Perhaps (in fact probably) I'm mistaken, but from all I see and hear, it appears to me that "Tourism Tofino" has evolved into one of the worst things that has ever happened to our village. Tons of money spent, that could have been used for things that Tofino needs much more urgently, a super successful advertising campaign that attracts thousands upon thousands of visitors, with little forethought as to how the village will deal with the impact of all these additional burdens on the infrastructure, no place to live for local residents, huge demands on local resources such as hospital, police, fire, ambulance and rescue organizations, social discord as different local interest groups toss blame back and forth about whose "fault" all of this is. Yes, it's nice to see all the customers, nice to see the resultant jobs, nice to see the economic benefits, nice to see the amenities and progress that all these visitors help to finance, nice to be known as "paradise at the end of the road. But at what cost? Normal people cannot afford to live here, their children cannot build a future here, if you work here all your life and make this your home and your community, then you cannot afford to retire here. Seems that the residents of Tofino become the losers of Tofino, in the end. Makes me wonder, "Who wins?" Who decided that "Tourism Tofino" was a good idea in the first place? Sorta like me deciding to host a huge free for all party, open to anyone who wants to attend, without any thought about the consequences to my home, my neighbours, my community. Just pack in the people and turn up the music and expect that everything is going work out without any negative results. Circumstances today in Tofino can be likened to a near out of control fire, consuming everything we love about our home, and Tourism Tofino, in effect, is tossing gasoline onto it.
At least there is still the student dormitory at the Botanical Gardens.Otherwise students would have a hard time finding a place to stay at a reasonable price. It is nice to see that some people here aren’t just all about the almighty tourist buck.
12:34 how right you are. I think it is time to enact serious changes to Tourism Tofino. Changes to limit their power to fill this town with visitors. Trim their advertising budget down to zero dollars being spent. Advertising is just pouring gas on the fire of problems the town faces. I'm thinking that the only thing now that will end the circus is a good cleansing tsunami. If you think things are bad now, wait until the 600 unit cox bay campground gets operating. Guesstimate 300 additional motorhomes all wanting to come into town and park at the same time. I wonder how long I'll keep living in this zoo.
@12:34....the amount of money that is collected from the MRDT tax, which funds Tourism tofino, is voted on by the large fixed roof accommodation owners or their representatives. For the most part, these owners live out of town and the representatives will vote how they are told by the owners. The small vacation rental owner with one property who lives here is now forced to collect the tax but not allowed to vote on the amount. The entire town should be allowed to vote on this tax. I think we could cut it from 3% down to 1% especially since they are now collecting from every rental and not just the large properties since the new law went into effect in October. We are being screwed by the large resort owners who don't live here or care about the town. I feel they only care about their wallets.
@10:02 AM. Let's leave the MRDT tax at 3%. Tourism Tofino can have 1%, and the other 2% could go toward paying for the infrastructure that supports the tourism industry. This would make a nice dent in the cost of the sewage treatment facility, now, and help to increase our water supply, in years to come, without the burden falling on to the resident property taxpayers. All segments of the tourism industry, large and small, should contribute toward the cost of the infrastructure that must be provided for these visitors. Not only accomodations, but also tours, surf rentals, whale watching, fishing charters, kayak lessons, restaurants, guides,sightseeing flights, campgrounds, RV sites, etc. (all tourism related enterprises) should collect the 3% tax as well. I agree with your point that the tax shouldn't be controlled by only a select few large scale operators. Taxation without representation, simply, is wrong.
@11:57. Sadly the provincial government dictates where the funds can be spent and they made the rules stating it can only be spent on tourism marketing. Maybe one day that will change.
@1:28 PM. Correct. But don't forget that the provincial government is our government also. In fact, our local MLA, Mr. Fraser, is a member of that very government. Maybe, if we make a loud enough noise, someone in Victoria might hear us? Write your MLA, ask him what he can do to help us here. Write your mayor. Ask her what she's doing to promote that change in the system that Tofino needs. The pie is not being shared fairly.
These are good ideas. All of them have already been put on the table at one time or another by the citizens of Tofino. Problem is the Council wants to deal behind the scenes and not include any community consultation, consensus building or public lobbying all of which seem important.
I definitely don't want Tofino to get it's hands on more money, only to see it spent on more subsidies to the tourist industry, dubious worker housing projects that should be supplied by tourist operators and other boondoggles. If the town can effect some change in this area as above posters are suggesting, it must all go for necessary infrastructure. Water and Sewer. Why throw good money after bad... But right now we don't know what is happening, if anything, and probably won't till it is too late to influence the process. The Tofino RPA has said it wants the process to be public and has made representation to councillors to that effect. I support that. Who wouldn't. Let your councillors hear about it, if you don't want to wake up on Xmas morning with a lump of coal under the tree instead of that shiny new toy you were expecting
The useless Tourism Tofino garden shack should also be removed from the district parking lot in town, so it frees up 2 RV parking spots !
ReplyDeletePerhaps (in fact probably) I'm mistaken, but from all I see and hear, it appears to me that "Tourism Tofino" has evolved into one of the worst things that has ever happened to our village. Tons of money spent, that could have been used for things that Tofino needs much more urgently, a super successful advertising campaign that attracts thousands upon thousands of visitors, with little forethought as to how the village will deal with the impact of all these additional burdens on the infrastructure, no place to live for local residents, huge demands on local resources such as hospital, police, fire, ambulance and rescue organizations, social discord as different local interest groups toss blame back and forth about whose "fault" all of this is.
ReplyDeleteYes, it's nice to see all the customers, nice to see the resultant jobs, nice to see the economic benefits, nice to see the amenities and progress that all these visitors help to finance, nice to be known as "paradise at the end of the road. But at what cost? Normal people cannot afford to live here, their children cannot build a future here, if you work here all your life and make this your home and your community, then you cannot afford to retire here.
Seems that the residents of Tofino become the losers of Tofino, in the end. Makes me wonder, "Who wins?"
Who decided that "Tourism Tofino" was a good idea in the first place? Sorta like me deciding to host a huge free for all party, open to anyone who wants to attend, without any thought about the consequences to my home, my neighbours, my community. Just pack in the people and turn up the music and expect that everything is going work out without any negative results.
Circumstances today in Tofino can be likened to a near out of control fire, consuming everything we love about our home, and Tourism Tofino, in effect, is tossing gasoline onto it.
At least there is still the student dormitory at the Botanical Gardens.Otherwise students would have a hard time finding a place to stay at a reasonable price. It is nice to see that some people here aren’t just all about the almighty tourist buck.
ReplyDelete1:34 PM....Do I detect a slight hint of sarcasm?
ReplyDelete12:34 how right you are. I think it is time to enact serious changes to Tourism Tofino.
ReplyDeleteChanges to limit their power to fill this town with visitors. Trim their advertising budget down to zero dollars being spent. Advertising is just pouring gas on the fire of problems the town faces.
I'm thinking that the only thing now that will end the circus is a good cleansing tsunami.
If you think things are bad now, wait until the 600 unit cox bay campground gets operating. Guesstimate 300 additional motorhomes all wanting to come into town and park at the same time.
I wonder how long I'll keep living in this zoo.
12:34 and 6:20 , Vacation Rentals are the way of the future. Please post here when your homes are for sale. I am looking for additional inventory.
ReplyDelete@12:34....the amount of money that is collected from the MRDT tax, which funds Tourism tofino, is voted on by the large fixed roof accommodation owners or their representatives. For the most part, these owners live out of town and the representatives will vote how they are told by the owners. The small vacation rental owner with one property who lives here is now forced to collect the tax but not allowed to vote on the amount. The entire town should be allowed to vote on this tax. I think we could cut it from 3% down to 1% especially since they are now collecting from every rental and not just the large properties since the new law went into effect in October. We are being screwed by the large resort owners who don't live here or care about the town. I feel they only care about their wallets.
ReplyDelete@10:02 AM. Let's leave the MRDT tax at 3%. Tourism Tofino can have 1%, and the other 2% could go toward paying for the infrastructure that supports the tourism industry. This would make a nice dent in the cost of the sewage treatment facility, now, and help to increase our water supply, in years to come, without the burden falling on to the resident property taxpayers.
ReplyDeleteAll segments of the tourism industry, large and small, should contribute toward the cost of the infrastructure that must be provided for these visitors. Not only accomodations, but also tours, surf rentals, whale watching, fishing charters, kayak lessons, restaurants, guides,sightseeing flights, campgrounds, RV sites, etc. (all tourism related enterprises) should collect the 3% tax as well.
I agree with your point that the tax shouldn't be controlled by only a select few large scale operators. Taxation without representation, simply, is wrong.
@11:57. Sadly the provincial government dictates where the funds can be spent and they made the rules stating it can only be spent on tourism marketing. Maybe one day that will change.
ReplyDelete@1:28 PM. Correct. But don't forget that the provincial government is our government also. In fact, our local MLA, Mr. Fraser, is a member of that very government. Maybe, if we make a loud enough noise, someone in Victoria might hear us? Write your MLA, ask him what he can do to help us here. Write your mayor. Ask her what she's doing to promote that change in the system that Tofino needs. The pie is not being shared fairly.
ReplyDeleteThese are good ideas. All of them have already been put on the table at one time or another by the citizens of Tofino. Problem is the Council wants to deal behind the scenes and not include any community consultation, consensus building or public lobbying all of which seem important.
ReplyDeleteI definitely don't want Tofino to get it's hands on more money, only to see it spent on more subsidies to the tourist industry, dubious worker housing projects that should be supplied by tourist operators and other boondoggles. If the town can effect some change in this area as above posters are suggesting, it must all go for necessary infrastructure. Water and Sewer. Why throw good money after bad... But right now we don't know what is happening, if anything, and probably won't till it is too late to influence the process. The Tofino RPA has said it wants the process to be public and has made representation to councillors to that effect. I support that. Who wouldn't. Let your councillors hear about it, if you don't want to wake up on Xmas morning with a lump of coal under the tree instead of that shiny new toy you were expecting