Plans to implement the MAT tax in the Valley are being wrestled to the ground. The proposed Municipal Accommodation Tax was met with resistance at both Renfrew and Arnprior town councils this week. A delegation to Renfrew Council seemed to feel that municipalities and tourist organizations would be making money at the expense of the hospitality industry if the tax were to be implemented. General Manager of the Days Inn and Rocky Mountain Lodge, Jenny Sui, told council the tax makes sense for larger urban centres such as Ottawa and Toronto, but it’s not feasible for smaller communities in rural settings. Sui also says if Renfrew moves forward with the tax, it will put the town at a disadvantage with the rest of the county, but she asks if they do implement the tax, they consider including all accommodators, including Air BnBs and Bed and Breakfasts. When the matter first came to council chambers from the Ottawa Valley Tourism Association, Reeve Peter Emon had expressed interested in Renfrew leading the way by implementing the tax in the new year. It’s unclear at this time when the matter will come back to the table for discussion. However the backlash through the County has been felt and some municipalities have already voted against implementing the MAT. Arnprior has chosen not to implement the Municipal Accommodations Tax. At Monday’s Town Council meeting, Economic Development Officer Lindsay Wilson told elected representatives she had surveyed area accommodators and found little support for implementing the MAT, which would add an additional four percent to the cost of staying over in the town.
