Major retailers call for tax refund for international tourists
A group of major Canadian retailers is asking the federal government to re-implement a Visitor Tax Refund in an effort to boost tourism and invigorate the Canadian economy.
The group, which includes Hudson’s Bay Company, Cadillac Fairview, Birks Group Inc., and Harry Rosen, says bringing back the refund could be a major incentive to the country’s tourism industry.
“We estimate, thanks to independent analysis, that this would bring up to $1 billion dollars, fresh revenue to Canada, tax revenue for the government, but also approximately 32,000 new jobs in Canada,” Jean-Christophe Bedos, president and CEO of Birks Group Inc. said.
The proposal is also supported by the Retail Council of Canada, who note that according to Statistics Canada data, the spend-per-tourist is down five per cent over the last seven years, while in countries like Japan and the Bahamas—who both recently implemented a visitor tax refund—tourist spending is up considerably.
“Every reasonable and cost-effective level should be used to renew the tourism sector’s important contribution to the Canadian economy, since many businesses rely on tourist spending,” Michelle Wasylyshen, national spokeswoman for the Retail Council of Canada, said.
Some Ottawa businesses say they support the move.
“I think it’s something that should be done and we should just keep something like that happening,” Ian Wright, owner of Snow Goose Gallery on Sparks Street, said.
Wright says tourism is a major part of his business and although this summer has been better, the store is still not seeing the amount of customers they were accustomed to prior to the pandemic. Among those who do come, Wright adds there are still tourists inquiring about Canada’s former visitor tax refund; a program cancelled by the federal government in 2007.
“It worked great and everybody said don’t stop it, don’t stop it,” Wright said.
In a statement to CTV News, Gabriel Felcarek, a spokesperson for the federal tourism minister, Randy Boissonneault, wrote, “A former rebate program was discontinued in 2007 because it was found not to be a cost-effective way for the federal government to help attract tourists to Canada.
“The Minister of Tourism is working with the tourism industry, provincial and territorial counterparts, and Indigenous tourism operators to develop a new post-pandemic Federal Tourism Growth Strategy,” Felcarek added.
But Ottawa retailers say tools like these are critical to helping the industry rebound.
“We want the economy back on track and tourism back on track, these things are really important,” Wright said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
More than 115 cases of eye damage reported in Ontario after solar eclipse
More than 115 people who viewed the solar eclipse in Ontario earlier this month experienced eye damage after the event, according to eye doctors in the province.
Toxic testing standoff: Family leaves house over air quality
A Sherwood Park family says their new house is uninhabitable. The McNaughton's say they were forced to leave the house after living there for only a week because contaminants inside made it difficult to breathe.
Decoy bear used to catch man who illegally killed a grizzly, B.C. conservation officers say
A man has been handed a lengthy hunting ban and fined thousands of dollars for illegally killing a grizzly bear, B.C. conservation officers say.
B.C. seeks ban on public drug use, dialing back decriminalization
The B.C. NDP has asked the federal government to recriminalize public drug use, marking a major shift in the province's approach to addressing the deadly overdose crisis.
OPP responds to apparent video of officer supporting anti-Trudeau government protestors
The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) says it's investigating an interaction between a uniformed officer and anti-Trudeau government protestors after a video circulated on social media.
An emergency slide falls off a Delta Air Lines plane, forcing pilots to return to JFK in New York
An emergency slide fell off a Delta Air Lines jetliner shortly after takeoff Friday from New York, and pilots who felt a vibration in the plane circled back to land safely at JFK Airport.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
Last letters of pioneering climber who died on Everest reveal dark side of mountaineering
George Mallory is renowned for being one of the first British mountaineers to attempt to scale the dizzying heights of Mount Everest during the 1920s. Nearly a century later, newly digitized letters shed light on Mallory’s hopes and fears about ascending Everest.
Loud boom in Hamilton caused by propane tank, police say
A loud explosion was heard across Hamilton on Friday after a propane tank was accidentally destroyed and detonated at a local scrap metal yard, police say.