In Today's Update
- A Message from NOTO's Executive Director
- NOTO's Five-Year Strategic Plan Update
- Federal Government's 2021 Throne Speech
- Federal Government Introduces Legislation To Implement Targeted COVID-19 Support
- TIAO Survey
- Proposal to Simplify and Align Provincial White-tailed Deer Hunting Seasons
- Proposal to Establish New Fall Wild Turkey Hunting Seasons
- Ontario Northland Conducts Test Run for Passenger Rail Service
- Ontario Extends Emergency Orders in Place Under the Reopening Ontario Act until March 2022
- Timiskaming Health Unit Reintroduces COVID-19 Measures
- Algoma Public Health is Considering Introducing Even More COVID Restrictions
- Tourism SkillsNet North
- 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:
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A Message from NOTO's Executive Director
Laurie Marcil
This week we continued to bring strong messages to both Federal and Provincial governments that tourism is not in recovery mode and that it will take at least the next three years to get tourism back on its feet. Not only do we need some supports to continue but we need targeted programs that will encourage growth and get businesses back on their feet.
We also need to have plans for how people will be able to move more freely across our country, borders and our oceans. The recent news of the latest variant definitely will set us back for now but this doesn't mean we won't continue to have the conversations about reducing testing for those travellers who are fully vaccinated for next season. The recent news just makes the hill a little more steep for now.
We have had some great discussions on a number of policy reviews that we look at as an opportunity to reduce burdens and barriers for tourism business owners over the coming year. We will be reaching out looking for input on specific items and we urge each of you to engage in this process. It is critical that we take these opportunities to get things right for tourism.
Stay tuned for more details and we look forward to hearing from you.
Be well,
Laurie
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NOTO's Five-Year Strategic Plan Update
During NOTO's Annual General Meeting during the Northern Ontario Tourism Training Week, Laurie provided an update on NOTO's Five Year Strategic Plan (2019-2024). Despite the pandemic, we were able to complete several of the items identified by both members and non-members in the Strategic Plan. Here are some highlights:
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Website Redevelopment: The new website is near completion! It will be very user-friendly and feature the following: industry updates, resource pages, quick links to important Ministry websites, a member only portal, e-commerce capabilities and more! We are aiming to launch the new website in December 2021 or early January 2022.
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Build Social Media Presence: We’ve increased our social media presence but more work can be done to streamline content to keep our pages more relevant to NOTO and the work it does for the industry.
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Successfully Increase Engagement from Current Members: We continue to receive countless e-mails and calls from members and non-members alike sharing their stories and providing feedback to help our advocacy efforts. We also want to thank everyone for taking the time to participate in countless industry surveys over the past few years.
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Increase Awareness of NOTO Within the Industry: COVID-19 has provided us with countless opportunities to really showcase who we are and what we do here at NOTO. Many more operators now understand that we are an advocacy organization representing their needs, and see the importance of the organization and the value in being a NOTO member.
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Increase and Strengthen Partnerships: NOTO has partnered with TIAO, Destination Northern Ontario, Tourism Excellence North, Destination Marketing Organizations, Canadian Federation of Outfitter Associations, Indigenous Tourism Ontario, TIAC, OTEC and others on several projects and advocacy work over the past few years. You can view a full list of projects by clicking on the button below.
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Increase NOTO's Membership Base: We've had 61 new/returning members between 2020 and 2021 so far.
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Develop and Implement a Communication Plan: Pre-COVID, we had monthly newsletters to our members and quarterly newsletters for non-members. We currently have weekly COVID Newsletters that go to all in the RBT industry (members and non-members). As we are beginning to emerge from the crisis, we are building strategies to resume a new schedule that will benefit members and encourage others to join to continue getting information and providing input on important issues..
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Increase Awareness and Outreach to Government: NOTO continues to have several virtual meeting with MPPs, MPs, Ministers both at Provincial and Federal Levels. We have also strengthened our partnerships with TIAO, DNO, CFOA and other industry organizations to ensure NOTO’s voice is heard through several channels and for us to effectively advocate to all levels of government.
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Promote NOTO's Successes: Each one of NOTO’s successes are sent to the entire industry in a special e-blast and they are included in our e-newsletters. Depending on the type of accomplishment, press releases are used. These are posted on social media as well.
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Increase Government Relations Locally, Provincially and Federally: NOTO has successfully strengthened relationships with various Ministers, MPs, MPPs over the past two years. NOTO also continues to work with our lobbyist at Queen’s Park to ensure NOTO has a voice during the decision making process with items that may impact the RBT industry.
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Develop Training Webinars and Downloadable Workbooks and Materials for Members: NOTO has provided input and coordinated with TEN on several Adapt2020 and Adapt2021 Webinars & with DNO to host the Northern Ontario Tourism Training Weeks over the past two years. These resources are always available on DNO's website, and are shared through our newsletters when they are made available.
To view the full update as well as our goals for 2022, please click on the button below.
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Federal Government's 2021 Throne Speech
On Tuesday November 23rd, Governor General, Mary Simon delivered the 2021 Throne Speech, officially opening the 44th Parliament. The throne speech focused on the following items:
- Priority number one remains getting the pandemic under control and continuing the vaccine roll-out.
- Strengthening healthcare and public health supports for all Canadians, especially seniors, veterans, people with disabilities, vulnerable members of our communities.
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Rebuilding a more resilient economy that works for everyone, while also providing targeted support to industries that continue to struggle as a result of the pandemic. Although tourism was not directly mentioned in this throne speech, we are optimistic we will see the recently announced Tourism and Hospitality Recovery Program and Hardest-Hit Business Recovery Program, as well as other targeted measures come to fruition soon.
- Focusing on housing and child care to help Canadians cope with the rising cost of living.
- Acknowledging past Governments' involvement in residential schools and the unmarked graves of children who have recently been discovered, and the current Government's commitment to truth and reconciliation.
- Promising action on climate change by continuing to focus on innovation of good, green jobs to build a more resilient and sustainable, competitive economy.
- Promising action on our health and well being, as the pandemic has shown us that we all need to put a focus on mental health in the same way as physical well-being.
- Continue to strengthen gun control by putting forward measures like a mandatory buyback of banned assault-style weapons, and move forward with provinces and territories who want to band handguns.
- Moving forward with a National Action Plan of gender-based violence and a renewed Anti-Racism Strategy.
- The government will reintroduce legislation to reform the Broadcasting Act and ensure web giants pay their fair share for the creation and promotion of Canadian content.
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Federal Government Introduces Legislation To Implement Targeted COVID-19 Support
- Extend the Canada Recovery Hiring Program until May 7, 2022, for eligible employers with current revenue losses above 10% and increase the subsidy rate to 50%.
- Deliver targeted support to businesses still facing significant pandemic-related challenges. Support would be available through three streams:
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Tourism and Hospitality Recovery Program, which would provide support through wage and rent subsidies to tourism and hospitality businesses, with a subsidy rate of up to 75%. The types of business that would be eligible are detailed in the backgrounder - hunting and fishing camps, as well as campgrounds were identified as eligible.
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Hardest-Hit Business Recovery Program, which would provide support through wage and rent subsidies to other businesses that have faced deep losses, with a subsidy rate of up to 50%.
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Local Lockdown Program, which would provide businesses that face temporary new local lockdowns up to the maximum amount available through the wage and rent subsidy programs.
To ensure workers continue to have support, the proposed legislation would:
- Extend the Canada Recovery Caregiving Benefit and the Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit until May 7, 2022, and increase the maximum duration of benefits by 2 weeks. This would extend the caregiving benefit from 42 to 44 weeks and the sickness benefit from 4 to 6 weeks.
- Establish the Canada Worker Lockdown Benefit which would provide $300 a week in income support to eligible workers who are directly impacted by a COVID-19-related public health lockdown in their region up until May 7, 2022. Eligible workers would be able to apply to receive this support retroactively from October 24, 2021.
We will let the industry know when this bill receives royal assent, and when further details and the applications for these new programs are made available.
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TIAO Survey & Calls
TIAO Survey to Understand What’s Driving the Tourism & Hospitality Labour Crisis in Ontario:
The Tourism Industry Association of Ontario (TIAO) seeks the views of current and former employees in Ontario’s tourism and hospitality industry to complete an anonymous and confidential survey to understand the challenges faced by those working in the tourism and hospitality industry, increased pressures during the pandemic, and how these factors might contribute to the current labour crisis.
Tourism and hospitality businesses across the province are facing challenges hiring and retaining staff, making it extremely difficult to meet rising consumer demand even as the province reopens after 20 months of pandemic restrictions. Understanding the factors behind these unprecedented workforce challenges is crucial to the recovery of the industry.
TIAO will share the results of the survey with the Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development and the Ministry of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries to help inform government decision-making to address the labour crisis.
Please share this survey among your membership, stakeholders, partners, etc. to ensure we get a full picture of what is driving our industry’s labour crisis.
Thank you,
TIAO Team
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Proposal to Simplify and Align Provincial White-tailed Deer Hunting Seasons
The Ministry of Northern Development, Mines, Natural Resources and Forestry is proposing amendments to regulations under the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act, 1997 to deliver a modern, efficient, and sustainable provincial deer harvest management system beginning in 2022.
In recent years, hunters and stakeholders have identified a lack of consistency in season types and duration in some parts of the province. While these management strategies have been successful at maintaining deer herd numbers over time, there are opportunities to take a simpler and more consistent approach at an ecological scale. Here are some of the proposed changes:
- Extend the gun season(s) by 1 or 2 days in WMUs 28, 29, 31, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 44, 45, 53B, 82A, 82B, 83A and 84 to end on a Sunday.
- Permit the use of bows during the gun season(s) in WMUs 53B, 69A2, 70, 76A-E, 77A-C, 78A-B, 79C-D, 80, 81A-B, 82C, 85A-C, 86A-B, 87B-E, 89A-B, 90A-B, 93A-B, and 94B, while requiring the existing safety protocols (e.g. hunter orange).
- Align the bows only, muzzle-loading guns and bows, and rifles, shotguns, muzzle-loading guns and bows seasons in WMU 8, similar to those in neighbouring WMUs.
- Align the muzzle-loading guns and bows season start date and add an early bows only season in WMU 7A consistent with neighbouring WMUs.
- Align the rifles, shotguns, muzzle-loading guns and bows season start and end dates and add early and late bows only seasons in WMU 26 consistent with neighbouring WMUs.
- Create new bows only seasons and a new rifles, shotguns, muzzle-loading guns and bows season in WMU 32 consistent with neighbouring WMUs 29 and 31.
- Create new bows only seasons and a new rifles, shotguns, muzzle-loading guns and bows season in WMU 33 consistent with neighbouring WMU 22.
- Add a new late muzzle-loading guns and bows season in WMUs 36 and 42 consistent with neighbouring WMUs.
- Extend the early bows only season and add a new late muzzle-loading guns and bows season in WMU 45 consistent with neighbouring WMUs.
- Start the existing rifles, shotguns, muzzle-loading guns and bows seasons in WMUs 83B and 83C on October 1.
- Repeal the special authorization regulation for WMU 93C, delay the season start date to September 1, and permit the use of bows during the gun seasons, while requiring the existing safety protocols (e.g. hunter orange).
To view the proposal and rational for the changes highlighted above, and to submit comment on this proposal, please click here.
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Proposal to Establish New Fall Wild Turkey Hunting Seasons
MNDMNRF is proposing to create new fall wild turkey hunting seasons in Wildlife Management Units 60, 63, 69, 70, 74, 75 and 86.
Based on criteria outlined in Ontario’s Wild Turkey Management Plan and resulting from improved data from mandatory hunter reporting, wild turkey populations in WMUs 60, 63, 69, 70, 74, 75 and 86 are robust and can support a fall wild turkey hunting season.
If approved, these changes would create fall turkey hunting seasons in these WMUs beginning in October 2022. These open seasons include bow hunting from October 1-31, and a shotgun and muzzle-loading shotgun season from the Tuesday after Thanksgiving Monday to the second following Sunday.
To view the proposal and rational for the changes highlighted above, and to submit comment on this proposal, please click here.
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Ontario Northland Conducts Test Run for Passenger Rail Service
On November 22nd, Ontario Northland conducted a test run to gauge interest and collect information on re-establishing a passenger rail service to the north.
For the first time in close to a decade, an Ontario Northland train filled with passengers left North Bay and travelled to Union Station in Toronto on Monday morning.
This allowed them to validate transit times between stops and to evaluate track conditions as part of the northeastern passenger rail service business case. The proposed route will make 13 stops, going as far north as Timmins.
The updated business case is expected to go Ontario's Ministry of Transportation for decision making in the spring, with hopes to have the route up and running by the mid 2020s.
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Ontario Extends Emergency Orders in Place Under the Reopening Ontario Act until March 2022
Each individual order under the Reopening Ontario Act must be extended by cabinet in 30-day increments. There are currently 28 orders in effect under the reopening act, including the proof of vaccination system. Ontario continues to operate under modified Step-3 regulations.
As a reminder, local medical officers of health also have the ability to issue Section 22 orders under the Health Protection and Promotion Act to target specific transmission risks in the community. All operators are encouraged to reach out to their local health units to make sure they comply with all regulations and restrictions in their respective districts.
Sudbury, Algoma, and Timiskaming Public Health Units have implemented additional COVID-19 restrictions over the past two weeks.
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Timiskaming Health Unit Reintroduces COVID-19 Measures
The Acting Medical Officer of Health, with the support of the provincial Chief Medical Officer of Health, is taking the following three actions.
1. THU has updated the Section 22 Class Order, which legally requires anyone in the Timiskaming Health Unit area who has confirmed or suspected COVID-19 infection, or who is identified as a close contact to follow isolation requirements and other public health direction. While the vast majority of people follow isolation requirements, people who do not comply with this Section 22 Class Order may be liable for a set fine of $880 or otherwise of up to $5,000 per day or part of each day that the offence continues.
2. Requiring businesses and organizations in the Timiskaming Health Unit area to reinstate the provincial capacity limits and physical distancing requirements that were lifted on September 25, 2021, and strengthening masking requirements both indoors and outdoors. Masking is required at businesses, organizations, and organized public events (indoors or outdoors) if physical distancing of at least 2 meters cannot be maintained. (Certain exemptions, for example for medical reasons, remain in place.) In general, businesses and organizations must put capacity limits in place so that patrons can maintain physical distancing of at least 2 meters.
3. Requiring anyone aged 12 years and older in the Timiskaming Health Unit area to provide proof of identification and vaccination if they are entering an indoor facility to actively participate in, coach, officiate, volunteer, or spectate at an organized sport. Participants aged 12-18 were previously exempt but must show proof of vaccination beginning November 26, 2021.
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Algoma Public Health Considering on Introducing Even More COVID-19 Restrictions
Algoma's medical officer of health, in consultation with Ontario's Chief Medical Officer of Health, are looking at options that are tailored to their local transmission patterns to keep schools and businesses open as safely as possible. Measures under consideration include reducing gathering limits, reducing high-risk school and community activities and ensuring businesses are taking proper precautions to protect their employees and community.
Their decision will likely be made early next week. We encourage operators to visit Algoma Public Health's website regularly to stay on top of regulatory changes that may be coming. We will also continue to update the industry on changes in our newsletters.
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Tourism SkillsNet North
In need of staff? We can help!
Register your business to the Tourism SkillsNet North program. We have job seekers in various areas across Northern Ontario that we will train and match to your business in hopes of filling your vacancies! As the employer, you will be able to interview each candidate we send your way and decide if you would like to hire them.
If you hire staff outside of the program, you can still register them to the Tourism SkillsNet North program to have them trained and receive a wage subsidy! As long as your employees complete the mandatory training courses, you will receive a 30% wage subsidy (up to $3000) per employee!
Register your business and/or your employees today by clicking on the button below.
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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.
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Renew Your Membership or Join NOTO!
NOTO has extended the early bird membership pricing for the remainder of 2021!
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Entry Level: $452.00
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Bronze:
$621.50 NOW: $593.25
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Silver:
$734.50 NOW: $706.25
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Basic:
$621.50 NOW: $593.25
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Bronze:
$779.70 NOW: $734.50
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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!
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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 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
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