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new tax proposed in Parry Sound..get further reamed...


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My friends....I've dealt with merchants and service providers in all parts of our vast Dominion and it has been my experience that many merchants and service providers in the Parry Sound area would win awards in the category "we are doing YOU a favour by selling or providing stuff for you". To add insult to further injury in a regional center which sucks the hind tit in customer service (although there are a few good ones which should not be tarred with the same brush) ....the local government is now proposing a tax on hotel rooms to pay for tourism publicity schemes.....FFS.....

 

http://www.myparrysoundnow.com/25533/town-parry-sound-looking-hotel-tax/

 

"Parry Sound is looking at bringing in a hotel tax.

The Town’s Director of Finance Trevor Pinn is being asked to bring a report and recommendation to a council meeting taking place the first week of September.

The province gave municipalities the power to tax hotels in the last budget, but the steps municipalities have to take to implement a tax have not been released.

That’s why the report is being held off until September.

According to Pinn, 50 per cent of the tax would be given to the regional tourism organization. He added that a month ago this wouldn’t be an option, because this type of tax was not legal up until this point."

 

This is currently a practice in Niagara Falls where there has been some contraversy as to how much tax is being charged, whether it is compulsory, or whether in fact the merchants or hotels involved is actually remitting funds to whatever entity is collecting and utilizing the tax monies. (CBC Marketplace) As for Parry Sound, I am still trying to find an article for your amusement published a few years ago where local tourism authorities had or were planning to hire a Playboy Magazine bunny to promote a motorized sport - something to do with motorcycles....not sure how that turned out, but indicative of some of further foolish thinking in marketing the area....

 

 50 per cent of the tax - where is the other 50% going??

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I had to deal with the hotel tax of Niagara last weekend when I went to nephews wedding, first of all you could not book just one night , you had to book two nights of weekend. (and we booked 2 months before) Also the cost for two nights was $450 including taxes , and the place was out in Thorold (between St Cath and Niagara) and rooms had ceiling water damage cracks , one remote for the two TV.s etc.

Won't be staying in Niagara area again that's for sure ............hopefully Parry Sound does better than that.

 

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29 minutes ago, Panther340 said:

I had to deal with the hotel tax of Niagara last weekend when I went to nephews wedding, first of all you could not book just one night , you had to book two nights of weekend. (and we booked 2 months before) Also the cost for two nights was $450 including taxes , and the place was out in Thorold (between St Cath and Niagara) and rooms had ceiling water damage cracks , one remote for the two TV.s etc.

Won't be staying in Niagara area again that's for sure ............hopefully Parry Sound does better than that.

 

The hotel tax isn't mandatory.  If you booked on a credit card, you should file a complaint with hotel first and see if they reverse the tax. If not complain to credit card company and tell them you weren't informed about the extra tax. I always demand they reverse it up front before handing over my credit card. 

They are getting sneaky about it and it was suppose to be a voluntary thing. They must tell you about it up front and ask if you would like to participate. 

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Many other municipalities, including Sault Ste. Marie, have a similar scheme.  I know the Sault has had it for a number of years.

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16 minutes ago, sledjunk said:

Many other municipalities, including Sault Ste. Marie, have a similar scheme.  I know the Sault has had it for a number of years.

Will they reverse it when asked to do so. Niagrara I have always had it reversed, not easy but they will do it, if you push back. I wish city would intervene and make it a real fee or make it illegal one of the two. I have seen it range from 3 percent to as high as 10 percent on bills. Most people pay it since they think it is mandatory and most times they just tack it on bill when you checkout. 

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11 hours ago, Viperules700 said:

Will they reverse it when asked to do so. Niagrara I have always had it reversed, not easy but they will do it, if you push back. I wish city would intervene and make it a real fee or make it illegal one of the two. I have seen it range from 3 percent to as high as 10 percent on bills. Most people pay it since they think it is mandatory and most times they just tack it on bill when you checkout. 

You are also taxed at the restaraunts in Niagara falls.Tourist tax they call it. I was there for business for a weekend and asked what it was all about. They said tourists come to see the falls, the lights and fireworks. New years events etc etc that's where the tax goes. I told them I have lived in southern Ontario my whole life have seen the falls before. Whoop!  I am not here as a tourist, Its business. 

 

They were more than happy to remove the tax from my bill, and then I tipped the waitress a little bit more and said thank you... 

 

It's voluntary, but they should tell you up front. 

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2 hours ago, Yukon Cornelious said:

You are also taxed at the restaraunts in Niagara falls.Tourist tax they call it. I was there for business for a weekend and asked what it was all about. They said tourists come to see the falls, the lights and fireworks. New years events etc etc that's where the tax goes. I told them I have lived in southern Ontario my whole life have seen the falls before. Whoop!  I am not here as a tourist, Its business. 

 

They were more than happy to remove the tax from my bill, and then I tipped the waitress a little bit more and said thank you... 

 

It's voluntary, but they should tell you up front. 

i have heard allot of American cities, charge tourist fee's now. With the low dollar most American visitors will pay it without question. Glad you got it reversed and waitress got a nice bonus. I am always generous to wait staff too. It is more hotels that is a pain to get it reversed. There is one that is claiming it is mandatory fee too, which is really annoying. 

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Lots of cities in the US have lodging and/or sales taxes. So much for the lower state sales tax than our HST.

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If i remember correctly, Parry Sound used to charge for parking on the downtown strip.  Many of the local business found that this was deterring some people for stopping in to their stores, and they then got rid of the paid parking. 

 

I believe that Parry Sound is having enough problems with trying to bring business to the town, and adding another tax to visitors is not a step in the right direction.

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It's a big thing at Ski Resorts as well. 

 

Mount Tremblat charged 1.5% and flat out calls it a resort tax. Quebec laws doesn't require them to refund it back to you if you ask about it. And if you complain they'll show you the law and basically tell you to go somewhere else if you don't like it. 

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4 hours ago, snowman said:

If i remember correctly, Parry Sound used to charge for parking on the downtown strip.  Many of the local business found that this was deterring some people for stopping in to their stores, and they then got rid of the paid parking. 

 

I believe that Parry Sound is having enough problems with trying to bring business to the town, and adding another tax to visitors is not a step in the right direction.

True.

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1 hour ago, dweese said:

It's a big thing at Ski Resorts as well. 

 

Mount Tremblat charged 1.5% and flat out calls it a resort tax. Quebec laws doesn't require them to refund it back to you if you ask about it. And if you complain they'll show you the law and basically tell you to go somewhere else if you don't like it. 

I don't have an issue with it as long as it is regulated and funds are being used for the intended purpose. A private resort like Mount Tremblat will charge everyone the same and most people won't complain because you it should improve the service level at resort. Us does a similar thing at walt Disney world on the grounds as well.

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We get hit with all kinds of taxes and charges all the time often not noticing. One of my pet peeves is when a restaurant automatically adds a tip that they determine the amount of. When I leave a tip I should be able to determine how much based on the level of service I receive. A while ago we left a tip for a server that was less than I would have in most cases as the service was shoddy yet last week we had an outstanding waitress who received a very healthy tip well above my typical.

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