Tourism Industry

Business Licences for Motorcoach Operators

Results of Consultations (November 2005)

During July and August 2005, Parks Canada carried out consultations on a proposal to simplify its business license categories and adjust the associated license fees.

During these consultations, some excellent suggestions were received that we believe will make the proposal more fair and equitable. They are summarized below.

1. No fee should be charged where companies are solely transporting passengers to Parks Canada locations.
2. Licenses should be issued and fees be applied on a national, provincial or “per tourist” basis, rather than a park/site basis which places a disproportionate burden on this type of business.
3. The business license fee should be reduced for companies making occasional visits.

Parks Canada’s Revised Proposal: Business licenses will not be required at national historic sites or historic canal lock stations, as motor coaches only transport passengers to our facilities but they are not carrying out a business activity within them.

A business license will be required to conduct group tours within national parks. To avoid double charging for the same group tour, only motor coach companies will be required to obtain a business license and not tour operators or operators that arrange and sell group tour itineraries. The business license fee (see below) will be based on the total number of daily per person group tour entry passes that the company purchased for all national parks during the previous year (total number of passengers days), or a company estimate for the current year if the previous year’s data is not available. This approach will result in a scaleable fee that is more in keeping with the wide range of commercial opportunity available to this sector. One license will be provided for all national parks but seasonal pro-rating will not apply.

Timing

Taking into account the time required to complete this consultation and the subsequent approval process, and to honour Parks Canada’s commitment to provide 18 months advance notification, price increases would not take effect until April 1, 2008.