In Today's Update
- A Message from NOTO's President
- A Message from NOTO's Executive Director
- Government Announces New Ontario Tourism Recovery Program
- Minister MacLeod to Host Technical Briefing on the Ontario Tourism Recovery Program
- Minimum Wage Increase
- Changes to Employment Insurance Benefits (EI)
- NOTO Awards - Call for Nominations
- No TIAO Calls Next Week
- Comparing CEWS to the Canada Recovery Hiring Program
- Northern Ontario Tourism Fall Training Week
- TSNN: Hired Staff After June 1st, 2021?
- Safe Travel 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:
|
|
A Message from NOTO's President
Bob Garson - Garson's Fly-in Outposts
Hello Fellow NOTO Members,
The leaves are changing and the hunting has already started. This is a welcome end to another challenging year.
At this time, we would start preparing for our Annual Northern Ontario Tourism Summit, but once again we will not get to enjoy the comradeship of our fellow operators in person. We look to the future to re-live past events and get back to a place we once had back in 2019. In place of the Summit, NOTO and Destination Northern Ontario look forward to welcoming operators virtually again this year for the Northern Ontario Tourism Training Week from November 16th to 19th.
While our hopes remain and we look to the accomplishments we've had through the tough times over the past 2 years, I ask that we recognize members that have done more than just survive. We have this opportunity by nominating persons for our NOTO Awards. More details on these can be seen in this newsletter.
I would also like to point to the hard work of all the NOTO Board Members who work tirelessly for the members in their areas. Countless meetings, endless government regulations, border issues , insurance and at the same time they are running their own businesses. They do all this with no financial benefit or gain, just for the love and belief in our industry. I know we all appreciate their efforts but we never take the time to thank them.
On behalf of NOTO Members and Staff, I would like to take this opportunity to say thank you NOTO Board Members for all your support, input and the leadership you have demonstrated. We truly appreciate your work.
NOTO President, Bob Garson
|
|
A Message from NOTO's Executive Director
The shift from summer anglers and vacationers to fall hunters and weekend getaways is well underway and we are glad to hear that some guests are still visiting. We have heard from many that while numbers are not at full capacity they are getting enough guests to extend their traditional seasons to keep revenue coming in during their normally quiet shoulder season. It is a relief to see trends finally moving in the right direction.
This week I wanted to take a moment to let you all know how much I admire all of the small business owners in the tourism sector and say thank you. Working with so many of you to develop NOTO's action plans over the last 18 months has allowed NOTO to speak confidently and knowledgably to our political leaders and policy makers.
I completely understand that you all have challenges that you would prefer to work out on your own and answering numerous surveys and reaching out to talk about your individual situations is difficult and hard to find time to do. I appreciate and acknowledge all of these challenges, but I need you to continue to take that time to keep us informed. In order to for our organization to be most effective, it is critical that we have relevant and current data.
This week some of the issues that we have been focused on are as follows:
- Tourism Relief Fund (Federal), changes to eligibility criteria
- Tourism Recovery Fund (Provincial), changes to eligibility criteria
- Waiving crown resource fees for 2022
- Moose and bear tag allocations - gathering data, unused allocations from 2020-21
- Insurance, premiums and coverage - impacts on tourism
- Labour shortage crisis - Tourism SkillsNet North Program
NOTO will continue with our advocacy on these and numerous other issues for the resource-based tourism industry as we have since 1929. Since March 16th of 2020, NOTO's Board and staff have agreed to share our weekly newsletters with over 1400 RBT businesses to ensure they have the support they need to get through this pandemic regardless of their membership in NOTO. We thank our paying members for supporting this plan and for continuing to support us financially. We have seen good growth in membership and a solid increase in engagement from non-members. The emails of support for our work are confirming for us that we are doing work that you need us to do.
Our operating dollars come from voluntary memberships. We do not receive operational funding from any level of Government. As the organization that supports your specific sector, we have accomplished a great deal over the last two years and we have much more to do to support your business.
While my primary focus in my job as Executive Director is to advocate and represent my industry. Another critical function is to ensure we have the resources to cover this important work. I ask those who have not yet joined NOTO but have appreciated our information and advocacy work to consider joining NOTO now at the Entry level of $452.00. If you are not sure whether you are a member or not visit Our Members to see our current membership list.
I know its corny but its true, there IS strength in numbers.
Be well,
Laurie
|
|
Government Announces New Ontario Tourism Recovery Program
This week, the Government of Ontario announced and shared some details on the new Ontario Tourism Recovery Program. Applications for this new program will open October 13th, 2021.
The Ontario Tourism Recovery Program (OTRP) will support eligible tourism businesses that have been hardest hit by COVID-19. OTRP will be a competitive, application-based program supporting private-sector tourism businesses that are significant drivers for their regional tourism economies.
Program funding will help successful applicants:
- prepare to reopen safely
- develop adaptative and innovative tourism products
- retain and create tourism jobs
- support tourism recovery in their region and throughout Ontario
Successful applicants can use funding for expenditures, such as:
- reopening and operating expenses, including staff salaries and maintenance
- health and safety measures to support the safety of visitors and workers
- attracting visitors through tourism product and experience improvements and marketing
To be eligible, applicants must have experienced eligible revenue decline of at least 50% in the reported 2020–2021 year (COVID impact year), compared to fiscal year-end 2019 (pre-COVID baseline year). The program’s funding formula will use a percentage of qualifying revenue losses and salary and wage expenditures to determine the maximum potential award amount.
Eligibility
To be eligible for this program, applicants that operate eligible tourism businesses must meet all of the following requirements:
- be a for-profit business, legally incorporated (federally or provincially) as of January 1, 2018
- operate an eligible tourism business in Ontario and have a Canadian bank account
- have experienced eligible revenue decline of at least 50% in the reported 2020–2021 year (COVID impact year), compared to fiscal year-end 2019 (pre-COVID baseline year)
- have annual financial statements for fiscal year-end 2018, 2019 and the reported 2020–2021 fiscal year that reflects the impacts of COVID-19 and related losses
- have issued at least one T4 to an employee in 2019
- normally be open to the public at least 12 consecutive weeks per year and open at least five days per week during operating season
- be open, as permitted, in 2021
Eligible businesses include:
- Bed and breakfasts
- Resorts
- Hotels, motels, inns, and lodges
- Hunting and fishing camps or lodges
-
Cottages and cabins: Businesses that provide overnight, weekly, or short-term accommodation in self-contained cottage or cabin units. Business must report their revenue as business income for income tax purposes, and not as rental income.
- Campgrounds and recreational vehicle parks
- Boat tours
- Marinas
-
And many more tourism and attraction businesses (to view full list, please click here).
Funding:
As part of this program’s eligibility criteria, applicants must have experienced a qualifying revenue decline of at least 50% in the reported 2020-2021 year (a period that reflects COVID-related losses) compared to fiscal year-end 2019 (a pre-COVID, baseline year).
Businesses that qualify for the program and are successful in their applications will be eligible for funding up to the lesser of:
-
Up to 20% of 2020-2021 qualifying revenue losses, compared to fiscal year end 2019, or
- Salaries and wages for fiscal year 2019 according to the following tiers:
- Tier 1 – More than $4,000,000 in salary and wage expenses in 2019. Funding cap: $1,000,000
- Tier 2 - $2,000,000 to $4,000,000 in salary and wage expenses in 2019. Funding cap: $500,000
- Tier 3 - $1,300,000 to $1,999,999 in salary and wage expenses in 2019. Funding cap: $250,000
- Tier 4 – Less than $1,300,000 in salary and wage expenses in 2019. Funding cap: $100,000
Additional information on this program and the application portal will be released on October 13th, 2021.
|
|
PLEASE NOTE: NOTO is aware that similarly to the Federal Government's Tourism Relief Fund, the incorporated requirement will make several operators ineligible for this program. NOTO is bringing this concern forward to the Provincial Government in hopes to have this requirement changed by the launch date of October 13th.
If you have any questions, please reach out to the NOTO staff. We will include questions and answers in our weekly newsletter as additional information becomes available.
|
|
Minister MacLeod to Host Technical Briefing on the Ontario Tourism Recovery Program
|
|
Join Lisa MacLeod, Ontario’s Minister of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries, for a technical briefing on the Ontario Tourism Recovery Program
Time: Tuesday, October 5th, 2021 – 4:00 p.m.
Detailed instructions on how to register are here.
A Zoom link will be sent to all attendees after registration.
Attendees will be able to ask questions via the Q&A function in the Zoom webinar.
|
|
Minimum Wage Increase
Effective October 1st, 2021, Ontario's minimum hourly wage will increase by ten cents — from $14.25 to $14.35.
In terms of specialized wages:
- The minimum student wage will increase to $13.50 per hour.
- Liquor servers wages will increase to $12.55 per hour
- Hunting, fishing and wilderness guides’ wages will see an increase of 25 cents hourly, with the hourly wage increasing to $71.75 for working less than five consecutive hours in a day, or $143.55 for working five or more hours in a day whether or not the hours are consecutive.
- Homeworkers, which the Ontario government defines as “employees who do paid work in their own homes,” will also see a ten-cent increase, with their wages go up to $15.80 an hour.
For more information on these changes, please visit the Government of Ontario's website by clicking on the button below.
|
|
Changes to Employment Insurance Benefits (EI)
The Federal Government's temporary changes to EI as a result of COVID-19 have come to an end. The following change remain in place: Until September 2022, You only need to have accumulated 420 hours of insurable employment during your qualifying period to qualify for EI benefits. The qualifying period is the shorter of: the 52-week period immediately before the start date of your claim, or the period from the start of a previous benefit period to the start of your new benefit period, if you applied for benefits earlier and your application was approved in the last 52 weeks
If you’ve exhausted your Employment Insurance (EI) benefits and are no longer eligible for EI, you may be eligible for the Canada Recovery Benefit (CRB) if you meet the eligibility criteria. However, if you worked while on your EI claim, you may be able to establish a new EI claim. To determine your EI eligibility, you should make an EI claim before applying for the CRB.
NOTO is aware that there are many operators and employees who have not accumulated enough hours to qualify for EI over the winter months and who are also concerned that the Canada Recovery Benefit is set to expire at the end of October.
We will continue to look for solutions and develop recommendations to bring forward to Government to support our tourism workforce.
|
|
NOTO Awards
The NOTO awards were created to acknowledge the people who make Ontario's tourism industry so vibrant. The awards are presented every year to members who have gone above and beyond to improve both the natural and working environment, and/or tourism as a whole.
Please take a moment to think about someone who you feel should be acknowledged for their contributions to the tourism industry for the following awards:
-
NOTO Conservation Award: Awarded to a NOTO member who has contributed substantially to conservation.
-
Bob Giles Award: Awarded to a NOTO member who has shown outstanding performance in the field of Northern Ontario Tourism.
-
Outfitter of the Year Award: Awarded to a NOTO member who made an outstanding contribution to tourism over the last year.
-
Tourism Champion: Awarded annually to a person who supports a strong and united tourism industry. A person who sees tourism in a much larger picture than their own specific business or role they play. This award does not necessarily need to be given to a tourism business owner or a NOTO member.
-
Preferred Supplier of The Year Award: Awarded to a NOTO Preferred Supplier in recognition of their dedication, support and participation in furthering the goals and objectives of NOTO and its members.
To view more details and examples of activities that would qualify for these awards, and to access the nomination forms, please click on the button below.
Nominations close October 15th, 2021 at 4pm.
|
|
No TIAO Call on October 5th
Dear TIAO members,
We will not be hosting our Industry Update call on October 5, instead we invite you to join the Honourable Lisa MacLeod, Ontario’s Minister of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries, for a technical briefing on the Ontario Tourism Recovery Program on October 5th at 4:00 p.m.
Detailed instructions on how to register can be found here.
A Zoom link will be sent to all attendees after registration. Attendees will be able to ask questions via the Q&A function in the Zoom webinar.
Thank you,
The TIAO team.
|
|
Comparing CEWS to the Canada Recovery Hiring Program
We have been receiving a few questions about the differences between the CEWS and the CHRP. Here are some additional details that may help you decide which benefit to apply for.
Eligibility: Most of the eligibility criteria for the CRHP and CEWS are the same, including payroll account requirements and required revenue drops. Most types of employers who are eligible for the CEWS will also be eligible for the CRHP. However, for-profit corporations may be eligible for the CRHP only if they are:
- Canadian-controlled private corporations, or
-
cooperative corporations that are eligible for the small business deduction
Partnerships may be eligible for the CRHP only if at least half of the interest in the partnership is held by employers who are eligible for the CRHP.
Revenue drop: Your revenue drop only needs to be calculated once each claim period, whether you claim the CEWS or CRHP.
- The CEWS uses your revenue drop percentage to determine if you qualify for the subsidy for a claim period and to calculate your subsidy.
- The CRHP uses your revenue drop percentage only to determine if you qualify for the subsidy.
The online calculator will calculate both subsidies (CEWS and CRHP) for claim periods 17 to 21. It will show you both results, so you can see the higher amount for your situation. If you apply for the CRHP, you will be asked to enter the amount of CEWS you would be eligible for at line 300 in the application.
What time periods the subsidies cover: The CRHP and CEWS are both based on four-week claim periods. Currently, the two subsidies overlap for five of these claim periods, from June 6 to October 23, 2021 (periods 17 to 21). For these claim periods, if you are eligible for both subsidies, you can apply for either the CRHP or CEWS, whichever gives you the higher amount. From October 24 to November 20, 2021, only the CRHP will be available.
To view more information on the CRHP, please click on the button below.
|
|
SAVE THE DATE! Join us virtually for our
Northern Ontario Tourism Fall Training Week!
Destination Northern Ontario and Nature and Outdoor Tourism Ontario are pleased to bring you a free virtual Northern Ontario Fall Training Week, this November. COVID-19 has created challenges for tourism businesses and operators around the province. Our four-day training week is set to provide resources, tools, action plans, strategies, and connections for both today and the future. We will be welcoming tourism professionals from around the province to gather, share, and collaborate as we rebuild northern Ontario's tourism industry.
Details on sessions and registration will be made available shortly! Stay tuned!
|
|
Hired Staff After June 1st, 2021?
Register Them To Receive a Wage Subsidy!
If you have hired staff after June 1st, 2021, you can register them to the Tourism SkillsNet North program to have them trained and receive a wage subsidy! We understand that you may need all hands on deck, that's why we are committed to working with you to have your employees complete the e-training near or at the end of the operating season. As long as your employees complete the online training, you will receive a 30% wage subsidy (up to $3000) per employee!
Register your business and your employees today by clicking on the button below.
|
|
Safe Travels 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’.
In Ontario, the Safe Travels Stamp are administered by TIAO. NOTO's health and safety protocols, which have been vetted by the Government of Ontario have been recognized as standardized protocols for this purpose.
|
|
Renew Your Membership or Join NOTO!
NOTO has extended the early bird membership pricing for the remainder of 2021!
-
Entry Level: $452.00
-
Bronze:
$621.50 NOW: $593.25
-
Silver:
$734.50 NOW: $706.25
-
Basic:
$621.50 NOW: $593.25
-
Bronze:
$779.70 NOW: $734.50
-
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 for your support!
|
|
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
|
|
|
|
|
|
|