Travel restrictions continuing for at least 6 months

[Obabikon]

The problem they're having with proof of negative tests, is that they still don't have a test that is very accurate.

[Fisherman Ted]

[QUOTE=BornToFish;6490278]Greetings,


I assumed that the Canadian governments were reluctant to provide financial assistance to the fishing lodge industry, recognizing that many fishing lodges are owned by American citizens. Is this a fair assumption?

Kindest regards....[/QUOTE]

I have never heard this come up anywhere. And I would be shocked if this had any bearing on money to the industry. The ownership of the company should have zero bearing on whether or not I as a US lodge owner should get help with the Canadian business. And yes, I am a US citizen as are many of my colleagues.

Nearly all of the revenue stays in the country. Employing ONLY Canadians. Bringing in foreign money to the country. And at the end of the day when I take a salary Canada taxes it long before the IRS gets their share. The country should want to keep the industry afloat, especially in the North. Fishing/Hunting tourism is one of the main providers of economic affluence (for lack of a better word) throughout many Northern communities. They die and so do many, many others. I spout these numbers all the time but I will do so again. 400,000 jobs created every year. More GDP to the country than agriculture, mining and forestry combined. That's big money.

The loans kept many of us solvent this past summer. But now we are looking at potentially 2 years without any revenue. And that will be the demise of the majority of lodges. With the amount of cash we pump into the system I think a bailout has to be an option. Call it whatever you want. Grants. Non-repayable loans. HST rebate. I don't care.

Let' put it another way. If the government doesn't want to keep us afloat, they would lose more than 200k worth of Canadian salaries, 250K of provincial/federal taxes and close to 350K of monies spent in my local community. And they would lose it every year. Forever. From just my lodge.

Think it through powers that be. Help the industry out now, or you will be paying for it forever.

-FT

[Hookhunter135]

[QUOTE=Fisherman Ted;6491280][QUOTE=BornToFish;6490278]Greetings,


I assumed that the Canadian governments were reluctant to provide financial assistance to the fishing lodge industry, recognizing that many fishing lodges are owned by American citizens. Is this a fair assumption?

Kindest regards....[/QUOTE]

I have never heard this come up anywhere. And I would be shocked if this had any bearing on money to the industry. The ownership of the company should have zero bearing on whether or not I as a US lodge owner should get help with the Canadian business. And yes, I am a US citizen as are many of my colleagues.

Nearly all of the revenue stays in the country. Employing ONLY Canadians. Bringing in foreign money to the country. And at the end of the day when I take a salary Canada taxes it long before the IRS gets their share. The country should want to keep the industry afloat, especially in the North. Fishing/Hunting tourism is one of the main providers of economic affluence (for lack of a better word) throughout many Northern communities. They die and so do many, many others. I spout these numbers all the time but I will do so again. 400,000 jobs created every year. More GDP to the country than agriculture, mining and forestry combined. That's big money.

The loans kept many of us solvent this past summer. But now we are looking at potentially 2 years without any revenue. And that will be the demise of the majority of lodges. With the amount of cash we pump into the system I think a bailout has to be an option. Call it whatever you want. Grants. Non-repayable loans. HST rebate. I don't care.

Let' put it another way. If the government doesn't want to keep us afloat, they would lose more than 200k worth of Canadian salaries, 250K of provincial/federal taxes and close to 350K of monies spent in my local community. And they would lose it every year. Forever. From just my lodge.

Think it through powers that be. Help the industry out now, or you will be paying for it forever.

-FT[/QUOTE]

It seems from all that I have read that at this point in time the Canadian government has shown little concern for this sector. Unless someone has information I can look at that proves otherwise they will sink their economy to “save humanity” My best guess for a border reopening is after the busiest time during 21 summer tourism. I have no reason to believe currently that Canada and the US are afraid of destroying this industry.

[bthomas3333]

Next season is at risk. NWT and Nunavut are really really at risk. So sad.

[tv4fish]

[QUOTE]The loans kept many of us solvent this past summer.[/QUOTE]
What is going to be the impact on the Canadian government IF the ban DOES continue through next year and most of these loans will never be paid back? Without any (much) income this year -- how are these resorts, etc. going to pay back much on these loans?

Can the government "take" that big of a hit?????

[BornToFish]

Greetings,

Ted: Thanks for your perspective - very much appreciated.

I understand that the economic impact of tourism in NW Ontario is huge -- salaries for employees, taxes and monies spent in local communities (e.g. marinas, hardware stores, grocery stores and the like). I have not been able to understand the apparent indifference of the Canadian government to tourism's plight during the pandemic. I sure hope things work our better for lodge owners in 2021!

Several folks on this thread have commented on a "fee" being assessed to tourists to help with the economic challenge faced by lodge owners. The decision by the Canada government a few years ago to no longer refund to tourists a portion of HST paid is an example of such a "fee".

Kindest regards....

[johnboat]

I hope the Canadian Government also understands that a percentage of groups won't EVER be back due to the fact they have found a camp to their liking in the US with out the extra travel, no border hassle, money exchange issues, age issues (the guys with the $$)........ etc.

It makes you really wonder if they really do care about the lodge industry at all.

With the lost revenue and tax dollars you'd think the cost of everyday items will just continue to rise on the already high prices the Canadian citizens currently pay.

The more I think about it, the worse it seems as I really doubt the 2021 June season will happen.

I sure hope I'm wrong.

SAD.

[Eckohlt]

[QUOTE=johnboat;6491390]I hope the Canadian Government also understands that a percentage of groups won't EVER be back due to the fact they have found a camp to their liking in the US with out the extra travel, no border hassle, money exchange issues, age issues (the guys with the $$)........ etc.

It makes you really wonder if they really do care about the lodge industry at all.

With the lost revenue and tax dollars you'd think the cost of everyday items will just continue to rise on the already high prices the Canadian citizens currently pay.

The more I think about it, the worse it seems as I really doubt the 2021 June season will happen.

I sure hope I'm wrong.

SAD.[/QUOTE]
I’m packing for June,it will be a go

[LoDo]

No one likes a Debbie Downer, but 2021 seems like a stretch at this point. There doesn't seem to be any activity or conversation within both governments. Many social media sites Canadian residents speak freely about keeping the border closed. Remember its all or nothing. You can't just open the border to NW Ontario camps so Americans can cross. That border is federal. The world is deep into this virus. I have a feeling its going to be super small baby steps on this deal. Wait until the media gets ahold of this 2020 normal flu season. They'll make it complete chaos.

I feel for the folks that have loans on all those camps. Really feel for those that decided to take additional loans during CoVID. I think a large portion of American fisherman will come back, but it won't be all of them.

[Palancar]

The real fight is going to take place when all of these "camps" and plywood "lodges" go bankrupt
and go up for sale. Watch them become club fishing camps owned by Americans. Just like when
Provincial Parks [5 mile lake comes to mind] that don't produce become lodges, failed lodges
are going to become privatized and bought up by clubs of Americans. It will be hard to say no
to people with money to buy stuff, hire employees, and pay taxes when they show up with a
checkbook. Dog lake exhibits all of these things; a bankrupt railroad needed by locals, an
abortive American attempt at development [Emily Bay] and lodges that can't afford a fuctioning
drainfield and pass a health inspection. I won't use names. Multiplied by a couple of hundred times
that's the end of the Lodge industry that's given us so much enjoyments over the years.
Before you blast me think what better alternative outcomes there are...not many.
The US is going to accept that Covid is here, it's not going away, and we're going to have to live
with it like we live with cancer and heart attacks. Whether Canada with wilderness towns and
few doctors can do that, or is willing to, is a different story.