CATO Calls Out Ontario Gov’t on “Long-Overdue” Review of Travel Industry Act

The Canadian Association of Tour Operators (CATO), continues to call on the Government of Ontario to initiate the comprehensive review of the Travel Industry Act and its regulations, as recommended by the Auditor General nearly two years ago.

On August 29, representatives from CATO, OMCA, and ACTA met with staff from the Office of the Minister of Public and Business Service Delivery and Procurement to once again express the industry’s growing concerns about the outdated legislative framework governing Ontario’s travel sector.

“Unfortunately, the meeting did not provide any meaningful clarity regarding the government’s plan or timeline for the review process,” CATO said in a press release.

The tour operator association adds that at the TICO Annual General Meeting, the Minister’s recorded remarks offered little additional insight.

While the reference to “burden reduction” was noted as a positive concept, it lacked any concrete context or commitment to action, CATO said. Meanwhile, the TICO Annual Report confirmed that the industry will continue to bear the costs of TICO’s operational expansion—further increasing the financial and administrative burden on businesses—without what CATO calls “any measurable improvement to consumer protection.”

“The current system is unsustainable and increasingly disconnected from the realities of today’s travel marketplace,” said CATO Executive Director Jean Hébert. 

“Ontario’s travel businesses are committed to strong consumer protection, but the framework must be modernized to ensure it is fair, efficient, and aligned with the government’s stated objective of burden reduction.”

CATO, OMCA, and ACTA are calling on the Government of Ontario to:

• Launch the comprehensive review of the Travel Industry Act and its regulations, as recommended by the Auditor General.
• Establish a formal consultation process that includes meaningful engagement with industry representatives.
• Define a clear scope, timeline, and milestones for the review and reform process.
• Develop a balanced, transparent framework that strengthens consumer protection while reducing unnecessary regulatory and financial burdens on businesses.

The associations reaffirmed their commitment to working constructively with government to achieve these objectives and ensure that Ontario’s regulatory environment supports both consumer confidence and industry sustainability. Brett Walker, CATO Chair of the Board, said the organization continues to seek clarity and leadership from the Government of Ontario. 

“At this stage, we ask Premier Ford and his Cabinet to demonstrate what ‘Ontario: Open for Business’ truly means for our sector—and how the promise of burden reduction will translate into real, measurable change for travel businesses across the province.”

A Lesson from Quebec

While CATO says the Quebec model is not without its own complexities, it believes that it offers a more efficient and integrated approach to consumer protection. 

The Office de la protection du consommateur (OPC) oversees multiple sectors, CATO said — including travel, funeral services, and automobile dealerships — under a single regulatory structure with one administrative body and one Chief Executive Officer. 

“This streamlined model contrasts sharply with Ontario’s costly and fragmented system, where nearly a dozen separate regulators operate independently, each with its own administrative structures and leadership, yet all pursuing the same overarching goal of consumer protection,” said Hébert.

“Ontario has an opportunity to learn from such examples to modernize its system, reduce duplication, and direct more resources toward effective consumer outcomes rather than administrative overhead.”