Marketing Levy- Town of Port Hawkesbury

A marketing levy is a fee applied to the cost of short-term accommodations to support and grow the tourism industry on Cape Breton Island. In the Town of Port Hawkesbury, this levy provides essential funding to Destination Cape Breton, the official destination marketing and management organization for Cape Breton Island.

Effective January 1, 2024, a 3% marketing levy is applied to all short-term, fixed-roof accommodations (such as hotels, motels, inns, bed and breakfasts, cottages and rentals through platforms like Airbnb and Vrbo). Want to learn more? Visit Marketing Levy-Destination Cape Breton for answers to frequently asked questions.

Levy Remittance Process The Town of Port Hawkesbury has designated the Ontario Restaurant Hotel & Motel Association (ORHMA) to assist accommodation providers in understanding and implementing the marketing levy.

Chosen for their extensive experience managing municipal accommodation levies across Canada, ORHMA is an established industry leader that brings valuable expertise in administration, compliance, and reporting. This partnership ensures a smooth transition for local operators by streamlining the remittance process, providing clear technical guidance, and supporting the tourism sector in maximizing the collective benefits of the levy.

LINK TO INFO SESSION:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1SNNpJT7ZdN_Tk98q2yYkwDQwzRLbKAOE/view?usp=sharing

Portal Link: https://porthawkesbury.orhma.com/

Contact & Support For technical assistance with the reporting portal or questions regarding the levy, please contact:

· Destination Cape Breton: Mary Theresa Jessome | [email protected] | 902-563-4636

· ORHMA Support: [email protected] | 905-592-3023

· Town Office: [email protected]| 902- 625-2746

Remittance & Reporting All accommodation providers within the Town of Port Hawkesbury are required to collect the 3% levy and remit it to the Town via the ORHMA Levy Reporting Portal.

· Frequency: Remittances must be submitted on a monthly basis.

· Due Date: Reports and payments are due by the 15th day of the month following the collection period (e.g., May’s levy is due by June 15).

· Zero-Collection Reporting: If no accommodations were booked during a given month, a “Nil” report must still be filed through the portal to remain in compliance.

· HST Application: The marketing levy is considered part of the consideration for the supply of the accommodation; therefore, HST is applicable on the 3% levy amount.