A bed and breakfast owner in eastern Newfoundland wants the provincial government to do more to ensure accommodations are held to a certain standard.
We should be leading the charge.- Wayne Hallett
Wayne Hallett of Sandringham runs the Prints of Whales Inn near Eastport, and chairs the Road to the Beaches Tourism Association.
He's aware of at least 30 unlicensed accommodations in the Eastport area, which he said raises questions about insurance and the safety of those who stay there.
Need for better enforcement
Hallett is calling on Tourism Minister Christopher Mitchelmore to replace the current legislation, so that licensing of accommodations is more strictly enforced.
"We should be leading the charge, and the minister should be leading the charge, to ensure we are at the front end of tourism in this country — not the back end," he said.
"It's like a police officer on the highway pulling someone over and giving them a warning, which is fine. But if he continues to do that forever he can continue to speed."
Hallett thinks all businesses that offer accommodations should be properly licensed, which would get them listed in the provincial tourism guide. He said being licensed ensures the operator is providing a certain level of service and that it's up to code, with regards to insurance and safety.
"It's very much a minimum standard," Hallett told CBC Radio's Central Morning. "You need to have at least one star through Canada Select, so you have to be inspected. You're expected to have insurance, though it's not a requirement of the current legislation, and you have to be inspected by fire and safety."
Tax evasion
Hallett said it's not that costly to get an inspection done — that is, if everything passes the inspection and doesn't need to be renovated or updated.
The reasons for deciding to not licence a business are varied, but Hallett said it often has to do with avoiding taxes.
"I had a guest yesterday morning who offered to pay cash and he said, 'If I pay cash I don't have to pay taxes, do I?'" Hallett said.