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.ASSOCIATION NEWS
Next Member Webinar: Labour Market Update with Tourism HR on August 12th
OMCA
Even before the pandemic, the tourism sector faced labour shortages. While COVID introduced new challenges, it also amplified labour challenges that existed long before the pandemic. This webinar will look at the industry's short, medium, and long-term staffing challenges, and Tourism HR Canada's efforts to ensure Canada has a world-leading tourism workforce. Join us August 12th at 12:00pm ET – registration is required (members only). Click Here to Register
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Update from the OMCA President
OMCA
Last week, the federal government announced the extension of the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS) and the Canadian Emergency Rent Subsidy (CERS) until October 2021. This is a small but positive step in supporting hardest hit businesses who have lost most of the summer and still are suffering from travel restrictions, border closures and business restrictions. While we are supportive of the initiative, this minor extension alone will not save many of the hardest hit businesses from financial ruin this fall and winter. Many of you participated the Hardest Hit Business coalition’s business pulse survey in June, and the results indicate nearly 60% of hardest hit businesses will not survive if CEWS and CERS are not extended beyond the end of the year. This is why our association is calling on you to help build awareness with MPs about this impending crisis. It’s vital that they hear from business owners and operators in their ridings during the summer break. Aligning our messaging by using the association’s templates, key messages and social media shareables will help ensure that, as an industry, we are united and clear on what support is needed for our members. This week, our partner association Tourism HR Canada launched their Student Work Placement Program called Propel. This program is funded by Employment and Social Development Canada and offers employers a wage subsidy of up to 75% of a qualifying student’s wages, to a maximum of $7,500. If you are in a position to hire students, I would encourage you to visit PropelCareers.ca for details on the Propel Student Work Placement Program to determine how you can get involved. Please reach out with any comments or questions. - Vince Accardi
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Do you have a favourite hidden gem destination?
OMCA
Have you been to a dreamy destination or an amazing attraction and wondered why more people don't know about it? OMCA will be featuring a Hidden Gems compilation article in our next publication of the Road Explorer magazine, with a focus on Ontario and Quebec. But we don't just want any story about a hidden gem in Central Canada, we want to hear the first-hand experiences of tourism experts — our members! Send us your short story of a hidden gem in Ontario and Quebec. Selected stories will be published in Fall 2021 Road Explorer magazine! Whether it's an area that you live in or one that you loved visiting, if you think more people should know about it, tell us why it is so awesome. Feel free to submit multiple stories! This edition of the magazine focuses on central Canada, but if we have a successful experience with this article, we will continue our Hidden Gem theme in future publications and expand to other parts of Canada and the United States! Send your short story to https://forms.gle/RfLQLpeuWk5wfUnf7.
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Marketplace: Important Dates now posted
OMCA
The important dates leading up to Marketplace have been finalized and posted to the website. The MyOMCA portal opens September 1st, the delegate directory opens September 13th, and appointment selections begin September 30th! See our website for more details.
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Congratulations to the Early Bird Marketplace Winners!
OMCA
A big congratulations to Jolly Tours and Mount Hope Estate Winery on their $50 gift card of choice. It pays to register early! The MyOMCA portal opens in less than a month — if you haven’t registered yet, what are you waiting for?
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.INDUSTRY NEWS
Workforce lifeline for hardest-hit tourism sector
Tourism HR Canada
Tourism HR Canada recently announced the launch of a federally funded Student Work Placement Program offering paid work-integrated learning opportunities in the tourism and hospitality sector.
Called Propel, the new program benefits the full spectrum of the visitor economy as it emerges from the crushing impact of the pandemic.
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Conservatives push feds to ensure Canadians who got mixed vaccines can travel abroad
CTV News
The federal Conservatives are urging the Liberal government to do more to ensure that Canadians who received two different doses of COVID-19 vaccines are able to travel internationally.
Tory health critic Michelle Rempel Garner sent a letter Thursday to Health Minister Patty Hajdu highlighting multiple reports of Canadians being barred entry to countries due to their mixed vaccinations.
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Unique places you'll never believe are in Ontario
Ultimate Ontario
Ontario is full of surprises. Around every corner, there is a fascinating discovery to be found. It’s hard to believe some of these places are even in this province. From chains of islands to palm trees and Epic cliffs to castles, these unique places in Ontario are waiting to be explored.
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World-class Ontario Place to be an 'urban oasis'
Travel Industry Today
The Ontario government has announced plans to turn Toronto’s neglected Ontario Place into a “world class destination” and “urban oasis” that will include new attractions, an adventure park, enhanced outdoor amphitheatre, plus plenty of parkland. Notably, the new site will not include condos, a casino, or be sold — ideas that had been previously floated but vehemently opposed by the public.
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Ontario makes historic investment in safe, innovative festivals and events
Government of Ontario
The Ontario government is investing nearly $50 million to help festival and event organizers deliver innovative and safe experiences that allow people to safely reconnect with their communities. This one-time funding increase — more than double the annual funding provided to the festival and event sector in the past – will ensure the long-term success of the festival and event sector.
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THE 'HASSLE FACTOR': Air travellers struggling with travel rules
Travel Industry Today
Most air travellers are confident about the safety of air travel and support mask-wearing in the near-term, reports a recent IATA passenger survey. However, a majority are also frustrated with the “hassle factor” around COVID-19 protocols, including confusion and uncertainty about travel rules, testing requirements, and excessive test costs.
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