Canada is a popular destination for tourists, and there are various taxes and financial obligations for tourists. For the first time visitor, they must pay the biometrics fee when submitting their application. They can apply online or on paper for visitor visas, super visas (for parents and grandparents), and transit visas.
For most online applications, you must pay when you submit your application. The fees can be found in the application guides. Some fees include the Niagara Falls Destination Fee (NFDF), Tourism Improvement Fee (TIF), and Luxury Fee (LF). These taxes are not mandatory but are voluntary and can be waived by operators in the Falls.
Tourists must pay taxes in Canada, which are government-applied levies that may be required before they can check in. Quoted prices on goods and services are always net, excluding Federal and Provincial taxes. If you visit Canada as a tourist, this tax will not apply to you unless you earn income in the country.
For example, if you visit Italy, you must pay a CAD$13 fee upon leaving the country (a departure tax). The tourism levy is 4 of the purchase price of accommodation, which includes fees for:
- Niagara Falls Destination Fee: This fee is charged when you visit the city and enter the city.
- Super Visas: This fee is charged when you enter the city and leave the city.
- Transit Visas: This fee is charged when you leave the city and return to the city.
In summary, Canada is a popular destination for tourists, and there are various taxes and financial obligations for tourists.
📹 Niagara Falls tourism fee: Do you have to pay it? (CBC Marketplace)
Connect with CBC News Online: For breaking news, video, audio and in-depth coverage: http://www.cbcnews.ca Find CBC News …
What is the tourism charge?
Tourist tax is a small daily charge, typically applied to your hotel bill, paid as a one-off payment at immigration or tacked onto your airfare. As these taxes are government-applied levies, they’re mandatory, meaning you’ll often have to pay them before you’re able to check in. Seen as a way of addressing some of the more negative impacts of tourism, such as too many visitors and environmental degradation, they also purport to give back to local economies. Natalia Bayona, executive director of UN Tourism says: “Tourist taxes can play a significant role in how destinations manage tourism flows. But the implementation of these fees is also designed to deliver more of the economic benefits that tourism offers back to the host communities.”
Yet, as in Venice, they can be controversial. The European Tourism Association (ETOA), a trade body that promotes tourism within Europe, is against tourist levies. “They impose the burden of payment on those who choose to stay in the destination,” says Tom Jenkins, CEO of ETOA. “They’re imposed at short notice to plug an urgent fiscal gap. It’s a fallacy that they’re a control measure.”
Due to the absence of a universal system, they’re complex, too. Each country or city can charge what and how they like, making it a job to know what you’re looking for on your bill or factor the exact cost into your holiday. Some taxes are charged at a flat rate, while others are a percentage of your accommodation bill or absorbed into the room rate. The type of accommodation or star rating of a hotel also makes a difference, as does seasonality and the age of children. For example, Venice’s overnight tax can be anything up to €5 (£4. 20) per night, depending on the type of hotel, location and time of year and the charge applies to anyone over the age of 10 for up to five consecutive days. In Lisbon, it’s €2 (£1. 70), although there’s a proposal to hike it to €4 (£3, 40) per night for periods of up to a week for visitors aged 13 and over.
Why is Canada hotels so expensive?
The global increase in prices can be attributed to a number of factors, including business travel, inflation, and fluctuations in supply and demand. According to the Destination Toronto dashboard, the demand for accommodation in Toronto increased by nearly 18% in August 2023.
How expensive is Canada as a tourist?
Budget travelers can expect to spend $50 to $70 USD per day, while mid-range travelers should plan for $100 to $150 USD per day. To create a budget, research activities and costs before planning. For a 2-night, 3-day trip to Canada, the cost can vary depending on factors such as travel style, accommodation, transportation, and activities. A round-trip ticket from major cities can cost $500 to $1500 in US dollars.
Prices may vary depending on the season and availability, so it’s advisable to book in advance to secure the best deals. For accommodations, the cost of a round-trip ticket from major cities can range from $500 to $1500. It’s essential to research activities and costs to create a budget that works for you.
How do I claim tax back as a tourist in Canada?
To apply for the Visitor Rebate Program, applicants are required to submit their receipts and completed application form to the Summerside Tax Centre, Canada Customs and Revenue Agency, Summerside, Prince Edward Island, C1N 6C6, Canada. Applications submitted from outside Canada will not be processed if a check is included.
What is the entry fee for Niagara Falls?
Niagara Falls State Park, located 365 days a year, is home to the iconic Niagara Falls, which is the dramatic apex of the free-flowing waters of four Great Lakes into the Niagara River Gorge. However, the park’s natural beauty suffered during the Industrial Revolution, as industrialists built mills and factories along the river to harness its power. In the late 1860s, environmentalists, including landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted, founded the Free Niagara movement to protect the natural beauty of the land surrounding the Falls from commercial interests and exploitation.
After over 15 years of pressure, the Niagara Appropriations Bill was signed into law in 1885, creating the Niagara Reservation. New York State Assemblyman Thomas Vincent Welch played a significant role in getting the bill signed and later serving as the first superintendent of America’s oldest state park. Olmsted’s philosophy of parks should be places of natural beauty, where “the masses could be renewed”, which was applied throughout his landscape design for Niagara Falls State Park.
Can I go to Niagara Falls for free?
Niagara Falls State Park is a popular destination for millions of visitors annually, offering free admission to the natural wonder and 365-day access. The park also offers numerous tours and activities, including a visit to the historical sites and fascinating historical sites. The park is situated on 400 acres of lush terrain, surrounded by protected wildlife and a wonderland created by landscape architect Frederick Law Olmstead. The park features gardens, over 15 miles of challenging hiking trails, and stunning views at every turn.
Visitors can also enjoy a ride on the Niagara Scenic Trolley for an historic overview and fun facts. To plan your trip, visit the Niagara Falls State Park map and consider the Niagara Scenic Trolley as a helpful tip.
What is tourism cost?
Travel expenses include transportation to and from the region or country, accommodation within the region or country, food and beverages, entry fees for attractions and sites, and fees and taxes. Other costs include planned spending on gifts, souvenirs, and items known for the destination. In some countries, informal bribes or tips may be required, and tips are expected by waiters, busboys, room service staff, and taxi drivers. In some countries, tips make up the major part of a person’s salary.
Miscellaneous expenses may include first aid supplies, between-meal snacks, pub visits, phone calls, and internet use. These costs can vary from country to country and may include airport taxes, visa and passport fees, and tips for waiters, busboys, room service staff, and taxi drivers.
Does Canada have resort fees?
Resort fees, which originated in North America, have become a common practice in tourist destinations across the United States, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Canada. Such fees are currently deemed unlawful in numerous countries, with legal challenges underway in the United States. In the United States, hotel resort fees are considered illegal under existing state consumer protection laws. The practice has been the subject of considerable controversy and is currently being challenged in a number of countries, including the United States.
What is tax free for tourists in Canada?
The Excise Act, 2001 allows individuals to claim goods worth up to CAN$200 without paying any duty and taxes. However, tobacco products and alcoholic beverages are not included in this exemption. If goods are worth more than CAN$200 in total, they cannot be claimed. If you include cigarettes, tobacco sticks, or manufactured tobacco in your personal exemption, you may only receive a partial exemption. These products must pay special duty unless they have an excise stamp “DUTY PAID CANADA DROIT ACQUITTÉ”.
Canadian-made products with this mark are sold at duty-free shops. Border services officers will give an allowance for products with an excise stamp. The Excise Act, 2001 limits the amount of tobacco products that can be imported or possessed for personal use if the product does not have an excise stamp. The limit is currently five units of tobacco products.
Do I have to pay the tourism fee in Niagara Falls?
It should be noted that the tourism fee/tax is not a mandatory fee set by the government.
📹 Money tips: Three fees you don’t have to pay (CBC Marketplace)
Originally broadcast January 30, 2015 Seems everyone is watching their money this time of the year. So we reveal three ways to …
I agree with the comments indicating that one should always look at their bills. Really it is a good thing to do anytime you purchase. I am always surprised at the number of people that say they do not even want a copy of their receipts. How can you know what you are paying for when they add fees like this? In regards to the tourist improvement fees. Come visit us in London, Ontario sometime. We would be happy to have you explore our nature locations ( see my article youtube.com/watch?v=e-Pm4ENg4v0 ) or explore our downtown events or try the airport as a departure point. We would be happy to have you.
I live in United States but I watch your program and I am just totally involved with it. The background work, in producing of the program, the people involved in making this series is I believe, the most excellent TV program I’ve ever seen. I’ll continue perusal thank you so much! Anthony Miller from Tennessee in the USA.
I lived in Toronto and occassionally paid for parking and ate in several restaurants. I worked a few summers ago in Niagara Falls and the prices were outrageous. This man knows not what he is talking about.I can understand why he is no longer the mayor Niagara Falls is gouging people left and right. I worked at an Ihop and the average price for breakfast for two was close to 40 dollars and that was just a standard breakfast. Add coffee and juice and you’re paying over 50. The TIF is a ripoff and from what I’ve been reading IHop is refusing to take it off. I am so glad not to be working there anymore. I never ran in to such high prices in Toronto.
I was in Niagra Falls and fortunately had the knowledge of their shady “tax”. Look at the bill before you pay and ask to remove it. They usually do as they dont want attention brought to it. One place acted tough and said its mandatory.. I said Im not paying into bullshit and put my wallet back in my pocket. The clerk then ‘did me a favor and made an exception’ before i walked out.
I love how that old has-been former mayor was trying to compare pricing between Niagara Falls and Toronto…. Oh gee, lets see… A city with nearly 3 million people being compared to a TOWN with a population of under 100K. Yeah, keep grasping at those straws so you don’t lose your cash cow… that will work.
When it comes down to it, banks are still businesses. They exist to make money. Often, discounts for eligible people (seniors, students, etc) are found in some of the fine print (or if you ask), but no business has the obligation to save their consumer any money. They have an obligation to their shareholders (in public companies in the USA) to increase profits and the shareholders’ dividends. I work retail (not on commission), and we have many discounts (AAA members, teachers, senior citizens, students, employees of the mall, and more), but we are not supposed to suggest these savings to the consumers. If customers ask about the discounts, we happily inform them about additional discounts, and apply any and all that are applicable.
We went to the falls a couple of months ago. Stayed at a nice hotel by the falls. They asked us if we would like to pay an extra 40 dollars for a view of the falls. I have worked in the hotel industry and she was super nice about it until I pointed out all the rooms in that particular hotel were all on one side facing the falls. Nice try hotel.
I have never purchased an extended warranty plan in all the years I’ve bought products. In my experience, I would have never been able to collect because the item failed after the warranty period or was so out of date that the warranty was useless. And as the article points out, replacements are not new but refurbished. I would recommend that consumers take the money they would have spent on warranties for computers, TVs, DVD players, and everything else and put it into their own “warranty fund cookie jar”. That would pay for repairs or replacements of failed products. And if it doesn’t fail, that money could buy a newer model when the time comes.
We went to Niagara recently and due to the extraordinary extra taxes/fees/whatever they want to call it, (not to mention $19 at IHOP for breakfast of 2 eggs, bacon and a pancake – for 1 person! and $250 a night for a no more than mediocre hotel with $20 for parking ) and the fact that yeah I can easily find comparable in Toronto or many other places… in future we will be looking for an alternate “destination”. I hope all Niagara visitors see this report.
This is similar to banks. I used to work with a bank for customer service. A lot of the things that i had to tell customers “no” for, were actually a “yes” if the customer asked for a manager, but I am not allowed to tell them that. There were cases where people sad and needed the money and I tried to infer that they needed a manager, like “There is nothing that ‘I MYSELF’ can do”. Some people would catch on, but others would just be sad and hang up. Trying to infer like i had done could have gotten me a warning.
Its crazy how that guy defend the fee is not under handed…they label it as a tax, to people they’ll think it is mandatory? It is a robbery without using a weapon, just a receipt. It’s not a matter of additional $3 to the bill, but 3% of the bill & that makes a huge difference. There are some countries in Europe who tries to trick their customers especially tourists about charging you condiments, like salt & pepper that are on your table or even charge you that you did not even order or include a dish you thought is part of your meal till you look @ your bill. Look @ what happened to FS now with their under handed business dealings..KARMA is REAL. As for banking, I bank with credit union.
I’m not speaking on behalf of anyone other than myself. I think the extended warranty part is a bit misleading because it only shows how it’s offered by one company. I work in retail and we are instructed to be up front on what it covers and doesn’t(If it’s covered by damage or not). We do our best to listen to our customers to see if the warranty would benefit them so we can explain the value. We explain if within the first year, they have to go through the manufacturer in the first year then come to us. (Example Apple/Beats etc). Warranties aren’t for every product or a customers situation, but in some cases they are. I’m sure someone will read this and say “of course you are defending warranties, you are a salesmen”. But I look at the bigger picture. I’d rather be up front, honest and try to help someone find a product that is going to fit their needs and make them feel like they bought exactly what they came in to buy, then remember me for my help and come back to buy something else from me. I’d rather have those kind of customers than the ones who come back saying, you sold me a piece of crap laptop, tablet, etc. One of the best things you can do, is listen to someone and then ask questions about their lifestyle, so you can make the judgement call. I’ve sold many devices that normally I would recommend a warranty, but if they tell me they are a student in their last year of a University course and just need something to get them by, there is no point. But if they are a family, with pets and kids, I usually mention it, because we offer warranties that cover water and screen damage.
If a business wishes to contribute to THEIR fund for tourism, they should charge enough to cover those contributions, and not hide it behind an official looking ‘fee’. The people are NOT paying for a better service; these companies are paying for things that increase THEIR revenue, but give the customer nothing. This is similar to the ‘tourist’ taxes in the US that get tacked onto hotels. City sales tax, county sales taxes, AND state sales taxes are added on first, THEN they add on even more, that local citizens don’t pay. This is the same thing, except in the US, they’re TAXES, approved by elected officials and bureaucrats, and they only apply to visitors (who have no say in the process). The excuse is that everybody does it, so why shouldn’t everybody else… The best reason is that it’s criminal and immoral to hide taxes and bilk people who are contributing to their economy in the first place.
Poor Future Shop…they are no longer…well except for half of them that will re-open with a Best Buy sign above their front door. As far as “Purchase Protection” fees are concerned they exist at Best Buy too. Make sure you know what it is you’re getting for the extra cash. Don’t ignore them though. It’s especially important to look into the extra protection when you’re buying certain products and specific brand names. Some companies do not have very good warranty packages or customer service. For instance, if you buy an ASUS product and something goes wrong with it you will be responsible for the cost of shipping the item to the nearest repair outlet which just might be on the opposite side of the country from where you live. If they decide the problem is a result of your mishandling you will be responsible for the parts and labor and the return freight as well. All combined the endeavor can be so expensive you’d be better off buying an entirely new replacement item yourself. In this instance you would be better off to have purchased the extended warranty through the store (if in fact there is no fine print relinquishing responsibility should you be at fault for the damage). Also…read online reviews regarding the product you’re looking to purchase. Some are cheaply made and are extremely easy to break. The companies who build them can easily say that you are at fault for nearly any damage because you forcefully mishandled it. You can easily find yourself with a void warranty and no matter what is wrong with it after that point you will be out of luck.
Ha ha ha ha! Those were great excuses… “This is a destination…” (isn’t everywhere you choose to visit a destination??) “Do you know how much it costs to go to Toronto???”(We’re justified because somewhere else is more expensive) “The government is aware, so that makes it not sneaky…..” (Head shaking..)
A man who lived across the street from a bakery had remarked to a neighbor how he enjoyed the wonderful aromas that wafted his way from the bread and cakes, etc. Word got around and one day, he received a bill from the owner of the bakery. It was for the cost of enjoyment provided by the bakery. Life is full of hidden fees. We don’t always have to pay them.
I regularly get extended service plans, not necessarily from all places but ones that promise over the counter replacement of the product with a new unit, or with in store credit equal to the cost of the device when purchasing it. Those ones are quite worth it because within the 2 or 3 years there is a chance something happens and when it does you essentially can get an upgrade over the counter for just the cost of the warranty. I’ve upgraded quite a few devices over time with this type of plan and I will keep supporting that kind.
One of the worst mistakes I’ve made in my life… Climbing Clifton Hill in a standard transmission car. It’s steep, and stop & go traffic. Parked at the top, and could barely walk. 25 years later, I still vividly remember what it was like. On the brightside, parking (or anything else) didn’t cost an extra 3% for no apparent reason.
Your show is very interesting. A tax similar to the TIF was implemented in Door County, Wisconsin, a few years ago. It is 5.5% of all short-term lodging (under 30 days stay) and is mandatory, just like sales tax. The way it was sold to the municipal governments (who had to approve it) was to portion about 40% to the towns for ANY general fund use, with 60% going to a tourist agency for advertising and promotions. This makes it an ideal tax; the voters who created it and benefit from it (locals) are not the people who pay it (non-voters, tourists). As far as taxes go, this is perfection!
i found out from a friend that works a best buy that they have 2 warranties but they only show you one. the first one they push on you is a warranty where you have to send it to the manufacturer and the second one is they exchange it in store but they never tell you about that one you have to ask for it, and i have seen lots of people get screwed over. plus they tell you that you get a discount on your warranty then they say it doesn’t work and put it towards your item so they upsale you on a warranty
I purchased a TV @ your local WalMart and we bought extended warrenty and when the regular warrenty died the new extended warrenty kicked in .. Into 3 month’s We called about the TV havin problem’s and by golly the next morning a Technician was there and fixed the problem … no question’s asked so I guess we were one of the fortunate people that paying the extra warranty payed off …
in many areas of Latin America, it is a very common practice (and mandatory fee), it is called the Gringo Gouge. Tourists pay one fee (higher amount), residents payer a lower fee, even for places like museums. Many restaurants don’t list the price, they will just try to charge whatever they can get out of you.
my son purchased an extended warranty for 4 yrs at 25%. Best decision ever, purchased at Memory Express. I also have great experiences there with extra help and service. The Source was great with expensive headphones and also allowed one extra replacement and that was without an extended warranty although they were $200 headphones.
I’ve taken my family to Niagara falls on the Canadian side twice and I won’t go back. The restaurants are a rip-off. One even charged me $-15 to park in their parking lot to have the privilege of eating at their establishment. The hawkers promise you the world to come in and eat. I have never seen skimpier portions in my life. And we waited 45 minutes for a small bowl of spegetti .After we left the restaurant I had to take my family to Burger King immediately to eat a second time. The next night we drove out of the immediate tourist area to a so called buffet. It consisted of plastic tables lined up with stainless steel trays of plain iceburg lettuce. A tray of chick peas poured right out of the can, no dressing, nothing. In addition about 4 other trays of plain food that was rediculously unappetizing. We were astonished at what they were passing off as a buffet. So I am not surprised at the latest ripoffs they are attempting to perpetrate on the public. Don’t go there.
I haven’t been to Niagara Falls for 50 years or more. I’m absolutely APPALLED by what I see on the article. They’ve turned it from a place of beauty and wonder to “Cash Grab Coney Island Carnival” Canada style. You won’t find me there ever again. It’s nothing but a tourist trap. And the Falls, while impressive, are most certainly not the most spectacular on the planet. Just a lot of water falling and making mist. Big whooop!
I’ll give you another hidden fee in Niagara that visitors pay without knowing. When they rent a bus to tour the city, they of course want to go by the falls. Once there, clerks walk around and collect a visiting fee from the bus driver (I forget the amount but I was stunned when I had to pay it). It is of course included in the price of the ticket for the tour. It does not matter whether you park or just drive by. If driving by, you better drive fast if you can because those clerks are spread out over more than a kilometre and have 2 way radios.
As far as the warranties go, I think they definitely can vary depending on who is offering them. One point they fail to make is that after 2 weeks to a month, if you have an issue with your device and have no extended warranty, you need to typically deal with the manufacturer directly, which can mean out of the way service centres, or having to ship products in for repair yourself, sometimes at a cost to you at least one way.
I would feel like a complete douchenozzle standing before a camera (or any sentient audience) and pseudo-rationalizing the fee as ‘this is a destination, look at the…’ Yes, Niagra is a touristy spot. The tourists ALREADY spent extra MONEY going to a clearly ‘middle-of-F!n-nowhere’ place. The reason Niagra is somewhere they go, is because of the location — so charging ‘extra’ for it is like adding an EXTRA fee to peanut butter so they can recoup the fee of the peanuts. Part of any sensible business plan is to charge a price for the goods/services which allows a profit after you’ve factored in the location, and expenses… If they need that 3ish%, over that price, then they are clearly utterly incompetent.. OR — more likely, it’s a scam!
we’ve been getting a seniors’ discount at td for ages .. have to keep a minimum balance but don’t have to worry about “anything…they even let us have a ‘safety deposit box’..with a lot of bills going through on auto pay and now and again, you need a couple of bucks in your pocket so you go to various atms ..i don’t think either of us have stepped foot bank (other than to talk to the financial guy) in a year…i think it’s a great plan…
I bought a item from Best Buy with extended warranty. It kept doing things on its own like it was possessed, I kept on returning it to best buy, they’d send it into the service center who’d clean it and return it. 5 or more times this happened. Finally it wouldn’t turn on at all, and finally I got a replacement.
I just looked up “fees” on my credit union website and found this: “If you are a Youth under 25 or age 55+, contact us to see if you qualify for the Chequing Plus account and take full advantage of these additional member benefits.” The good news is that cheaper banking starts at age 55, but the bad news is that it looks like we still have to ask for the change. This is with Vancity, btw.
I am a Canadian living in and running a tourist business in the US for last 10 years. I watch Market Place and having relatives in Canada, I can compare and I can only cry. Part one. I worked as a tour guide to Niagara Falls in late 1980s. First question never answered. Who started this fee? Who invented it? None could explain it. Neigher the City Councilor nor the sleazy former mayor. The inconsistency in naming the fee or the voluntary versus mandatory is already fishy. If this is a tax, has to be written in a law. If it is a fee, it must tell who is the organization using it. The remark that a third party collect it (what is the name of the 3rd. party?) only add to the suspicion. Part two: Useless extended warranty is same scam in Canada as it is in the US. And the pressure sales tactics? That a product of employers underpaying their employees letting them to subside their wages by sales commission. You don’t up sale? You don’t make money. It is the worst in car retail sale. They will push you to sell overpriced service packages. Market Place had some reports on that too. Part three: I dealt with one major US bank in the last 10 years here. I have a personal AND business account. never paid any account fees, no transaction fees. Just money wire fee, but every bank in the world have them. I watched Marketplace report about US – Canada prices. Horrible. Maybe Comrade Trudeau should concentrate on creating anti gouging laws protecting Canadians instead of dancing around refugees.
I paid quite an expensive extended warranty for a laptop I bought years ago. I had to use it twice for hardware problems (hard drive and heat sync failure). It took weeks just to get the tech guy in the store to run his tests so he’d send it to head office to be tested. He tried to tell me it was software problems that wasn’t covered by the warranty. The 2nd time my laptop stopped working I groaned because I knew I’d be without a computer for months.
I used to work for futureshop (they were closed down shortly after this article came out) a few things I’d like to say: 1: They had been owned by best buy since the early 2000’s, prior to that, there were no extended warranties, it was introduced by best buy, and is even the same program that best buy runs today and the market place should NOT be singling out futureshop for this crime. 2: The employees are often ignorant of the reality of the products, yes it was our obligation to find out as much as we can on the products we’re selling, however our superiors had specially hired individuals responsible for selling the programs to us, getting us to believe in them and if that didn’t work, see point 3. 3: Most sales people are paid very poorly on the salary end, and most of their income to cover their pure cost of living is from their commissions (and that macbook, probably paid the seller 15$ and took him an hour to sell, the warranty, probably paid him 30 or 40$), as a result they are pressured via threat of poverty into selling shady products like this. You might get your panties in a bunch over this comment, but at the end of the day, a whiny college student who’s buying a 2500$ machine where an 800$ will do the job (hell that guys suit was worth more than my rent was when I worked for them) is just begging to be up sold so I can afford to have a steak this week instead of just kraft dinner again, it’s not right, but it’s not the sales person you should judge harshly for this, he was forced (in a manner of speaking) into selling the product, jobs for uneducated inexperienced young people that you can actually afford to feed yourself with are rare these days.
Txs Marketplace! When I went to Niagara Falls I had them remove the TIF @ our Hotel in 2016. No worries about Future Shop as they are toast & yes they pressured & pestered me numerous times for an extended warranties. No worries with bank fees because I’m a senior & get lots of free services however I had to initiate it also txs to Marketplace once again! They would not retro active cash so I lost 4 yrs of free service fees. I did tell them that this is no way to treat a long standing loyal customer.
about the bank fees, we shouldn’t blame the bank for not telling. it’s call differential pricing. Different customers are charge differentially depending on what you’re willing to pay or what information you know. it’s the same used at cinemas these days, students get discounts ONLY if you know about it and you have a student ID. being a student does not automatically entitle you to the discount.
Be up front and Make it mandatory, I don’t mind paying the TIF for a popular tourists destination like Niagara Falls, if there is a city government agent actually responsible for tracking, collecting and spending them on up-keeping all public tourist attractions as tourists are benefiting from these tourist attractions .Up-keeping does cost money . Make it mandatory just like HST .
They say it’s not illegal but some stores lied and said its a mandatory tax! Why not have a donation jar at the register so if someone wants to help then they can instead of being sneaky! Or just have the sever bring the check & ask for donations to keep the place nice? They might actually get more $ that way
Tip is abbreviation of To Insure Promptitude. Promptitude meaning speed. So if you are eating at a packed restaurant so if your eating. At a packed restaurants how can they ensure speed. Everybody in that restaurant pays a tip. So paying for the same service. They can’t guarantee speed to everyone in that restaurant.
I left the Royal Bank because Simplii Financial (CIBC) offered me an account with no fees. When I closed my accounts at the Royal Bank (After 30 years). I was told by Customer Service that if I had 2 services with the Royal Bank ie. RRSP, Checking/Savings Account, Visa, I could have “Asked” for no fees. I was irate! I said”Why the hell did nobody tell me this? How many thousands have I poured down the drain of over 30 years?!” I told her that because they were so dishonest, I am dumping them anyway…..
Years ago, many people in Niagara fought against the casino being built because they feared it would bring organized crime. So good to see that their fears were unwarranted. And we can all feel better now that Niagara Falls city council has officially made the fee a tax that customers have to pay. Or else.
Living in honolulu, tourism hotspot, I would 100% support a tourist tax for non-residents (ie show your id to prove you live here and it is taken off) that would go to improving infrastructure that wasnt built to handle 10 million tourists and increasing per year. Toursim wreaks havoc on our roads, public facilities, natural lands, and resources but all that tourism revenue never comes back to the people who live here, just to the people (mostly non-hawaii residents) leeching money out of both tourists and the land/people here. It would improve the tourist experience too since they also use the resources while they are here. Tourists actually use more resources and generate so much more waste…. throw away items they bought less than a week ago, use only single use plastics…. and taxpayers are left to deal with it. We’re a set of islands, we cant deal with that much waste and plastics… a tax to specifically deal with these issues would be huge, could put in bins for item donation, invest on eco friendly short term items, fix roads and bathrooms and parks, clean the beaches and reefs🤩
The thing I don’t like is that the filming location in Niagara Falls is done at property owned by HOCO industries and they don’t apply this marketing charge in any of their operations! None of the businesses featured here were HOCO, but tourists wouldn’t know that when the filming starts and keeps coming back to their property. Pretty misleading and pretty unfair!
That mayor doesnt completely realizes hes capitalizing on something that should be free. Natural things such as the falls should always be free and if its a tourist destination like this the businesses should pay a tax to be able to set up shop near it instead. They’re getting regular customers pulled in by that waterfall.
i use to be with CIBC and even if i didnt touch my account for the month i was still paying a high service fee and was limited to only being able to use my debit card a few times a month then get charged extra per use. so i switched to valley first, no fees a month, not sure if they are best, but feel they are Definitely better then CIBC.
I was at the niagara falls hilton back in 2014 for a weekend and was told that the tax was mandatory and could not be removed. This was escalated to the manager and still could not get it removed. It was the same when I was at the Keg and copacabana. I could not convince them to remove the tax. Definitely shady practice.
I reaaaaaaaaally….REAAAAAAALLYYYY HATE offering GSP at the bestbuy I work at. I never get it personally, and hate “personally” recommending it to customers. (Though, there are products that I insist they get it on. However, a good product shouldn’t NEED that..). I’ve been trying to find another job for a while now because I can’t take it. I know, I should be glad I even have the job, but my mother raised me to be grateful AND honest. P.S. The fault isn’t entirely in those corporations. The only reason they can take advantage of us is because we let them. Most problems I see on products can be easily fixed with a quick google search. For example, a customer came to me once to buy an external wifi adapter because they were charging $130+ dollars to replace her internal wifi card. “That’s ridiculous”, I told her. You could easily fix that in 20 minutes MAX for 10-25 dollars…
Loved my warranty from future shop a few years ago! Received 2 free laptops. But I also read the fine print. In that it said they must replace it with an equivalent model spec for spec. So I went from the more square screen one to one that had a bigger screen because the hight of the screen was less on a equivalent screen. If your paying so much for it then why would you not read the fine print especially with so much money on the line!
I got an extended warranty with geek squad at Best Buy on my computer. The computer was a cyberpower pc that the parts started to fail and when I took it in they just simply said pick out a new computer and say good bye to the broken one (after of course making sure there was no data on it that I needed/wanted) and let me just slightly upgrade it as the model was not in stock.
Future store is worried about making sure products are protected when they leave the store?. All devices are protected by a manufacturer warranty anyway so all devices are protected when leaving the store even without buying the extended warranty. There’s a minimum of 1 year warranty period on every product in an electronic store.
I Visited Niagara Falls about six months ago with my girlfriend and ate at East Side Marios. Huge Mistake. When we asked for the bill the server asked us if we were visiting the area or if we were a resident. We thought it odd but answered truthfully and told her we were visiting. When we got our bill we noticed this TOURIST TAX and asked the server about it. She told us that because we were not a resident of the area it was a LEGAL tax that we HAD to pay. I should have walked out. She lied right in my face.
Visiting Niagara Falls is beautiful and worth the trip. But the prices are definitely more expensive. Applebee’s in a heavily traveled tourist area for example cost around $10 more for a meal compared to an Applebee’s in the states. Plus they want to sneak a voluntary tax on top of it will definitely make people mad.
The only extended warranty I will be buying will be for my car. I never usually get extended warranties, but with the fact that my car has been in the garage about 14 times in the garage, all repairs having been on warranty, 4 of them being for water seeping in the car through the driver’s door. This is in the 2 years I’ve owned it (bought it new) and I can’t afford changing cars which means my best bet is getting an extended warranty for any other pieces that will fly off the car on the highway or just fall when it’s not moving. Never buying Nissan again.
I have bought the extended warranty on a few big ticket items in the past. Mainly big screen TVs. I don’t bother on anything under 300 bux. One time i bought a 37″ Westinghouse noname brand tv from Best Buy with the warranty. 1 year later, coloured lines started showing up. First call got the repair tech out to my home to replace a circuit board. 2 days later, the fix failed and lines showed up again. I got to walk the TV in to the store and replace it, tho they no longer had that model in store, they let me exhange for a Sony TV in the same price range. The warranty’s are good for items that have a high chance of hardware problems developing. Getting one for a tablet? Probably not worth it.. unless it’s a high end ipad or surface tablet. It’s hard to claim the tablet is running slow.. it could be a rogue app you downloaded. That’s on you, that’s software, not hardware.
The senior discount one wasn’t really the same as the other two… that was a bank just not jumping at the opportunity to give a discount, that the client did nothing to earn other than get old. I can see from a customer service standpoint, automatic is nice, but it’s not shady that it’s not automatic. A person’s accounts with a bank are not going to be looked at unless they go in for some reason. People aren’t randomly looking at accounts to apply discounts lol. Notice how only when she met with someone, was it brought up. But anyway.. discounts are courtesies to earn business, not entitlements and definitely not the same as a shady TIF tax.
_ If the people do not take it to court or in some other way effectively protest, then they deserve to have to pay. It is the people’s own lack of practicing honesty in every aspect of life that leads to such problems. _ This is true in business, politics and every walk of life. Life treats you the same way you treat it. It is one. Check it out. If you don’t pay now, you will eventually – things balance out in the end.
I agreed with the first 2 but I feel that for the bank loans, you should probably go do some research yourself. It is like asking a retail shop why did they no tell you that a sale is going to happen the day after you buy the product. Or when you are in KFC and they did not give you a discount knowing that you are a student. They are profit maximizing, if they can earn more, they will.
these tourism taxes are now approved by city council, this article is old. source: stcatharinesstandard.ca/news-story/8567872-falls-council-approves-hotel-tax/ The biggest scam is not these tourist fees, it’s the overpriced food which everyone is forced to buy. I wanted to buy one liter of soda, and they charge over 5 dollars for it. Here in Toronto, 1 liter of soda will cost about 50 cents, that’s like 10 times the price compared to Toronto. You also get restaurants and hotels at Niagara falls charging in USD dollars while they are operating on Canadian land, for example Ramada hotel and IHOP restaurant were charging in USD. one pancake breakfast at IHOP is about 20 dollars USD which is about 27 Canadian dollars, compare that to prices of pancake sold at McDonald in Toronto. Ramada was charging destination Marketing Fee and some other tourists fees to Canadian residents who were visiting Niagara. how can you charge tourists fees to a Canadian citizen. It’s ok to charge American tourists these fees however you can’t be a tourist of your own country, so these fees shouldn’t apply to Canadian citizens.
In my state, we did institute a “tourist” tax for french speaking tables. In Canada, servers make an hourly wage that is considered livable, whereas in the US, servers will be paid something like $2.14/hour where they heavily relyupon tips to make their living. In Canada, this is not the case, and so tipping is not common practice up there. Certainly not 20%. Too many times, Canadians would unknowingly “stiff” a server on the bill and leave nothing behind.
we went to niagara falls, few years ago, me my wife and son, The worst vacation ever, we felt like we were in a tourist trap, and above that i had an argument with a waitress about THAT FEE, i told her to take it as her tip, it was a very desapointing trip, the money i gave them i could have bouthg a swimming pool for that summer, i I WILL NEVER TRAVEL TO THOSES CITYES,one thing i find with marketplace,nobody told us that we didn t have to pay……..nice going mr maire of crook city, is it the mafia mr maire??
Ok hear me out, I don’t think the first story about the Niagra Falls fee is actually more transparent than almost everything else. Why? Ever been to an amusement park? Notice how everything is way more expensive? That 2 dollar hot dog costs 5, and that popcorn is 8 bucks. Amusement parks don’t even call this a fee, it’s simply embedded into the cost of the product. Just like each different city you visit has different prices for it’s products, simply because of there location. ( A apartment in New York is more expensive than a small town apartment). I think upcharging for location is reasonable, and that this fee is just making something obvious that otherwise is somewhat hidden. Now should the information given be so inconsistent, no. But is a 3 percent upcharge acceptable, yes. Maybe they should just not put it on the bill and just raise all the products prices by 3 percent! Then you wouldn’t even know :). What do you guys think?
So after perusal this i though i’d comment on it, As for the tourist fee, i think they should inform on what they use the money from the fee for clearly, without having to ask, if they use it practically, why not. If not, it seems they just use it to fill their pockets. As for the extended guaranty, when you buy an electronic device, it actually quite useful, yeah sure it cost some more, but when you get 2 or 3 years that if, your device isnt working properly, you can just get it fixed. it’ll take some time, sure, but you get a working device after. And when you pay hundreds for a computer, a tablet or any electronics; you’ll want to get it fixed if it’s stop working properly. unless you’d rather pay for a new one.
Niagara Fall, the place they advertise $6.99 breakfast buffet, end up 2 people paying over 50 dollars? Why, $5.99 for the coffee they “automatically” bring to you table and they ask you if you ever want orange juice, if you say yes, then another $5.99, end up (6.99+5.99+5.99)*2 plus taxes,fees and tips, yes, over $50.00 CAD, LOL.
1) It’s a tax, nobody likes taxes but we must pay them, and would really much prefer that to paying full price for absolutely everything upfront. 2) Don’t buy warranties. Fix it yourself with the help of the internet or else take the device to a friend or someone else you know who might be able to help. 3) Sorry, but this is the sort of stuff you need to ask about. You don’t need to know anything about it? Just say “is there anything for over 60s” or whatever. How do I save money? I just spend less of it. Not hard.
The government screws over everyone with fees and taxes including many ridiculous fees for small businesses. Yet the small business is getting scrutinized for 3%. Thanks to that 3% the small business can afford to renovate and provide minor improvements to their establishment that improve customer experience.
This is disgusting and the guy from Tourism who was a former mayor reminds me of a snake oil salesman. Businesses in tourist areas, especially areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty already charge higher amounts for goods and services and experience regular footfall & success. The snake oil salesman acted aggressively when questioned – that’s a sure sign that know they’re doing something wrong. The only way to fight these issues is to drag them out of their hiding places in the dark and out into the light. Well done for exposing this shameful scheme x
Sneaky ain’t the word for it. Lmao I hope they know that if they would come out from the beginning, and say This is a voluntary charge in order to help us maintain and keep this wonderful place beautiful. Almost everyone who can afford to pay would. Instead if you try to force people by trickery and usury, Well than almost anyone who finds out will not pay.
Honestly I hate TD bank! When I turned 18 my youth account automatically changed into an everyday savings account that has monthly fees which made sense since I was 18 but no one at the bank every told me or warned me until months later and a banker asked me if I wanted to change to a student account to waive me monthly fees. And just a few months ago I noticed that my account was no longer a student account (keep in mind I am still in school) and I was paying monthly fees again and I had to go to the bank where they told me student account ends every 12months and that it was my responsibility to submit the required documentation to avoid my account changing into an everyday account. I was never told any of this. I don’t understand why they don’t explain you all of these detail and conditions when you sign up for that account!
Scotia bank did not wanted to re finances my house. I had to switch banks. They left my mortgage on a felx open. After i switch lenders i got hit with discharge fee canceling 6 months mortgage term 3 months interests penalty. There open mortgage products says it can only be switched to a Scotia product with out penalties since i switch banks they took 3700.00$ when it was open mortgage id like for people to know there crooks
I am in U.S. and Geek Squad service here is the same with Canada, we had horrible experience with them; they make it very painful for you and don’t care if you satisfied. My son’s laptop is still doesn’t have a sound go through his headphones and we just give up on them fixing it. What they do, they “fix” it, but the problem is still there…They make you go through repair process 3 times before they replace it. Why not to fix it on a first try??????
Just because someone doesn’t tell you something, voluntary fee, no bank charges etc, doesn’t mean they’re in the wrong. Try get away with that when you break a simple law you didn’t know existed. In the eyes of the law ignorance isn’t bliss. Everyone will try and get something out of you for free, it’s up to you to be smart about it and stop trying to live in a world where everyone helps everyone else. We’re all selfish, we just hide it behind a smile. Smarten up people
To Wayne Thompson Chair of Niagara Falls Tourism I say, you want to compare your prices to the second most expensive city in Canada? First of all, I just booked a hotel in Toronto for less than $150 a night. What about comparing Niagara to Quebec City. A quick search on Expedia showed on the first page of hits, 38 hotels under $200 a night and 25 of those were $150 or less. Some were even under $100. And in Vancouver, the most expensive city in Canada, I did the same search on Expedia and came up with 11 hotels under $200 and 4 under $150. And what is this BS about the cost of parking? If you stay at a hotel parking should be included. And if you don’t think you can look out the window in Vancouver and see stunning views and be able to go to world class attractions, then you clearly have never been there. I have been to Niagara Falls, twice. Yes, the falls are spectacular, but many of your tourist attractions in Niagara are cheezy and well over priced. In my business, I have to pay for the advertising to bring people into my store. Why shouldn’t the tourist business do the same? How well do you think my customers would like it if I said, “Here is the bill including the RAT (retail attraction tax – I’m just making this up) so that you will come back again.” Do you think they would come back again? Not bloody likely. You must be really good at yoga because you have your head stuck in a place most people could reach.
The EXACT same thing happened to me when it came to my laptop kept crashing. I was fuming! But get this, my laptop was from Bestbuy and now, I wish I never bought my laptop from them now. I had to take my laptop back four different times because it kept restarting by itself and crashing. I had the three-year plan too.
Chair of Niagara Falls tourism. He stated are you have to do is look at the window and the beauty which justifies the tax do you pay. Using the same analogy. Can I charge people walking past my garden looking at it and charging them a tax.. my garden is beautiful I spent £15,000 on it so in the same reason I could charge people a tax for looking at my garden. Niagara Falls is put by Nature. It is a most beautiful sight I grant that.. they’re not altered Niagara Falls they have not changed things in anyway it is a natural occurrence so what gives them the right to tax people for looking at it. It’s nature’s creation not man’s
ooooh soo….Canada can charge extra for “tax” to visit an act of nature that was there way before Canada/USA was even thought of, and ‘forgets to mention it is an optional tax! Sounds like Every nature made tourist attraction in the U.S.. They just just up the prices on everything and not make it optional!
cibc Makes over 1 billion dollars in profit per MONTH by charging ridiculous fee,s to the customers that make that profit for them. Banks are NOT your friend, I switched all my accounts to a credit union and now pay no fee,s and am very happy with the service and interest rates on my mortgage and line of credit. Do yourself a financial favor and drop your Bank for a credit union and save thousands.
Thank you market place for bringing this to our attention. My wife and I where just planning a trip to Niagra for the spring. Our family of 5 where gonna be theyre for a week and probably would of injected $5000 into theyre local economy, but this kind of gouging is just the kind thing that makes me wanna take my money elsewhere. Regardless of it being optional, it’s the way it is presented. So mr retired mayor Geuss what…….. I will not be going to Niagra any time soon