Advocacy
Tourism Golden Advocacy & Policy
Tourism Golden is destination marketing organization, and the lead organization for tourism in Golden and CSRD Area A. As such, it is our responsibility to review and evaluate issues brought to us by our industry stakeholders and to determine policy and involvement in matters that disrupt, or negatively impact, the tourism industry within our DMO boundary.
Where the Board of Directors support involvement, we engage as necessary with local, regional, and provincial tourism industry stakeholders, and strive to unite stakeholders to advocate for change.
Current issues and policies which are actively supported by the Board of Directors are:
Short Term Rentals
Communications:
2020
Response from CSRD Board
Letter to ToG Mayor and Council re Residential zoning for STRs
Letter to Area A Director re STR management
Representation at public hearing for ToG Zoning Amendment Bylaw No. 1424, 2019 – STR - commercial
2019
Response from Minister of Municipal Affairs & Housing re property tax classification
Letter to Minister of Municipal Affairs & Housing re property tax classification for STRs
Letter to ToG Mayor & Council
Delegation presentation to Council
Letter to Minister of Finance to request a review of property tax assessment classification for STRs
2018
Mayor Oszust and Director Cathcart attend TG Board meeting (November)
2017
Letter to Minister of Finance request to rescind provincial sales tax clause 78(1)(b)
Letter to CSRD Area A Director to request lobbying of government to rescind provincial sales tax clause 78 (1)(b)
Letter to ToG to request lobbying of government to rescind provincial sales tax clause 78(1)(b)
2016
Paper submitted to Town of Golden council on the Impact of the Sharing Economy
Other Resources:
Town of Golden
Town of Golden briefing note to Council (October 19, 2020)
Town of Golden Staff Report (November, 2017)
Town of Golden Short Term Rental Discussion Paper (July, 2016)
Labour Shortages
Labour shortages are increasingly impacting businesses throughout B.C., particularly in small rural tourism-based communities such as Golden whose local populations are unable to meet the labour demands of a high summer season. Revenues in Golden are not reaching full potential as rooms, tables and hours of business are unable to be serviced because of a lack of staff. Business owners and managers experience burn-out as they try to step into the breach to cover unfilled jobs.
Tourism Golden is actively lobbying the federal and provincial governments to review immigration and labour policies to effectively alleviate the issue, and we would like to hear your own stories that we can take forward as we try to effect change. Please email your comments and feedback to manager@tourismgolden.com
Communications:
2019
Tourism Economic Benefits and the Economic Impacts of Labour Market Challenges in Golden BC
2018
Letter from Temporary Foreign Workers Directorate - Skill & Employment Branch
Completed files:
Changes to MRDT Legislation
2018-10 Bulletin PST 120 confirms changes to MRDT legislation which:
- requires all short term rentals earning more than $2500 annually to collect and remit PST and MRDT unless an online platform does so on their behalf
- allows eligible online platforms (currently only Airbnb) to collect and remit PST and MRDT on behalf of STRs
- allows the use of revenue remitted by online platforms for affordable housing projects
- requires a majority of eligible accommodators to vote in support of the use of core MRDT funding for affordable housing projects