COVID-19
Destination Northern Ontario is committed to providing the northern tourism industry with multiple options for feedback, idea sharing and information.
BACK Extension of Validation Periods for Driver, Vehicle and Carrier Products, Services and Health Cards ExpandMinistry of Transportation and Ministry of Health, in cooperation with the Ministry of Government and Consumer Services and Service Ontario, is extending the validity period of driving products, services and health cards. These changes reduce the need for in-person visits to Service Ontario.
- Extensions for driver licences, licence plate validation, Ontario Photo Cards, and Commercial Vehicle Operator Registration certificates, among others.
- Expiring and expired health cards will continue to provide access to health services.
For more information? Click here.
Launch of Ontario Together Website ExpandLaunch of Ontario Together Website, Ontario Together, a new website to rapidly connect with business owners and manufacturers to produce essential equipment needed by frontline healthcare workers in the fight against COVID-19. The website also provides:
- Guidelines on product standards that need to be met in order to be used by frontline healthcare workers.
- Companies to submit proposals for the government to procure required goods and services and share creative solutions quickly.
More Information? Click here.
Job Protection for Workers during the COVID-19 Pandemic ExpandTo protect Ontario’s workers during the COIVD-19 pandemic, the province is introducing legislation to
protect Ontario’s workers. The Employment Standards Amendment Act (Infectious Disease Emergencies), 2020, provides job-protected leave for employees unable to work for the following reasons:
- The employee is under medical investigation, supervision or treatment for COVID-19.
- The employee is in isolation or quarantine in accordance with public health information or direction.
- The employee needs to provide care to a person for a reason related to COVID-19 such as a school or day-care closure and more.
More Information? Click here.
Recommendations for Cleaning and Disinfection ExpandFor more information and recommendations for cleaning and disinfection support for workers click here.
More information for Businesses and Employees ExpandFor considerations for businesses navigating COVID-19 disruptions, Economic Response Plan click here.
Ontario Small Business Support Grant Expand
Applications for the Ontario Small Business Relief Grant closed on Friday, March 11, 2022.
Starting at $10,000 for all eligible businesses, the grant provides businesses with funding to a maximum of $20,000 to help cover decreased revenue expected as a result of the Provincewide Shutdown.
The business must demonstrate they experienced a revenue decline of at least 20 per cent when comparing monthly revenue in April 2019 and April 2020. This time period was selected because it reflects the impact of the public health measures in spring 2020, and as such provides a representation of the possible impact of these latest measures on small businesses.
For more information click here.
Ontario’s Main Street Relief Grant: PPE Support Expand
Eligibility
To be eligible, your business must have 2 to 19 employees and be in one of the following sectors:
- retail
- accommodation and food services
- repair and maintenance
- personal and laundry services
- gyms and yoga studios
- arts, entertainment and recreation
What you’ll get
Eligible small businesses will get one-time grants of up to $1,000.
For more information, click here.
Property Tax Rebate and Energy Cost Rebate Grant ExpandApplications for the Ontario Business Costs Rebate Program closed on March 14th 2022 at 11:59 p.m. EDT.
Note that businesses owned by the federal, provincial, or a municipal government, or by a person holding federal or provincial office, are not eligible for the Property Tax Rebate and Energy Cost Rebate Grants.
For more information, click here.
Community COVID-19 Supports Quick Reference Guide ExpandFor more information, click here.
Non-Profit Sector COVID-19 Supports Quick Reference Guide ExpandFor more information, click here.
Grow Your Business Online Grant ExpandAs part of the Canada Digital Adoption Program, the Government of Canada has partnered with the Ontario Chamber of Commerce to deliver the Grow Your Business Online grant.
Through this program, small business owners can receive a micro-grant worth up to $2,400 to help get their business online, give their e-commerce presence a boost, or digitalize business operations. Grant recipients must commit to maintaining their digital adoption strategy for at least six months
For more information, click here.
Provincial authorities are beginning to outline their re-opening plans. This can provide businesses with information on what to expect in the upcoming weeks and months. This list will be updated as new information is released to the public. Ontario CollapseFind sector-specific guidelines and posters to help protect workers, customers and the general public from coronavirus (COVID-19) in Ontario.
More information? Click here.
Designed to support businesses and communities within Northern Ontario’s tourism industry through COVID-19 by providing resources and connections for today and the future. Click below to register for the following upcoming webinars or to view a past webinar recording and download the handout information. Enduring a Global Pandemic Expand
Presented by: Mitchell Grant CPA, CA, Senior Manager of Assurance and Advisory, Grant Thornton LLP and Christy McClelland CPA, CA, CRM Senior Manager, Advisory, Grant Thornton LLP
April 28th 2020 – 1:00pm EDT
Stay Connected Expand
Presented by: Eva Gutsche, Owner, STEM Consulting & Marketing Inc.
April 29th 2020 – 11:00am EDT Turning a Pause into Productivity – 20 Low Cost Ways to Work on Your Business ExpandPresented by: Chris Hughes, Owner, BC Hughes Inc.
May 5th 2020 – 11:00am EDT
How’s Your Digital Health? Upgrading Your Online Presence During the Pause Expand
Presented by: Mike Jacobs, CEO, The New Business
May 6th – 11:00am EDT
The Road from Today to Tomorrow – Northern Operators Share Their Path Expand
Panelists:
- David MacLachlan
- Pat Peterson, owner/operator of Bruce Bay Cottages and Lighthouse
- Krista Cheeseman, owner/operator of Wilderness North
- Betty McGie, owner/operator of Watson’s Algoma Vacations
- Sean Mackey, President, M & M Hospitality (Holiday Inn Express & Suites, Waterfront Inn, Quality Inn, Econo Lodge
Moderated by: Mike Jacobs, CEO, The New Business
May 7th, 2020 – 11am EDT
Ramping Up as the Curve Flattens Expand
Presented by: Eva Gutsche, Owner STEM Consulting
May 12th, 11:00 am EDT
Business Succession and Transition Financing During COVID-19 Expand
Presented by: Alison Anderson, CEO & Founder, SuccessionMatching and Ryan Reynard, Executive Director, Lake of the Woods Business Incentive Corp.
May 13th – 11:00 am EDT
Pivoting and Adjusting your Sales Plan & Approach Expand
Presented by: Eva Gutsche, Owner, STEM Consulting
May 14th, 2020 – 11:00 am EDT
Par où se lancer : Ressources, initiatives et outils / Where to Start: Resources, Initiatives and Tools Expand
Presented by: Isabelle de Bruyn, Project Manager, Tourism / Gestionnaire en tourisme – Société économique de l’Ontario (SÉO) and Marla Tremblay, Destination Northern Ontario
May 20th – 11:00am EDT
Experience Fishing Expand
Presented by: Karen Jones, CEO of Karen Jones Consulting
May 25th, 2020 – 11:00 am EDT
Marina Life While Respecting Social Distancing ExpandSocial Distancing Best Practices Marina
Social DistancingBest Practices Personnel
How to Social Distance on a Boat Poster
Presented by: Rick Layzell, CEO, Boating Ontario Association
May 26th – 11:00am EDT
Defining expectations from the parking lot to the boat to the service shop, the fuel dock and everything in between.
Soyez inspirés – idées et solutions innovantes / Be inspired! Innovative Ideas & Solutions Expand
Presented by: Isabelle de Bruyn, Project Manager, Tourism / Gestionnaire en tourisme – Société économique de l’Ontario (SÉO) and Marla Tremblay, Destination Northern Ontario
May 28th – 11:00am EDT
Re-opening Ontario’s Hospitality Industry Expand
ReOpening Protocols – Complete Checklist
June 3rd, 2020 – 11:00 am EDT
Presented by Tony Elenis, President and CEO, Ontario Restaurant Hotel and Motel Association
Locals First – Creating Experiences to Appeal to the Local Ontario Market Expand
June 4th, 2020 – 11:00 am EDT
Presented by Eva Gutsche, Owner, STEM Consulting.
Resource-Based Tourism: How to Provide a Safe Environment Amidst COVID ExpandResort Closure COVID info graphic – LOCKED version
June 9th, 2020 – 11:00 am EDT
With Guest Experts Laurie Marcil, Executive Director, Nature and Outdoor Tourism in Ontario (NOTO) and Margaret Palmer, Commercial Account Executive & Certified Risk Advisor, Gougeon Insurance Brokers.
D’aujourd’hui à demain – Les opérateurs du Nord partagent leur chemin vers la reprise / Northern Operators Share Their Path Expand
June 10th, 2020 – 11:00 am EDT
Moderated by: Marla Tremblay, Destination Northern Ontario and TEN Specialist
With Industry Panelists:1. Pat Dubreuil, Owner/Operator, Relais Magpie Relay
2. Renee Vezeau Beaulieu, Owner/Operator, Best Western Cochrane
3. Melanie Ann Veilleux, Owner/Operator, Hearst Air Service & Brunswick Lake Lodge
4. Mitch Deschatelets, Owner/Operator, Leisure Farms
Cette table ronde est centrée sur la crise COVID-19, et sur la façon dont les entreprises touristiques du Nord gèrent aujourd’hui, planifient l’avenir et s’attendent à résoudre les problèmes de main-d’œuvre lorsque le tourisme reprendra.
The Five Crucial Actions Destination Development Organizations Must Take to Succeed in Recovery Expand
June 6th, 2020 – 11:00 am EDT
With guest expert Joe Veneto, Chief Experience Officer, Veneto Collaboratory
Service Canada: COVID -19 Special Presentation Expand
Presented by: Tracy Carson, Citizen Service Specialist, Service Canada
June 16th, 11:00 am EDT
Join us for an informative overview of programs, services, and temporary special measures put in place for employers and employees in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
More information? Click here.
Fishing in Different Ponds – A look at various Ontario markets that could fit your business Expand
Presented by: Eva Gutsche, Owner, STEM Consulting
• Capitalizing on local demand• What is the Ontario market looking for?
• A look at markets in addition to fishing
• The great outdoors – creating experiences for the outdoor and soft adventure market
• Family matters – attracting the Ontario family market
• Diverse Ontario – attracting various Ontario based ethnic markets
• Investing to attract new markets – product & marketing – anticipated ROI
• Fish where the fish are – targeted marketing
• Action plan – Summer 2020
Travel Information Center Summer Student – Algoma Expand
With Guest Expert Eva Gutsche, Owner, STEM Consulting, and a representative from Algoma.
Agenda:• Team Building
• Customer Service
• COVID Rules
• Working Remotely
• Mental Health Issues
• How to encourage people to complete surveys Travel Information Center Summer Student – Northeastern Ontario Expand
With Guest Expert Eva Gutsche, Owner, STEM Consulting, and a representative from Northeastern Ontario.
Agenda:• Team Building
• Customer Service
• COVID Rules
• Working Remotely
• Mental Health Issues
• How to encourage people to complete surveys Travel Information Center Summer Student – Superior Country Expand
With Guest Expert Eva Gutsche, Owner, STEM Consulting, and a representative from Superior Country.
Agenda:• Team Building
• Customer Service
• COVID Rules
• Working Remotely
• Mental Health Issues
• How to encourage people to complete surveys Travel Information Center Summer Student – Sunset Country Expand
With Guest Expert Eva Gutsche, Owner, STEM Consulting, and a representative from Sunset Country.
Agenda:• Team Building
• Customer Service
• COVID Rules
• Working Remotely
• Mental Health Issues
• How to encourage people to complete surveys Transition Financing During COVID-19 Expand
Presented by guest experts Ryan Reynard, Executive Director, Lake of the Woods Business Incentive Corp. (LOWBIC) and Michael Addison, General Manager, LaCloche Manitoulin Business Assistance Corp. (LAMBAC).
A Follow Up: The Road from Today to Tomorrow – Northern Operators Share Their Path ExpandThis panel discussion is a follow up to the May 7th panel discussion with Northern Ontario Operators centered around the COVID-19 crisis. Join the webinar to learn how our panelists are managing the reopening of their businesses, how they’re planning for the future, and how they have addressed workforce issues now that tourism has opened back up!
Northern Ontario Recovery Program (NORP) Expand
Winter is Coming: Focus on Snowmobiling Expand
Winter is Coming: Hyper-Local, Hyper-Fast to Drive Visitation and Economic Development Expand
For the foreseeable future, the travel market will be Hyper-Local leisure visitors. As a result, Destination Marketing Organizations acting as Community Catalysts must act hyper-fast to build a Hyper-Local strategy that will help travel partners and generate business for the winter and the first half of 2021.
DMOs must facilitate the creation, development and marketing of point-of-sale travel packages with travel partners and local businesses.
In this session you will discover the process for creating compelling consumer travel packages. Next, you will gain an understanding of current travel trends and the motivations of consumers. In addition, you will learn how to activate your travel partners and provide them with the skills and tools they need to create partnerships that will drive packaging and revenues.
Your organization is key to activating your partners and community businesses to drive visitation and economic development.
Winter is Coming: Focus on Outdoor Recreation and Adventure Expand Winter is Coming: Focus on Resorts and Accommodations Expand Winter is Coming_ Focus on Resorts and Accommodations Safe Travels Stamp – What is it, and Do I Qualify Expand
What is the Safe Travels Stamp Program: The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) in conjunction with the industry, including Tourism Industry Association of Ontario (TIAO), has created a self-certified Safe Travels Stamp. The Safe Travels Stamp program is based on the worldwide industry protocols the WTTC has put together for every aspect of the hospitality and tourism sector.
The specially designed Safe Travels Stamp will allow travellers to recognize governments and companies around the world which have adopted health and hygiene global standardized protocols – so consumers can experience ‘Safe Travels’.
WSIB Excellence Program ExpandOur program meets you where you are – whether you are building a health and safety program from scratch, or enhancing an existing program.
Here’s what our program offers to businesses:• Support and guidance from a WSIB-approved provider
• Pandemic readiness materials to help you meet the challenges of operating safely during a pandemic and reduce COVID-19 related hazards in the workplace
• Flexible program options to make it easy to join
• Recognition to show employees, customers, and investors your commitment to health and safety
• Earn recognition with our new health and safety excellence badges
Presented by: Lisa Dupuis, Excellence Consultant, WSIB and Becky Chiarot, Excellence Consultant, WSIB
Tourism Relief Fund Information Session ExpandDetails:
• To provide an overview of the Tourism Relief Fund, which was recently launched.
• Qs and As. Presented by: Tracey Forsyth, Acting Manager, Program Delivery, North Central (NC) Region
Support Staff – Max Merrifield, Initiatives Officer for the NC Team, will be joining me to assist with Qs and As, but will not be presenting.
Support Staff – Sarah Miller, Executive Assistant will also be joining the meeting to document Qs and As.
Tourism Excellence North offers online tools and face-to-face training designed to strengthen the ability of tourism operations to respond to changes in the marketplace, adapt to quality visitor expectations, develop innovative experiences that raise the bar on visitor value and deliver increased returns for operations and the destination as a whole.
Click here to be directed to Tourism Excellence North for recorded webinars and handouts. BACK