Just finished a little holiday celebrating a special
anniversary in Niagara Falls. Hotel room overlooking the falls, pleasant
dinners out, some sightseeing and a trip to the casino. Totally enjoyable,
except for the muggings.
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| Panorama: American falls left, Canadian falls right |
The first mugging was at the breakfast restaurant when I
noticed a charge listed as TIF. It was three per cent of the bill. I inquired
and was told it is a tax for “tourism improvement.” I assumed this was just another
tax mugging. After all, Canada is a world-class innovator of devious ways to
pick its citizens’ pockets.
The TIF kept appearing to beat me up. It was there when I paid
the hotel bill; almost $13. And an hour later when a waitress brought me a bill
for breakfast. I became more and more perplexed, so I pulled out the smartphone
and consulted Dr. Google. He informed me that TIF, which sometimes goes by
other names, is not a government tax. It is an extra charge dreamed up by
Niagara hotels and restaurants. The Ontario government has raised concerns
about the charge but has never done anything about it. It is three per cent of
your bill for food and lodging and is said to raise $15 million a year for the
businesses.
Most interesting: It is VOLUNTARY, although no hotel or
restaurant employee will tell you that. There is no legal requirement to pay
TIF or whatever other name is being used. If you are in Niagara and see it on
your bill, ask them to remove it.
Niagara hotels and restaurants are scooping enough money
without nicking clients another three per cent just because they want to. The
place is outrageously expensive because it is a tourist destination (almost $4
for a cup of coffee with your breakfast). People pay inflated prices because Niagara Falls is a scenic, historic and fun place to visit but we deserve better than
being mugged for extra cash masquerading as a tax.
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