TORONTO — The Canadian Association of Tour Operators (CATO) is renewing its call for the provincial government to move forward with a long-overdue review of the Travel Industry Act and its regulations – an initiative first recommended by the Auditor General nearly two years ago.
The organization, along with the Ontario Motor Coach Association (OMCA) and the Association of Canadian Travel Agencies (ACTA), met with staff from the Office of the Minister of Public and Business Service Delivery and Procurement on Aug. 29 to reiterate their growing concern over what they describe as an outdated legislative framework governing Ontario’s travel sector.
According to CATO, the meeting failed to provide clarity on the government’s plan or timeline for the long-promised review. The issue was also raised during the Travel Industry Council of Ontario’s (TICO) Annual General Meeting, where the Minister’s recorded remarks offered little new information.
While the government’s mention of “burden reduction” was acknowledged as positive in principle, industry leaders say the message lacked any concrete context or commitment to action. The latest TICO Annual Report confirmed that the industry will continue to absorb the cost of TICO’s operational expansion – further increasing the financial and administrative load on registrants – without any measurable improvement to consumer protection.
“The current system is unsustainable and increasingly disconnected from the realities of today’s travel marketplace,” said Jean Hébert, CATO Executive Director. “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 urging 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; and
- Develop a balanced, transparent framework that strengthens consumer protection while reducing unnecessary regulatory and financial burdens on businesses.
The associations say they remain committed to working collaboratively with government officials to ensure a fair and sustainable regulatory model that supports both consumer confidence and business viability.
“We continue to seek clarity and leadership from the Government of Ontario,” said Brett Walker, CATO Chair of the Board. “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.”
CATO also points to Quebec’s model as an example of a more efficient system. While not without its own complexities, Quebec’s regulatory structure consolidates oversight of multiple sectors – including travel, funeral services and automobile dealerships – under a single administrative body, the Office de la protection du consommateur (OPC).
“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.
According to CATO, Ontario could learn from such examples to modernize its own regulatory approach, reduce duplication and direct more resources toward effective consumer outcomes rather than administrative overhead.
