- Information for Bear Operators
- A Note to US Camp Owners
- Government Updates - Border closure and emergency order extensions, new eligibility for federal programs
- Canada Revenue Agency Webinar
- TIAO Operators Call
- TIAC Tourism Townhall
- Adapt 2020 - This week's webinars
- NOTO's COVID-19 page - Cleaning Tips Added!
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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Information for Bear Operators
In light of the recent announcement on the Canada-US border closure extension, MNRF has advised us that all Form 33s can be used in the fall bear hunt.
All bear operators should receive a letter from MNRF shortly.
MNRF continues to explore NOTO's recommendations to waive or discount administered fees for 2020.
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A Note to US Camp Owners - Update on NOTO's Efforts
Getting our US camp owners into Canada to protect their investments and prepare for a possible re-opening this summer is important to us. Here are our most recent steps that we are taking to help move this forward.
On May 13th, 2020, NOTO sent a joint letter with Indigenous Tourism Ontario , Camping in Ontario and TIAO to encourage the Premier to include our sector of tourism on the Essential Workplace List and officially allow businesses in this sector to being preparations. We included a guideline document that we have prepared to help guide business owners on how to safely bring staff back to their facilities to begin work. We also included the guideline documents that Camping in Ontario produced.
If we are successful in getting these businesses on the list, this will help us with the CBSA. They currently have not been allowing our business owners into Ontario/Canada because we are not on this list.
The other piece we are working on is to create a template for a travel plan to help each US camp operators to develop a travel and quarantine plan to present to border officials when the time comes.
We will continue to work on these items and press for your entry into Canada as soon as possible.
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Government Updates
Federal:
The Prime Minister also announced changes to the
Canada Emergency Business Account ($40,000 loan).
The program will now be available to a greater number of businesses that are sole proprietors receiving income directly from their businesses, businesses that rely on contractors, and family-owned corporations that pay employees through dividends rather than payroll. To qualify under the expanded eligibility criteria, applicants with payroll lower than $20,000 would need:
- a business operating account at a participating financial institution
- a Canada Revenue Agency business number, and to have filed a 2018 or 2019 tax return.
- eligible non-deferrable expenses between $40,000 and $1.5 million. Eligible non-deferrable expenses could include costs such as rent, property taxes, utilities, and insurance.
The
Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy will be extended
to August 29th which will allow more businesses to get back on their feet. The Federal Government is also proposing legislative changes which would enable support for seasonal employees and employees returning from extended leave.
The eligibility criteria for the
Business Credit Availability Program (BCAP)
will also be reviewed to ensure that the program is accessible to businesses of all sizes and all industry sectors across the country. More details are expected to be made available later this week.
Provincial:
All the emergency orders have been
extended until May 29th.
This extension includes the closure of bars and restaurants (take out and delivery only), gatherings of no more than 5 people, closure of outdoor recreational amenities (pools, playgrounds, beaches), and the restrictions surrounding lodges, camps and seasonal campgrounds. Any individual caught in non-compliance with any emergency order will receive fines.
The
updated essential services list
still states that all short term rentals (includes lodges and camps) can only open to provide housing for an individual who is in need of a place to self-isolate (i.e. essential workers). Here are the official stipulations surrounding seasonal campgrounds: as of Saturday May 16th at 12:01 am, seasonal campgrounds must ensure that,
- Campsites are made available only for trailers are recreational vehicles that are used by individuals who do not have another residence in Canada and are in need of housing during the emergency period or are permitted to be there by the terms of a full season contract.
- Only campsites with electricity, water service and facilities for sewage disposal are provided for use.
- All other recreational facilities in the campground, and all other shared facilities in the campground such as washrooms are closed.
- All other areas of the seasonal campground are closed to the general public and are only opened for the purpose of preparing the seasonal campground for reopening.
The state of emergency was extended to June 2nd.
We will advise you all if any of these emergency orders change.
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Canada Revenue Agency Webinar
The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) will host an interactive question and answer session for small and medium businesses on the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS). The session will respond to general questions about the CEWS and provide resources needed to apply.
Date: Wednesday, May 20, 2020
Time: 3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. EDT
If you are interested in participating in this session,
click here to register
. If the session is full, you will be added to a waitlist and will be advised of any future webinars hosted by the CRA.
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TIAO Industry Calls
Please take the time to participate in this week's TIAO Industry Call on
Thursday May 21st.
Tourism Operators and Educators
Call Time: 4pm
Access Code: 818-965-413
You can read the notes from last weeks meetings
here
.
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TIAC - Tourism Townhall
TIAC’s Tourism Townhall series is an event partnership between the Tourism Industry Association of Canada, Destination Canada, and the local host partners. Our virtual Tourism Town Halls will provide an opportunity to engage small and medium-sized business owner-operators across Canada to share information, government policy work, and available COVID recovery tools with our stakeholders. Town Halls will allow owner-operators to provide first-hand input on issues they are facing and hear from the leading tourism organization on the efforts being made to support tourism.
Date: Wednesday, May 27, 2020
Location: ZOOM Online - Links to follow by email after registration
Time: 1:00 – 3:00 pm EST
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Par où se lancer : Ressources, initiatives et outils / Where to Start: Resources, Initiatives and Tools
Presented by: Isabelle de Bruyn, Project Manager, Tourism / Gestionnaire en tourisme - Société économique de l'Ontario (SÉO) and Marla Tremblay, Destination Northern Ontario
May 20th, 2020 - 11:00 am EDT
Le webinaire se déroulera en français, avec un support bilingue (présentation PowerPoint)
- Ressources, outils et programmes disponible pour aider votre entreprise à traverser la crise
- Projets et initiatives liés au tourisme francophone dont votre entreprise pourrait bénéficier
- Outils d'autoévaluation en ligne
The Webinar will be in French with bilingual support (PowerPoint Presentation)
- Resources, tools and programs available to help your business survive the pandemic
- Francophone Tourism projects and initiatives that may be a fit for your business
- Online Self-Assessment Tool
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Experience Fishing
Presented by: Karen Jones, CEO of Karen Jones Consulting
May 21st, 2020 - 11:00 am EDT
Experience Fishing has proven to be an exciting, safe, family inclusive and instructive way to introduce the fun of fishing to beginners. The program is an ideal way for lodges and resorts to reach domestic markets and encourage new anglers including women, families with children and new Canadians to book a package.
Take advantage of this free program complete with online training resources designed for your business. Be ahead of the curve and allow Experience Fishing to help you access new markets when travel restrictions are lifted.
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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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