day on Parliament Hill? From May 15-16 delegates will take to Parliament Hill in Ottawa to lobby political decision makers about the importance of the duty free industry for Canada’s economy, and growing tourism industry.

We have a packed schedule of breakfasts, briefings, meetings, and networking events! If your store is interested in taking part, please contact our Manager of Operations Allison Gardner, [email protected]