The Province of Nova Scotia has provided municipalities with the authority to implement a marketing levy bylaw to support local tourism development and promotion. The Town of Yarmouth enacted its first marketing levy bylaw in 2007. The bylaw was updated in 2024 to a more equitable version that applies the levy evenly across more types of accommodations, and is responsive to changing market conditions. The new bylaw is called the Town of Yarmouth Marketing Levy Bylaw (Bylaw 82) which sees a mandatory 3% Marketing Levy applied to all accommodations (30 days or less) effective June 1st, 2025. The Bylaw can be found here: https://www.townofyarmouth.ca/town-hall/bylaws/1668-marketing-levy-bylaw/file.html
Levy Remittance Process
The Town of Yarmouth has designated the Ontario Restaurant Hotel & Motel Association (ORHMA) to assist accommodation providers in understanding and implementing the marketing levy. ORHMA was selected as a partner due to their extensive experience managing municipal accommodation levies across Canada. Ontario Restaurant Hotel & Motel Association (ORHMA). As an established industry leader, ORHMA provides valuable expertise in levy administration, compliance, and reporting, ensuring a smooth implementation process for local accommodations. ORHMA will help streamline operations, provide clear guidance, and support the tourism sector in maximizing the benefits of the levy.
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FAQs
What is a Marketing Levy?
A marketing levy is a fee collected from visitors who stay at registered accommodations. Marketing levies are standard worldwide, across Canada and the Maritimes and are one way to help fund destination marketing.
How does the Bylaw work?
Operators throughout the Town of Yarmouth will collect a 3% levy from visitors who stay in registered accommodations, and remit the funds collected to the Town of Yarmouth every month. The Town distributes the funds collected to our Destination Marketing Organization, the Yarmouth & Acadian Shores Tourism Association (YASTA).
How Much is the Marketing Levy?
The levy fee will be 3% of the accommodation purchase price. The marketing levy is subject to HST.
Who Pays for the Levy?
Visitors who stay in registered tourist accommodations within the boundaries of the Town of Yarmouth pay the levy. A tourist accommodation is a roofed accommodation rented for 30 days or less.
Why a Tourism Marketing Levy?
The Marketing Levy is a strategic tool that generates revenue to help grow the local tourism economy and enhance regional marketing initiatives and partnership opportunities.
How do I remit and pay the levy?
The Town of Yarmouth has designated the Ontario Restaurant Hotel & Motel Association (ORHMA) for the collection of the levy. See details on remitting above.