In Today's Update
- A Message from NOTO's Executive Director
- WIN: Ministry Not Moving Forward With 15-20% Increase Ethanol Content in Fuels in 2022
- Black Bear Operators: Don't Forget to Complete Your Survey!
- Northern Ontario Tourism Spring Training Week Starts Tuesday!
- Accident Investigation and Waiver Training for Resorts
- Government of Canada Announces Changes to the Temporary Foreign Worker Program
- 2022 Federal Budget
- Decision to Simplify and Align White-Tailed Deer Hunting Seasons
- Ministry of Health Extends Provincial Antigen Screening Program
- Ontario to Raise Minimum Wage Again in October
- HR Marketing Best Practices to Mitigate the Shortage of Labour: Webinar Hosted by SÉO
- TIAO Calls Next Week
- Welcome New NOTO Members!
- NOTO 2022 Memberships
- Safe Travels Stamp
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
I hope this message finds you slipping comfortably back into routine preparations for opening your facilities for summer season.
We are pleased to see that the Ontario Tourism Recovery Program (OTRP) letters are being circulated to tourism businesses that applied for funding and that there are a great number of operators that have been successful in their applications. We are aware that the program was over subscribed and have encouraged the development of other programs to support the tourism industry's recovery at both the federal and provincial levels.
We have heard from a number of you who have concerns about the period of time that expenses for the funding can be claimed. Although efforts have been made, there will be no extension on this claim period. This means that successful applicants will have to use operating expenses between April 1, 2021 and March 31, 2022. It will be important that if you received other funding (like the FedNor RRRF program) you will not be able to claim expenses for the OTRP that you have already claimed for other programs.
This week the Federal budget was shared. At first glance, we have more questions than answers. We will be taking a closer look at what the tourism industry can expect and share what we learn in the coming weeks.
We are moving into the Spring Northern Ontario Tourism Training Week. We hope that you will join us for one or two or all of the available virtual sessions. Destination Northern Ontario and NOTO have worked to ensure these sessions are geared to supporting a successful operating season for 2022. See the registration information in this newsletter. Don't forget to register for each session you want to attend to get the link.
Looking forward to seeing many of you online this week.
Take care,
Laurie
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WIN: Ministry Not Moving Forward With 15-20% Increase Ethanol Content in Fuels in 2022
As a follow up to an article we presented in our March 26th NOTO update, NOTO is pleased to share that our coordinated efforts with the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) and other recreational vehicle organizations have resulted in saving our individual stakeholders from facing costly changes in recreational and fuel dispensing equipment.
We had previously shared the intent of the Provincial government to increase ethanol content in regular fuel to 15% and 20% as early as April 2022.
On April 6th, the Ministry has confirmed that there will be no increase in ethanol blending in 2022. No increase above the current 10 percent ethanol content will occur before 2025 where it will increase to 11 percent. In 2028 the percentage will increase to 13, and then a max of 15 percent in 2030.
Ethanol blending will remain restricted to “regular gas” with an octane level of 87. There are no plans to blend ethanol into the medium (89) and high octane fuels (91) in Ontario.
Furthermore, MOE noted that local fuel suppliers such as marinas can order unblended “regular fuel” by demonstrating to fuel producers/ distributors that the end use is for boats, off road vehicles, small engines, etc. Some regular fueling stations may also order unblended fuel for its small engine or specialty engine customer requirements. Currently, those fueling stations are listed at www.pure-gas.org.
The Federal government is pursuing its own ethanol blending strategy and we will continue to monitor and take action if necessary.
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Black Bear Operators: Don't Forget to Complete Your Survey!
If you are a licensed black bear operator, you would have received a Black Bear Operator Survey in the mail earlier in March. We would like to remind operators that if you haven't already done so, please complete the survey before the deadline of April 15th, 2022.
Recognizing this is a busy time of year for operators, we do appreciate your time and feedback and hope that as many bear operators as possible complete the survey.
As a reminder, operators can complete the survey:
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Join Us on April 12th to 14th for the
Northern Ontario Tourism Spring Training Week!
Northern Ontario Tourism Spring Training Week is a partnership event between Nature and Outdoor Tourism Ontario (NOTO) and Destination Northern Ontario (DNO) that brings informative and interactive presentations to the tourism industry across Northern Ontario.
Registration is free to all industry partners, so you can focus on operations, saving money and staying safe.
View session highlights & learn how to register for the sessions you would like to attend
by clicking on the button below!
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Accident Investigation and Waiver Training for Resorts
Hosted by BrokerLink Insurance
Accident investigation is an important part of your risk management plan. Managing risk is everyone’s responsibility and accident investigation training will help your staff prepare and respond should the unexpected occur.
Topics covered in this webinar:
- Introducing the accident investigation process
- Accident investigation challenges
- Case study review
- Understanding the mechanics of a waiver
- Best practices for recording witness statements
- Techniques for taking incident photographs
- Post-loss documentation
- Claims process steps
- Insurer reporting requirements
- Legal considerations
All attendees will receive resources following the webinar, including a sample waiver template.
Click on one of the dates below to register:
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Government of Canada Announces Changes to the Temporary Foreign Worker Program
Effective immediately:
- Removing the limit to the number of low-wage positions that employers in seasonal industries, such as fish and seafood processing, can fill through the TFW Program. Making the Seasonal Cap Exemption that has been in place since 2015, permanent. In addition, the maximum duration of these positions will be increased from 180 days to 270 days per year.
- Labour Market Impact Assessments (LMIA’s) will be valid for 18 months, an increase from 9 months.
- The maximum duration of employment for High-Wage and Global Talent Streams workers will be extended from two years to three years.
Effective April 30:
- For seven sectors with demonstrated labour shortages, such as Accommodation and Food Services, employers will be allowed to hire up to 30% of their workforce through the TFW Program for low-wage positions for one year. All other employers will be allowed to hire up to 20% of their workforce through the TFW Program for low-wage positions until further notice, an increase from the former 10% cap for many employers.
- The Government will end the current policy that automatically refuses LMIA applications for low-wage occupations in the Accommodation and Food Services and Retail Trade sectors in regions with an unemployment rate of 6% or higher.
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2022 Federal Budget
On Thursday April 7th, the Honourable Chrystia Freeland, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, released the 2022 Budget.
As part of this budget, the Minister of Tourism will work with the tourism industry, provincial and territorial counterparts, and Indigenous tourism operators to develop a new post-pandemic Federal Tourism Growth Strategy, which will plot a course for growth, investment, and stability.
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Decision to Simplify and Align White-Tailed Deer Hunting Seasons
The Ministry has informed us that a decision has been made on their proposal to simplify and align provincial white-tailed deer hunting seasons.
The Ministry will move forward with most of the proposed changes. No significant impact to deer harvest levels, hunter safety or deer population stability are anticipated because of these changes.
Based on feedback and further consideration, they will not to proceed with aligning the rifles, shotguns, muzzle-loading guns and bows season start and end dates and adding early and late bows only seasons in Wildlife Management Unit (WMU) 26.
You can view the original proposal, comments received, and the decisions made by clicking here.
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Ministry of Health Extends Provincial Antigen Screening Program
The Ministry of Health's Provincial Antigen Screening Program (PASP) was created to provide free rapid antigen tests (RATs) to participating organizations to screen their employees until March 31, 2022.
The PASP has now been extended until at least July 31, 2022. All organizations that are open can continue to access free RATs to provide reassurance and an added layer of protection against COVID-19. Organizations can continue to order RATs through regular distribution channels; please refer to the Ontario Together Portal for more information.
Businesses under 150 employees are encouraged to reach out to their local Chamber of Commerce directly.
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Ontario to Raise Minimum Wage Again in October
Ontario is introducing legislation and if passed, will raise the general minimum wage to $15.50 per hour, starting October 1, 2022. In January, Ontario raised the general minimum wage to $15 and removed the lower minimum wage for liquor servers.
The next increase this fall would mean that workers earning the general minimum wage and working 40 hours per week would see their annual pay rise by $1,768. Liquor servers who work 40 hours per week would see an annual raise of $5,512.
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HR Marketing Best Practices to Mitigate the Shortage of Labour: Webinar Hosted by SÉO
Are you an operator or an organization in the tourism industry?
Are you currently experiencing challenges attracting and retaining talent?
Don’t miss SÉO’s free workshop with Frederic Gonzalo on
April 11th, 2022, from 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM!
While labour shortages are today's reality, having an HR Marketing Strategy is key to your business' success. But what exactly is HR Marketing, why is it so important and how does it tie to successful recruitment and retention of employees?
Key workshop points:
- National overview of the labour shortage prevalent in the tourism industry today
- The basics of HR Marketing : positioning, employer branding, segmenting and targeting employees on social media
- Crafting a communication plan: choosing the right platforms, types of content, frequency, tone and manner; who does what; and much more!
If you can't attend on April 11th, please register anyways to receive a link to the recording.
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TIAO Calls Next Week
Tuesday April 12
Topic: COVID-19 Northern Ontario Tourism Update Call
Time: Apr 12, 2022 12:00 PM Eastern Time
Join Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 835 1020 5654
Passcode: 165928
One tap mobile
+17806660144,,83510205654#,,,,*165928# Canada
+12042727920,,83510205654#,,,,*165928# Canada
OR
Tuesday April 12
Topic: COVID-19 Ontario Tourism Update Call
Time: Apr 12, 2022 03:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 891 3604 0385
Passcode: 947536
One tap mobile
+13017158592,,89136040385#,,,,*947536# US (Washington DC)
+13126266799,,89136040385#,,,,*947536# US (Chicago)
Thank you,
The TIAO team.
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Welcome New NOTO Members!
We would like to wish a warm welcome to new NOTO members who have joined in 2022 so far!
Welcome to our newest NOTO members:
Welcome to our newest Preferred Supplier:
Welcome to our newest Associate Member:
Thank you everyone, we are stronger together!
We wish you all the best for the 2022 season!
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NOTO 2022 Memberships
It's not too late to renew your membership or to join NOTO! As a reminder, NOTO memberships are renewed voluntarily every year and run from June to June. As a membership-based organization, these funds are what allow us to continue our advocacy efforts and information services to the industry.
We would like to thank everyone who has renewed or joined NOTO. Your support is greatly appreciated!
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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
If you require an invoice for your records, please e-mail NOTO staff. 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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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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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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