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This priority has moved to an even higher level in the past few years as golf courses are facing continuous added pressure from governments and other entities (i.e. PGA Buying Shows, etc.). The NGCOA Canada has won your right to the following:
• Current Value Assessment Methodology in Ontario Property Tax, with payments to courses that were retroactive for 10 years, in addition to moving forward. This win resulted in savings of approximately $65 million back to the Ontario golf industry, and specifically the 492 golf courses who stuck through the entire appeal process over the 10 years.
• Golf courses in British Columbia no longer have to license their carts when crossing a road or accessing a parking lot. This resulted in savings of up to $20,000 in yearly licensing fees.
• Successful advocacy resulting in British Columbia government allowing liquor sold on premise to be carried by the customer between licensed areas on the property.
• Successful advocacy resulting in Quebec government recognizing golf as being a unique sporting venue versus all other sports, which represents large sums of money that will not have to be invested in signage at golf courses with the recent smoking by-law coming into effect.
• Ontario and British Columbia courses now have licensed beverage carts.
• F&B at golf courses are now an allowable federal deductible business entertainment expense.
• Owners are now allowed into various Canadian zone PGA Buying Shows.
• Various pesticide by-law exemptions at the municipal and provincial levels, allowing you to provide a green playing field free of weeds and disease.
• Communicated golf course operators’ concerns and postponed the process of RCGA/Golf Canada intentions to build and own golf courses.
• Encouraged Weather Network to introduce the Golf Weather Report.
The Manitoba (left) and the British Columbia (right) golf industry brought local representatives to the provincial legislature. The goal was to bring
the good news message about golf as employers, consumers, and supporters of charities and to raise awareness about various environmental points as they relate to the golf industry.
Over the past 25 years, the advocacy wins have generated thousands of dollars in savings or additional revenues for golf courses. British Columbia’s successful outcome on cart and equipment licensing, and Ontario’s win on current property tax value assessments stand out as the most significant outcomes for operators.
LOBBY DAYS
The spring of 2011 was a first for the Canadian golf industry, with the inaugural National Golf Indus- try Awareness Days in provincial capitals and federally in Ottawa. This strategy established golf as not just a great game, but a vital industry as well, and one that needs to be taken seriously when government considers new legisla- tion. Furthermore, we built hundreds of valuable business relationships with key decision makers.
Thirty-five one-on-one meet- ings with Members of Parliament took place during the first Golf Industry Awareness Day followed by a reception with over 70 MPs, senators and political staffers. The contingent included cabinet minis- ters, parliamentary secretaries and opposition critics for sport. This was an important step in commu- nicating golf’s agenda to parlia- mentarians.
28 Golf Business Canada