Immediate Policy Files 

• COVID-19 recovery for tourism businesses 
• Reopening regulations
• Labour force challenges in the tourism industry
• Debt relief 
• High commercial insurance premiums 

Long-range Policy Files

• Economic growth of the tourism industry
• Affordable housing 
• Municipal Accommodation Tax (MAT)
• Tourism workforce development
• Environmental sustainability 
• Reducing red tape and regulatory burden for tourism businesses 
• Francophone and bilingual tourism 
• Indigenous tourism 
• Northern and resource-based tourism
• Cannabis tourism
• Transportation infrastructure 
• Broadband infrastructure 
• Accessibility

TIAO has been consistently working to ensure that the tourism industry’s voice is heard and that the government regulation of the Municipal Accommodation Tax is structured in a way that provides consistency and security for business and customers alike.

Strategies include:

• Working with both and the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries to conduct ongoing consultations both at our request and theirs
• Speaking about challenges, opportunities, best governance practices at events such as TIAO's Tourism Issues Forum and the Ontario Tourism Summit
• Including recommendations in our all government relations messaging (white papers, official letters, briefing notes)

TIAO has created a list of FAQs with corresponding answers, and other supporting resources for anyone seeking more information about the municipal accommodation tax, including implementation and connections with existing DMFs.

View MAT FAQs

Links to regulations:

• City of Toronto Act
• Municipal Act

Strategies include:

• Support for multi-ministerial Labour Shortage Task force achieved through our official policy letter, submitted to the Minister of Labour  and circulated to 6 other Ministers
• Ongoing consultation with Minister Lisa MacLeod through direct communication and meetings at Queen’s Park 
• Multi-ministerial consultations and support for our recommendations, achieved through briefing TIAO members prior to Tourism Day at Queen’s Park

Our recommendation that the omnibus Bill 108 be amended to ensure that Inclusionary Zoning power for municipalities remains intact as a way to create more available affordable housing. This is an example of a file that requires us to monitor both the municipal and provincial levels of government.

Strategies include:

• Writing a white paper including an technical overview of the housing shortage in Ontario as it pertains to the tourism industry (submitted to the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing)
• Attending a industry stakeholder consultation in January 2019 to directly consult on the development of the Ontario Housing Strategy Action Plan released on May 2019 

TIAO recognizes that an abundance of efficient and affordable transportation systems that allow individuals to access different destinations across the
province, is essential to competitive tourism growth in Ontario. TIAO advocates for the continued development of transportation infrastructure in rural and Northern Ontario.