ACTA’s Meetings with the Ontario Government on Provincial Regulations | May 26, 2023

Earlier this year, TICO announced the launch of the largest review of its funding framework and fee structure since inception. Based on the timelines presented, as an active and invested stakeholder, ACTA met with the consulting firm to review some of the preliminary information prepared and respond to questions on models that will support the sustainable operations of TICO. ACTA will share more details as we participate in the process and before final recommendations are provided to the Minister of Public and Business Service Delivery.

In the meantime, ACTA met with the Senior Policy Advisor at the Ontario Ministry of Public and Business Service Delivery to advocate on behalf of travel agencies and independent travel advisors. Our key concerns and ask of the Government of Ontario were clearly articulated: ACTA is calling for a full review of all TICO programs and administrative costs with the purpose of eliminating unnecessary expenses to ensure a fiscally constrained regulator that keeps registrants fees at a minimum and reduces red tape; and the need to move the Consumer Compensation Fund to a consumer-contribution model.

The timing of our advocacy efforts is critical since we also met with the office of the Auditor General of Ontario, which is conducting a Value for Money audit of TICO. The audit is underway, and a final report is anticipated in Q4. The AG team listened intently and acknowledged the industry’s concerns overall.

Special thanks to ACTA’s TICO Advocacy Team including Richard Vanderlubbe, Louise Gardiner CTM, Cyrus Rustamji CTM and Tisha Saunders, who did an outstanding job bringing the industry’s perspective to the conversation. As a group, we provided historical context, challenges with regulation of the industry, potential solutions and TICO’s performance.

Given TICO’s work underway on a new funding model, ACTA will be mobilizing our Ontario grassroots to ensure that changes do not negatively impact our Members. ACTA will also be working with other industry stakeholders to maximize efforts. Stay tuned for more on this initiative very soon.