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This week, the Government of Canada announced further adjustments and policy reversals to the Temporary Foreign Worker (TFW) Program. Starting September 26, 2024, the following changes will take effect:

• Labour Market Impact Assessments will no longer be processed in areas with unemployment rates of 6% or higher, except for jobs in food security, construction, and healthcare sectors.

• Employers can hire no more than 10% of their workforce through the TFW Program in the Low-Wage stream, with certain sectoral exceptions.

• The maximum duration of employment for Low-Wage stream workers will be reduced to one year.

   

TIAO is convening this week with its national and sectoral partners to assess impacts and required actions. We will advise members as soon as possible. In the meantime, TIAO continues to press the Ontario and Federal Governments for action on strengthening the tourism workforce in Ontario through skills development investments and immigration enhancements via permanent residence pathways for international graduates of Ontario tourism, hospitality, and culinary postsecondary programs.

Sincerely,

Andrew Siegwart

President & CEO

Tourism Industry Association of Ontario

I could not be more proud of Tourism’s "Team Ontario" - including the operators, suppliers, destination marketing organizations, sector organizations, regional tourism organizations, & government leaders who came together from across the Province this week during the Association of Municipalities of Ontario Conference to have important conversations and to chart a course for our industry’s future prosperity - communication and collaboration are key!

Thank you Minister Stan Cho and your team for great conversations & connections made. A special thank you to Visit Mississauga and Nieuport Aviation for sponsoring our industry delegation and reception in Ottawa! And thank you to our amazing Tourism Industry Association of Ontario (TIAO) Member delegates who helped us to communicate tourism operators' challenges and to propose meaningful solutions: Ontario Restaurant Hotel & Motel Association, Destination Northern Ontario, Nature & Outdoor Tourism Ontario, Indigenous Tourism Ontario, Smart Serve Ontario, Camping In Ontario, Resorts of Ontario, Ottawa Tourism, Kingston Accommodation Partners, Economic Developers Council of Ontario (EDCO), Boating Ontario Association, Better Way Alliance, Ottawa Embassy Hotel & Suites - By working together, demonstrating alignment, and sharing the stories of operators across Ontario, we will drive continued growth and prosperity for Ontario's tourism industry.

TIAO Members: click here to register your interest to participate in our annual Tourism Day at Queen's Park on December 10th, 2024.

On behalf of all TIAO Members, please join me in thanking Dr. Jessica Ng and Carol Greenwood for all their hard work in organizing such a successful event.

Sincerely,

Andrew Siegwart

President & CEO

Tourism Industry Association of Ontario

The TIAO Team, alongside our dedicated TIAO Members, is proud to champion Ontario’s tourism industry at the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) annual conference in Ottawa next week.

At AMO, our Ontario tourism delegation will engage in sixteen impactful meetings with key Provincial Ministries and teams, including Agriculture; Energy; Finance; Infrastructure; Labour, Immigration, Training, and Skills Development; Municipal Affairs and Housing; Natural Resources; Rural Affairs; Tourism, Culture, and Gaming; Transportation, and more. Additionally, while in Ottawa, we will connect with vital Federal departments, agencies, and teams such as FedDev Ontario; Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada; Economic Development/Tourism, and others.

We are proud to present policy recommendations and innovative solutions that will fuel market growth, strengthen our workforce, and enhance infrastructure investment across the province. Highlights of our agenda include: advocating for enhancements to the Municipal Accommodation Tax to boost local marketing, product development, and tourism management; cutting through the red tape that holds back agri-tourism; forming a multi-modal transportation working group to bridge transportation gaps and restore service levels to smaller communities; expanding opportunities for international students to remain in Ontario’s vibrant tourism industry; and spearheading TIAO’s Ontario Tourism Strategy Project to build a stronger visitor economy across Ontario.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to all TIAO members who are driving this initiative forward with us: Better Way Alliance; Boating Ontario; Camping in Ontario; Destination Northern Ontario; Economic Developers Council of Ontario; Indigenous Tourism Ontario; Kingston Accommodation Partners; Nature and Outdoor Tourism Ontario; Nieuport Aviation; Ontario Restaurant, Hotel, and Motel Association; Resorts of Ontario; Smart Serve; and Visit Mississauga.

Check out TIAO’s social media feeds and Newsletter next week for full coverage.

Sincerely,

Andrew Siegwart

President & CEO

Tourism Industry Association of Ontario

Last week, TIAO was pleased to prepare a submission for the Federal Budget 2025.  Our aim was to support recommendations made by Tourism Industry Association of Canada to show national alignment as well as to include Ontario-specific recommendations from our membership.  TIAO placed a focus on market development, workforce sustainability, and infrastructure investment priorities.

TIAO also called for increased consultation and collaboration with provincial/territorial governments and tourism support organizations to increase programming impact and effectiveness.

Please review the entire pre-budget submission 

here

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Andrew Siegwart

President & CEO

Tourism Industry Association of Ontario

This week’s highlights:  

• TIAO is currently finalizing its federal pre-budget submission to share Ontario’s tourism industry priorities ahead of the 2025 federal budget. TIAO members can also submit their own comments for the pre-budget consultation here. The deadline is tomorrow, Friday August 2nd before 11:59pm (EDT).  

• Round 5 of the Skills Development Fund (SDF) is now open for applications for innovative projects that address challenges to hiring, training, or retaining workers. See here for more information on eligibility and project requirements and to apply. Applications close on October 4, 2024. TIAO is pleased to offer letters of support for TIAO members submitting an SDF application – to obtain your letter, please contact me at jng@tiaontario.ca

Thank you for your continued support. And as always, if you have any questions or comments, feel free to send me an email at jng@tiaontario.ca.

Dr. Jessica Ng, PhD  

Director, Policy & Government Affairs

Tourism Industry Association of Ontario