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ARTA Canada Raises Concerns about
Ontario's Proposed Harmonized Sales Tax
Toronto, 26 March 2009: ARTA Canada wrote to the Honourable Dwight Duncan, Ontario's Minister of Finance and Minister of Revenue, today to ask for consideration and consultation regarding the Harmonized Sales Tax proposed in the Ontario Budget 2009.
ARTA Canada offered the Minister its assistance in helping address and provide guidance as to any harmonization impact on the sale of tourism related services, including air transportation.
The single sales tax is due to be implemented 01 July 2010 and ARTA Canada wishes to assure that the Ontario Government understands the uniqueness of travel services, the precedence in other provinces which collect a provincial tax component on travel services, and the zero-rated status of foreign air transportation and related services.
ARTA Canada hopes that the Ministry will respond positively to its request for consultations and hopes to convince the Ministry that any levy or increase of provincial tax, whether harmonized or not, will further increase the cost of travel and tourism services, an increase which the industry and consumers can ill-afford to endure.
ARTA Canada will work with its training partner, the Airline Training Council, to provide input to the Ministry. Travel agencies will be kept informed as to any progress made on this important issue.
About ARTA Canada
ARTA Canada is the largest non-profit federally incorporated professional association of travel retailers in Canada, the members of which consist exclusively of travel agencies and travel agents. In addition to advocating fair and equitable treatment of travel consumers, ARTA Canada represents the commercial and strategic interests of its member travel agencies and travel agents in a variety of national and provincial domains including regulatory and legislative matters, automation, technology, sales and marketing, and distribution.
ARTA Canada is the strategic partner in Canada of the U.S.-based Association of Retail Travel Agents (ARTA). ARTA Canada is the Canadian member of UFTAA, the United Federation of Travel Agents' Associations. To join ARTA Canada, complete details and online membership application and secure payment are available on the ARTA Canada web site at www.artacanada.ca/join. | 
