Working for You: Top 5 Things to Know About Your National Association This Month

HAC WELCOMES FINANCE CANADA STUDY ON AIRBNB

The Hotel Association of Canada is pleased to see that the Department of Finance is studying the impacts of Airbnb in Toronto and Vancouver. HAC has been advocating for the Federal Government to take a leadership role and examine the short-term rental industry and is encouraged that this work is underway.

The study focuses on Airbnb’s growth in both cities and suggests an interest in monitoring the potential impacts of new short-term rental regulations. Importantly, the report uncovers that more than half of the share of revenue was generated by hosts operating more than one Airbnb listing in 2017.

The document acknowledges some of the concerns raised by HAC and makes direct reference to unfair competition due to the differential tax treatment for short-term-rental platforms, the lack of reporting mechanisms, and the absence of tax remittance by Airbnb on the revenue it earns.

This is an important step in the right direction and a good sign that the government is investigating these issues. HAC will be closely monitoring the development of this study and will be meeting with the Department of Finance to share further information and data, including case studies from other jurisdictions around the world, HAC’s Pre-Budget submission, and its best practice guidelines for short-term rental regulation.

JUST RELEASED: BEST PRACTICE GUIDELINES FOR REGULATING SHORT-TERM RENTALS

On August 16th HAC was on Parliament Hill to release best practice guidelines for regulating short-term rentals. The paper, “Developing A Modern Approach to Short-Term Rentals in a Digital Economy” gives Canadian municipalities an analysis of regulatory developments worldwide and best practice approaches to developing a local framework.

The purpose of this research is to provide municipalities with an analysis of regulatory developments worldwide and to recommend a best practices approach to develop a local framework. This is an important piece of research that has never been done in Canada. It will assist us, and our provincial and city hotel advocates, with lobbying efforts in municipalities across the country as officials seek to develop new regulations.

To date, this was HAC’s most successful media day. Click here to watch a short video highlighting some of the coverage from the press event on Parliament Hill.

AWARDS OF EXCELLENCE: CALL FOR NOMINATIONS

The Hotel Association of Canada’s Awards of Excellence are BACK! Recognize your team’s accomplishments, exemplary leadership and commitment to Canada’s lodging industry.

The categories are:

• Aspiring Hotelier Award
• Most Impressive Repositioning Award
• Revenue Performance Team of the Year
• Humanitarian Award
• Human Resources Award
• Green Key Environment Award

Winners will receive industry-wide exposure and a dedicated red-carpet event at the HAC conference on February 27 at the Delta Hotels by Marriott Toronto Airport & Conference Centre. Included are 2 complimentary conference tickets and a hotel stay – on us!

Learn more about all six award categories and how to apply here.
Please note the application deadline is November 1, 2018.

FAIRRULES.CA CAMPAIGN COVERAGE CONTINUES AS PARLIAMENT PREPARES FOR RETURN

HAC was recently featured in The Lobby Monitor – Ottawa’s leading news source on Canada’s lobbying scene that provides exclusive coverage on who is influencing top decision makers at the federal level and beyond.

This feature on HAC’s advocacy campaign is a direct result of our recent press conference, where we released our best practice guidelines to regulate short-term rentals. The article is strategically placed just before the House of Commons resumes later this month and the fall advocacy and Hill Day circuit ramps up.

The article is available to The Lobby Monitor subscribers here or contact HAC for a copy.

2019 PRE-BUDGET SUBMISSION

In early August, HAC submitted its written brief to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance for the pre-budget consultations in advance of the 2019 Federal Budget.

On behalf of Canada’s hotel industry, HAC’s pre-budget submission focused on recommendations including tax fairness for digital offshore short-term rental platform companies, addressing labour supply shortages in the hotel industry and improving tourism marketing.

Access HAC’s 2019 Pre-Budget Submission.

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