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Here are some of the key takeaways from the forum:

• Investing in Skills Development: To remain competitive on a global scale and boost productivity, investing in skills training at every level of the workforce is crucial.

• Engaging Indigenous Canadians: As Canada’s fastest-growing labour pool, Indigenous Canadians present a significant opportunity for the tourism sector. More work is needed to foster meaningful engagement and open up opportunities in tourism. For more information visit: Indigenous Tourism Ontario

• Addressing Barriers to Employment: Many Canadians face barriers to employment or are not yet engaged in the workforce. Connecting these individuals with employers through focused programs can make a big impact, and tourism has a key role to play here.

• Strengthening Post-Secondary Partnerships: Declining enrollments in tourism programs, particularly due to reductions in international students, underscore the need for closer collaboration with post-secondary institutions. By offering co-op placements and internships, we can work together to attract and retain future talent.

• Improving Career Pathway Awareness: Raising awareness of tourism careers at the secondary school level is crucial. There’s a clear opportunity to support educators and parents in highlighting the vast opportunities our industry offers.

• Enhancing the Employment Experience: Improving working conditions and creating a positive employment experience will help make tourism a more attractive option for job seekers, strengthening the industry’s reputation and economic competitiveness.

• Leveraging New Technologies: Technologies like Artificial Intelligence offer the potential to streamline tasks, enabling us to focus more on the guest experience and personal connections that make tourism unique.

• Overcoming Transportation and Housing Gaps: Addressing transportation and housing challenges remains vital for attracting and retaining talent, both in urban and rural areas.

TIAO remains committed to working with our partners across Canada to prioritize and advance these challenges. This work will continue to be a key pillar of our federal and provincial advocacy efforts and the development of Ontario’s new tourism strategy.

While this list of priorities might seem extensive, we encourage members to see the opportunity. Take a moment to reflect on what actions could make a difference in your own business or community. Whether it’s reaching out to a local school to offer an internship, connecting with an employment agency supporting newcomers, or introducing a new training program, each step matters. A “test and learn” approach can help create meaningful progress.

As always, TIAO and our network of partners are here to support you.  Don’t hesitate to reach out for guidance or resources.

A special thanks to Phil, Isabelle, and Evan at Tourism HR Canada for your leadership in hosting this forum.

Sincerely,

Andrew Siegwart

President & CEO

Tourism Industry Association of Ontario

The federal government recently announced the implementation of a Digital Services Tax (DST) of 3% to be charged on revenue generated from digital services that are provided to Canadian users by large multi-national companies with at least $20 million in Canadian digital services revenue.

This will include digital advertising, online marketplaces such as OTAs, social media, data services, and more.  The current tax scenario includes a retroactive start date of January 1, 2022.  The government’s rational for the DST is to raise revenues on digital services delivered in Canada by organizations without a Canadian presence/operation.

TIAO has been notified by members that a few digital platforms have started to communicate plans to add surcharges to digital services in response to this tax to recover costs.  TIAO is concerned that the tax and surcharge practices, if widely adopted, may increase digital marketing costs for destination marketers and operators at a time when we need every available dollar working hard to stimulate visitor and spending growth.  While the United States government is challenging the DST under the “Canada Unites States Mexico (trade) Agreement” (CUSMA), outcomes cannot be predicted at this time.

TIAO is sharing this update today to put the issue on your radar, particularly organizations that spend on digital platforms.  We are working closely with our national association partners on advocacy work and will keep you posted.  In the meantime, please do not hesitate to be in touch with questions.

In other news, Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has communicated further restrictions with respect to international students and workers for 2025.  TIAO will assess these new developments and share implications and next steps with members soon. Link to the News Release.

Sincerely,

Andrew Siegwart

President & CEO

Tourism Industry Association of Ontario

This morning I joined the Canadian Business Council, Canadian Chamber of Commerce, Conseil du patronat du Québec, and CFIB in Ottawa to participate in an important press conference calling on the federal government to prevent air travel disruption.

Read the press release here: Canadian Business and Tourism Leaders Urge Federal Government to Protect the Economy and Avert Air Travel Disruption

In addition to championing this message, we have felt that it is important to educate the public and government about the importance of air service to Ontario’s tourism economy and the critical fall season ahead.  We are reminding all that accommodations, restaurants and culinary, attractions, cultural experiences, transportation, travel trade, and more rely on this essential service.

We will keep working closely with our national and provincial partners to passionately advocate for our members and partners, and will keep members updated as the situation unfolds.

Watch yesterday’s CTV interview about the potential labour disruption here.

Sincerely,

Andrew Siegwart

President & CEO

Tourism Industry Association of Ontario

Back to School, Back to Business!

Congrats to all TIAO members for delivering exceptional visitor experiences across Ontario this summer.  As we move into the fall season, the TIAO team will continue to support you by hosting the Ontario Tourism Summit, facilitating the development of Ontario’s new Tourism Strategy, and driving ongoing media and government relations, including preparations for Tourism Day at Queen’s Park.  In the meantime, here are some key issues to watch:

Tourism Education: TIAO recently surveyed post-secondary institutions offering tourism, culinary, and hospitality programs to assess the impact of federal changes to international student numbers.  Early insights show a decline in Canada's reputation for higher education, a shift towards recruiting more domestic students, and potential program cuts in 2024.  Key recommendations include aligning permanent residency pathways with labor market needs, launching a tourism career awareness campaign, and boosting employer engagement with schools.  We’ll dive deeper into this at the Ontario Tourism Summit.

Temporary Foreign Worker Program Changes: effective September 26, 2024, changes include a 10% workforce limit, a one-year maximum employment period, and no Labour Market Impact Assessments (LMIAs) will be processed in areas with unemployment rates of 6% or higher.  Check here to see if your area is affected.  Please email me at asiegwart@tiaontario.ca with feedback on how these changes may impact your business.  TIAO is collaborating with industry groups to advocate for more workforce development, career campaigns for youth, and expanded pathways to permanent residency.

Airline Labour Disruption: TIAC is urging the federal government to take action to prevent a potential airline labour disruption from affecting the crucial fall tourism season.  Learn more here.

Sincerely,

Andrew Siegwart

President & CEO

Tourism Industry Association of Ontario