Province offering tax relief for tourism industry

EDMONTON, AB – The provincial government is providing some comfort for those in the tourism industry.

In the wake of the global COVID-19 pandemic, the government stated that hotels and other lodging providers can delay paying the tourism levy until August 31, 2020 for amounts that become due on or after Friday (March 27).

The province said this is going to help free up over $5 million in additional cash flow for employers. They say that’s money that can be used to retain staff, maintain operations and continue providing service.

“We know Alberta’s tourism industry has been hit particularly hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. This is a necessary addition to other recently announced measures,” said Minister of Finance and President of the Treasury Board Travis Toews in a release.

“We will continue to support Albertans and Alberta businesses during this tumultuous time, and will continue to evaluate and expand our efforts where possible.”

Nighttime construction on Hwy 3 in Lethbridge starts April 17

Apr 17, 2025

SASHA launches #BuyABed fundraiser to support vulnerable Lethbridge residents

Apr 04, 2025

$20K grants available: TELUS STORYHIVE Pan-Asian Edition opens applications April 1

Mar 18, 2025

The release noted that hotels and other lodging providers are still expected to file returns, as required by legislation, and have to continue collecting the tourism levy from guests staying at their properties during this time.

Payments that are deferred until August 31 will not be subject to penalties or interest.

“This is a welcome move by the government during the unprecedented pressures the hotel and lodging industry is facing due to COVID-19,” said Dave Kaiser, the president and CEO of the Alberta Hotel and Lodging Association.

“Deferring the tourism levy will create critical cash flow for operators at a time when they need it most.”

ADDITIONAL MEASURES

A number of other added measures to help out Albertan businesses have been announced, including:

· The collection of corporate income tax balances and installment payments is deferred until August 31. This will give Alberta businesses access to around $1.5 billion in funds to help cope with COVID-19.

· Education property tax amounts are frozen at 2019 levels, which will save households and businesses about $87 million in 2020-2021.

· Education property tax payments by businesses are deferred for six months, leaving $458 million with job creators to help them pay employees and continue operations.

· Private-sector employers can defer paying Workers’ Compensation Board premiums until 2021, with a rebate eligible for those who have already paid their 2020 WCB premiums. The government will pay 50 percent of 2020 WCB premiums for small and medium-sized businesses.

· Utility payments for residential, farm and small commercial customers can be deferred for the next 90 days to ensure no one is cut off from electricity and natural gas services during the pandemic.

More details on the province’s response to the crisis can be found via the Government of Alberta website.

For local news delivered daily to your email inbox, subscribe for free to the Lethbridge News Now newsletter here. You can also download the Lethbridge News Now mobile app in the Google Play and the Apple App Stores.