Tourism organization says federal parties need to provide stability to industry

A group representing tourism businesses across northwestern Ontario says its members want the federal government that forms after the Sept. 20 election to provide stability for the industry.

Gerry Cariou, executive director of the Kenora-based Sunset Country Travel Association, said tourism operators don't want "a handout," butwant assistance to help prepare for the future.

"I think what they want to do is just have a stable business operating environment, allowing them to kind of work their business model," Cariou said, noting the lodge industry, for example, was successful prior to the pandemic.

Thousands of people work in northwestern Ontario's service industry,which requires U.S. visitors to survive.

The industry was especially hit hard in the first summer of COVID-19. In June 2020, a rally by northwestern Ontario tourism outfitters saw hundreds gather in Vermilion Bay, with calls for "meaningful assistance" from the government.

Uncertainty was 'torture'

Cariou said the continuation of rent assistance and wage subsidy, as proposed by the Liberal Party, would be of assistance to businesses that were able to salvage, at best, 30 per cent of their normal revenue.

"The main thing that happened during the pandemic was uncertainty, was a month to month, 'is the border going to open, is the border going to open,' and that was torture."

Cariou said many businesses have felt some relief since Aug.9, when the border opened to U.S. visitors. However, many lost out onmuch of the revenue required to turn a profit, meaning losing nearly two years of income.

Cariou said he was interested in how the Conservatives' plan, which involvesdiscounted dining later in the year, to help the service industry. He said it could be a valuable tool to drum up business, but was unsure as to the exact details of the program.

He said it was hard to say what party's platform would have a greater impact on the tourism sector,noting that at first glance, the Liberals' and Conservatives' plans to help the industry would probably have roughly the same impact.