City council voted for the province to mandate the tax which funds tourism initiatives
City of St. Catharines wants a provincially mandated collection system for the Municipal Accommodation Tax.
Mayor Siscoe says the goal is to make it easier for city staff to be involved in ministering the tax, which is collected by hotels and other accommodation sites to further tourism initiatives.
He adds it doesn't mean fees collected would be distributed evenly.
"The province would collect and then remunerate municipalities based on how many of the room rentals were in their municipality. The different platforms (hotels, motels, air bnb) that exist are able to divide up that data," he says.
St. Catharines city council voted to join other municipalities that are asking the same of the province.
Councillor Townsend asked how this would be done in cities like Ottawa, Toronto or Niagara Falls, where there could be potential of double dipping. "Would this mean the province would implement this MAT tax, while, for example, our friends in Niagara Falls would still be collecting their significant tourist tax that they charge people."
Mayor Siscoe said no, as this does not address other revenue sources.
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