Publisher’s Column
Recent years have seen rapid changes in Northern Bruce Peninsula’s tourism economy as peninsula destinations in general — and National Park icons in particular — have become larger than life on social media. Parks Canada has found ways to manage crowding at its iconic sites, but the rest of the peninsula has to somehow absorb the overflow. Sustainable tourism has moved to front-of-mind for Bruce Peninsula residents.
Two years ago, with now-Councillor Megan Myles as Chair, Bruce Peninsula Environment Group organized a series of meetings aimed towards developing a Sustainable Tourism policy. Public attendance and participation were enthusiastic. The result was a study, conducted by Tourism Consultant Twenty31, jointly supported by MNBP, Parks Canada, Regional Tourism Organization, Region 7 (RTO7) and Bruce County, with cooperation from Saugeen Ojibway Nation, Tobermory Chamber of Commerce, St Edmunds Property Owners and BPEG.
Twenty31’s final report was received last summer. The full report and a two-page synopsis are both available on RTO7’s website, http://RTO7.ca (Drop the RESOURCES tab and select Northern Bruce Peninsula.)
The report recommends a committee be established (Tourism Advisory Group or TAG) and that a Tourism Manager be hired to “coordinate key actions”.
Brian McHattie attended MNBP Council’s Dec 17 Meeting to present the report to Council and ask for support and funding. He proposed that MNBP could apply to the Ministry of Tourism for funding to support hiring a Tourism Manager. He was shocked by Council’s response.
Councillor Smokey Golden spoke with obvious regret, beginning “I have thought long and hard about this”. She saw several problems with the proposal but the biggest one was responsibility — if Council endorses the report, it would be assuming responsibility for implementing it. “It is not our mandate to manage tourism,” she stated. She has heard this point of view from “a lot of ratepayers”. MNBP has done well to provide services and address the logistics of tourism — from bathrooms and garbage collection to regulating Short-Term Accommodations (upcoming), to supporting the Safe Communities Committee initiatives to improve Hwy 6.
The Report brings forward some great strategies, she continued, and all of them should be encouraged. “Eco-adventures — Great. High-end visitor attraction — Great.” Form a group; hire a manager — Great. But not as an arm of MNBP. It’s not our jurisdiction, “It’s not what we’re here for”.
Taken aback, McHattie stated that it was “a slap in the face not to adopt the plan”. He asked Council for leadership, to find other ways to accomplish the report’s objectives. Councillor Megan Myles defended the report, suggesting that Council should find a way to facilitate, perhaps apply for funding. Councillors Golden and Jamie Mielhausen stressed their position that “MNBP is not Stakeholder One” in tourism planning.
Mayor Milt McIver stated that responsibility is an issue Council needs to discuss. He agreed that the TAG committee is a good idea, but Council needs a few more meetings to resolve a position. There were nods around the table. The Mayor summarized MNBP’s position: “We have some responsibility for sure but need discussion.”
That discussion began the next morning, as Sustainable Tourism was Item Two on the Agenda of Council’s Special Council Meeting.
CAO Bill Jones explained the choices: receive the report as information or adopt the report. The difference is subtle, but adopting implies some level of support for what the report recommends. The report includes a lot of recommendations. Who is going to take responsibility for steering this? Going forward, there would need to be a person in place, a paid tourism coordinator. He warned about the perils of hiring someone based on short-term funding — even with a 50% subsidy for the first year, “we’d be on the hook for all of it in year two”.
Mayor McIver noted that the report’s first recommendation is “Establishing a ‘Tourism Advisory Group’ (or similar group) to make sure all the necessary voices are at the table and working towards the same goals.” He suggested MNBP could work with and participate in a Tourism Action Group (TAG).
Councillor Myles was concerned that TAG does not exist yet and may never exist if MNBP doesn’t step forward. Councillor Golden replied that with the current level of interest, if no one is willing to step forward, then “this isn’t going anywhere.” Deputy Mayor Myles and Councillor Mielhausen both agreed that Sustainable Tourism planning should not be up to the taxpayers of MNBP.
Possible funding through a municipal Accommodation Tax was discussed at length. Municipal Treasurer Teresa Shearer was tasked with investigating the possibility of collecting such a tax. It was acknowledged that this could not be implemented until at least 2020.
Mayor McIver suggested Council receive the Sustainable Tourism report as information (they can always upgrade that to “support” at a later date) and help organize meetings with other stakeholders to form a TAG.
