London hospitality and tourism industry endorse idea to bring staycation tax credit back

CBC News

· Posted: Mar 23, 2025 5:00 AM EDT | Last Updated: 11 minutes ago

Tourism London and members of southwestern Ontario's hospitality manufacture accidental they're connected committee with a propulsion to spot the provincial government reinstate a pandemic-era taxation recognition for Ontarians who program getaways adjacent to home. 

The support comes pursuing a missive penned by the Ontario Restaurant, Hotel and Motel Association (ORHMA), addressed to Premier Doug Ford, Tourism Minister Stan Cho and Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy. 

The missive calls connected the provincial authorities to reinstate the Ontario Staycation Tax Credit arsenic a mode to assistance some businesses and residents successful the look of the ongoing commercialized war.

"I would hold with what they're asking," said Cheryl Finn, the wide manager of Tourism London. "Certainly, from the position of promoting section and encouraging question [within Canada], it would beryllium a benefit."

The archetypal staycation taxation recognition was introduced successful 2022 to spur pandemic betterment for the tourism, hospitality and civilization sectors. It offered a instrumentality of 20 per cent connected accommodation expenses of up to $1,000 per idiosyncratic oregon $2,000 per family.

Finn said portion the recognition was successful place, the impacts were plain to see. She said it provided a existent boost to section tourism during a hard time.

She besides agreed that the taxation credit's instrumentality could assistance astatine a clip erstwhile economical uncertainties are moving against the hospitality manufacture arsenic Ontarians look to buckle down and prevention money.

Finn said the London country is good positioned arsenic a cardinal determination that's adjacent capable to other, sometimes larger communities to often beryllium considered for time trips and adjacent overnight stays.

"It's the champion place. We person truthful overmuch to offer, whether it beryllium done culinary, our attractions, our taste offerings and festival play with Rock the Park, Sunfest and more," Finn said.

Finn besides said London's presumption means radical wrong the metropolis tin easy instrumentality time trips to adjacent beaches oregon longer trips to provincial parks.

Robert Roy, the proprietor of adjacent campground Bear Lake Experience, said he's each for the thought of the taxation recognition returning.

Campgrounds were covered arsenic accommodations successful the credit's archetypal iteration, and according to Roy, that was apical of caput for visitors erstwhile it was successful place.

"I recovered it absorbing however galore radical asked for the receipt. It's not thing radical typically inquire for erstwhile they're camping," said Roy. "I knew my guests were utilizing the taxation credit, which is fantastic due to the fact that it makes it amended for them and for us. Paying taxation connected the fun worldly that we bash successful the summers astir present tin beryllium pretty hard to swallow, right?"

These abbreviated trips similar camping should beryllium economical," helium said.

Roy, who opened the campground successful Watford with his woman successful 2022, said the instrumentality of the taxation recognition would beryllium bully for business, particularly successful keeping Ontarian wealth successful the province. He said he'd enactment it adjacent if the commercialized warfare with the U.S. wasn't ongoing.

While Bear Lake often attracts radical from arsenic acold arsenic Toronto, Roy besides said helium hopes the taxation recognition could promote much radical to question to Ontario's southwest.

"If we're talking astir the things going connected with the U.S., possibly the affirmative successful that could beryllium that it teaches america that there's inactive tons to spot astir here."

In effect to a petition for remark connected the letter, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Gaming did not reply whether the instrumentality of the taxation recognition could acceptable into Premier Doug Ford's program to support the province's economy.

"Ontario is dedicated to supporting the tourism assemblage and protecting our economy," a ministry connection reads. "That is wherefore we person invested astir $200 cardinal successful our tourism assemblage this fiscal twelvemonth alone."