Tourism industry calls for Alberta boost as summer travel season continues
Some in Alberta's tourism industry are asking the province for another lifeline as they aim to get back on their feet after the pandemic.
The head of the Calgary Hotel Association joined the opposition NDP Sunday to call for an extension of the tourism levy abatement.
The levy is a 4 per cent tax on accommodations operators. It was paused for much of the last year, but this month, it's being collected once again.
Sol Zia says it's a hard pill to swallow for some businesses.
"The number one thing we need is a commitment to the survival and return of tourism," he said. "You have to survive to recover and grow."
Tourism has been hit hard by COVID-19 slowdowns, and even after Alberta reopened, closed land borders and hesitant travellers mean revenue is still down.
The NDP says another abatement would help those in the industry.
"So that we can have strong footing and so that our employers can hire Albertans and Albertans can (then) travel their province," MLA Sarah Hoffman said.
The opposition predicts an abatement that lasts until September 2022 would give the industry about $50 million.
A province spokesperson told CTV News Sunday that the pause is being considered.
He acknowledged the importance of the money and said the government has discussed next steps. But the spokesperson also pointed to the international border rules: something many in the provincial government have been adamant about changing.
The federal government will further discuss the restrictions later in July.
Fully vaccinated Canadians can currently fly back home without isolating, but negative COVID-19 tests are still needed before and after they travel.
The land border closure was extended in June.
Travel Alberta's Tannis Gaffney says changes to the current structure would help the province immensely.
"Over the last 18 months, we've seen about a 48 per cent decrease in tourism expenditures to the province," she said. "That equates to job losses around 23,000, or 30 per cent. So it's quite a significant impact to the industry."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING New York appeals court overturns Harvey Weinstein's 2020 rape conviction from landmark #MeToo trial
New York’s highest court on Thursday overturned Harvey Weinstein’s 2020 rape conviction, finding the judge at the landmark #MeToo trial prejudiced the ex-movie mogul with improper rulings, including a decision to let women testify about allegations that weren’t part of the case.
BREAKING Monthly earnings rise, payroll employment falls: jobs report
The number of vacant jobs in Canada increased in February, while monthly payroll employment decreased in food services, manufacturing, and retail trade, among other sectors.
Doctors say capital gains tax changes will jeopardize their retirement. Is that true?
The Canadian Medical Association asserts the Liberals' proposed changes to capital gains taxation will put doctors' retirement savings in jeopardy, but some financial experts insist incorporated professionals are not as doomed as they say they are.
Remains from a mother-daughter cold case were found nearly 24 years later, after a deathbed confession from the suspect
A West Virginia father is getting some sense of closure after authorities found the remains of his young daughter and her mother following a deathbed confession from the man believed to have fatally shot them nearly two decades ago.
Something in the water? Canadian family latest to spot elusive 'Loch Ness Monster'
For centuries, people have wondered what, if anything, might be lurking beneath the surface of Loch Ness in Scotland. When Canadian couple Parry Malm and Shannon Wiseman visited the Scottish highlands earlier this month with their two children, they didn’t expect to become part of the mystery.
Metro Vancouver mayors call for serial killer Robert Pickton to be denied parole
A dozen mayors from around Metro Vancouver say federal Attorney General and Justice Minister Arif Virani should deny parole for notorious B.C. serial killer Robert Pickton, and reassess the parole and sentencing system for 'prolific offenders and mass murderers.'
What do weight loss drugs mean for a diet industry built on eating less and exercising more?
Recent injected drugs like Wegovy and its predecessor, the diabetes medication Ozempic, are reshaping the health and fitness industries.
2 military horses that broke free and ran loose across London are in serious condition
Two military horses that bolted and ran miles through the streets of London after being spooked by construction noise and tossing their riders were in a serious condition and required operations, a British government official said Thursday.
'It was instant karma': Viral video captures failed theft attempt in Nanaimo, B.C.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.