Up to $1M Available for Tourism Businesses in Ontario Negatively Impacted by Covid-19

Tourism businesses that have been negatively affected by COVID-19 can soon apply for funding support through the Ontario Tourism Recovery Program (OTRP). This competitive, application-based program aims to support private-sector tourism businesses that are significant drivers for their regional tourism economies.

Funding provided to successful applicants will help those businesses:

• Prepare to reopen safely
• Develop adaptative and innovative tourism products
• Retain and create tourism jobs
• Support tourism recovery in their region and throughout Ontario

The program’s funding formula uses a percentage of qualifying revenue losses and salary and wage expenditures to determine the maximum potential award amount.

Eligible Applicants

Eligible applicants across the tourism sector include: 

• Accommodations
  • Bed and breakfasts
  • Resorts
  • Hotels, motels, inns, and lodges
  • Hunting and fishing camps or lodges
  • Cottages and cabins
  • Campgrounds and recreational vehicle parks
    
• Attractions
  • Farm-based tourist attractions
  • Amusement parks, theme parks, water parks and midway operators
  • Indoor and outdoor recreational attractions
  • Scenic/sightseeing tours 
  • Zoos, botanical gardens, aquariums and eco- and nature centres
  • Museums, historic and heritage attractions
  • Indigenous attractions
  • Performing arts, music and entertainment venues
  • Cinemas (motion picture and video exhibition)
  • Boat tours
  • Marinas
  • Convention and conference centers
  • Destination spas
  • Wineries, breweries and cideries
  • Distilleries
  • Golf courses
  • Ski and snow attractions
    

• Transportation
  • Commercial passenger airlines
  • Motor coaches
    
    

Eligibility Criteria 

 Applicants must meet all of the following requirements:

• Be a for-profit business, legally incorporated (federally or provincially) as of January 1, 2018
• Operate an eligible tourism business in Ontario and have a Canadian bank account
• Have experienced an eligible revenue decline of at least 50% in the reported 2020–2021 year (COVID impact year), compared to fiscal year-end 2019 (pre-COVID baseline year)
• Have annual financial statements for fiscal year-end 2018, 2019 and the reported 2020–2021 fiscal year that reflects the impacts of COVID-19 and related losses
• Have issued at least one T4 to an employee in 2019
• Normally be open to the public at least 12 consecutive weeks per year and open at least five days per week during the operating season
• Be open, as permitted, in 2021

Funding Details

Applications will be accepted starting on October 13, 2021.  Businesses that qualify for the program and are successful in their applications will be eligible for funding up to the lesser of: 

• Up to 20% of 2020-2021 qualifying revenue losses, compared to fiscal year-end 2019,  or 

• Salaries and wages for fiscal year 2019 according to the following tiers: 
• • Tier 1 – More than $4,000,000 in salary and wage expenses in 2019. Funding cap: $1,000,000 
  • Tier 2 - $2,000,000 to $4,000,000 in salary and wage expenses in 2019. Funding cap: $500,000 
  • Tier 3 - $1,300,000 to $1,999,999 in salary and wage expenses in 2019. Funding cap: $250,000 
  • Tier 4 – Less than $1,300,000 in salary and wage expenses in 2019. Funding cap: $100,000