TORONTO — ACTA is reporting that its advocacy with Quebec government has been successful, with the OPC permit waiver now extended to February 2023.

ACTA has been calling for this extension to provide much-needed relief for travel agencies.

“Without assistance, many travel agencies will not survive the many government restrictions that till remain on travel,” said Manon Martel, Membership Manager Quebec for ACTA. “Even with sales starting to come in, it will be a long time before travel agencies see revenue and begin to recover.”

ACTA had been asking the Quebec government for several months to extend financial relief and waive all OPC fees.

The current Regulation respecting certain temporary measures for the payment of the duties payable for a travel agent’s licence, a travel counsellor certificate and a travel agency manager certificate was to expire on Feb. 28, 2022.

According to ACTA, the Regulation respecting certain temporary measures for the payment of the duties payable for a travel agent’s licence, a travel counsellor certificate and a travel agency manager certificate, made by Order in Council 77-2021 dated 27 January 2021, is amended in section 1 by replacing “2022” in the first paragraph ‘by “2023”. 2. Sections 4 and 6 are amended by replacing “2022” by “2023”.

“Travel agency fees were also waived in Ontario for 2022 after extensive advocacy, and ACTA continues to call on the B.C. government to waive fees in 2022,” said Paradis.