The Review

The Review - November 22nd Edition

Posted On: Thursday, November 23, 2023

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The Review - November 22nd Edition

Municipal Accommodations Tax Research Project & Public Survey

Press Releases

November 6, 2023

The Town of The Blue Mountains would like to announce the launch of the Municipal Accommodation Tax (MAT) research and evaluation project, including the launch of a public survey to gain feedback from residents and tourism industry members.

As directed by Council, the research and evaluation project includes a comprehensive review of the considerations and feasibility of implementing a Municipal Accommodation Tax in the Town. To learn more, visit the project webpage: www.thebluemountains.ca/MAT

A Municipal Accommodation Tax is a tax that is collected on overnight accommodations booked for less than 30 days, which includes but is not limited to hotels, motels, bed and breakfasts and other short-term rentals. The tax is paid for by the guest and is collected by the accommodation provider through the booking or check-in/check-out process. The funds collected through the tax are used to promote tourism and to support tourism-related activities and projects accessed by visitors and residents, such as roads, transit, beaches, parks and natural areas.

To support the project, the Town has engaged Bannikin, a professional tourism services firm, to lead and facilitate the research and evaluation project, which includes the development of a Municipal Accommodation Tax Strategy. In addition, the Town has engaged CBRE Tourism Consulting to conduct a community-focused Economic Impact Assessment related to the implementation of MAT.

About the Project
The primary goal of the project is to develop a comprehensive report and strategy that reviews and evaluates the feasibility and considerations of a Municipal Accommodations Tax. The report will be informed by feedback from residents, tourism businesses/operators and accommodation providers. The report will also establish a strong understanding of the context, challenges, opportunities, and social and economic implications of implementing and administering a MAT.

The project will follow a community-based research approach using several methods to engage stakeholders, including a visitor-facing business and resident survey, an accommodation provider survey, key stakeholder interviews and accommodation industry table talks.

Additionally, secondary research methods are being used to explore and establish a strong understanding of the background and context for MAT in Ontario and across Canada to inform potential innovations and creative approaches to adopt in implementation.

Sharing Your Perspective
To gain feedback from residents and tourism industry members, the Town has launched a public survey that will be available until Sunday, November 26, 2023. The survey can be accessed using the following link: Role of Tourism Survey

For more information, please contact:

Tim Hendry
Manager of Communications and Economic Development
(519) 599-3131 ext. 282

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