The Travel Industry Council of Ontario (TICO) is mandated by the Ontario government to administer the Travel Industry Act, 2002. All travel retailers and travel wholesalers selling travel services from a location in Ontario are required to be registered under the Travel Industry Act, 2002 with TICO.

Selling travel services in and from Ontario without TICO registration is a contravention of the Travel Industry Act, 2002 and may result in charges being laid under the Act. This also applies to anyone who has submitted a TICO Application for Registration, which is pending approval from TICO.

Useful Definitions from the Travel Industry Act, 2002

Travel Retailer: A travel retailer, also known as a travel agency or online travel agency, sells travel services directly to individual consumers. The Act refers to a travel retailer as a travel agent and defines “travel agent as a person who sells travel services provided by another person.”

Travel Wholesaler: A travel wholesaler, also known as a tour operator, acquires rights to travel services with the intention of reselling them to travel retailers. The Act defines a “travel wholesaler as a person who acquires rights to travel services for the purpose of resale to a travel agent or who carries on the business of dealing with travel agents or travel wholesalers for the sale of travel services provided by another person.”

Travel Services:  The Act defines travel services as "transportation or sleeping accommodation for the use of a traveller, tourist or sightseer or other services combined with that transportation or sleeping accommodation.”

Registration Application Processing

ADVISORY: TICO's target processing time for new registration applications received is 30 days or sooner from the date of receipt. Due to an unusually high volume of new registration applications being received at TICO, any incomplete applications that are missing any required information, fees, and/or supporting documentation may not be processed within this timeframe.

To avoid delays in processing your application, applicants are advised to review all the mandatory requirements and ensure that all required information, fees, and/or supporting documentation is included before submitting your application for registration.

Preparing to Apply for TICO Registration

Prior to completing the application, please review the requirements for applying for TICO registration. A detailed version of this checklist is included in the TICO Registration Application Kit.

 

Requirements of TICO Registration

Application Fundamentals

• $3,000 (head office) non-refundable application processing fee for a head office. Click here to view the registration application kit for a branch office.
• 10,000 security deposit *
• Completed registration application form.
• Terms & Conditions of Registration.

* Note: 

• The security deposit will be returned to the applicant after the filing of two consecutive (covering two 12-month periods) year-end financial statements provided that the Registrar has no concerns about the travel seller’s compliance with the Act.
• A security deposit is not required when the applicant has been registered at any time during the previous 12 months where there are no other compliance concerns and at the discretion of the Registrar.

 Business Structure & Operations

• Overview of business presented by a simple business summary or a detailed business plan.
• Proof of Business Registration, Business Name Registration and/or Corporate Records.
• Corporate organizational chart if the structure or shareholder distribution includes multiple corporations and/or holding companies, and/or international companies.
• Customer sample invoice

Business Address

• Permanent place of business in Ontario
• In a dedicated office that is a commercial location or a residential location.
• If the location is a residential location:
  • Municipal Zoning: The travel seller must provide a letter of confirmation from the municipality to verify that carrying on business from the residential location is permitted by the municipality responsible for enforcing local zoning requirements.
  • Business Phone Number: The travel seller must have a separate business telephone number (landline or mobile phone) that is listed under the name under which the travel seller carries on business and is different from any residential and/or personal telephone number.
  • Business Records: The travel seller must maintain all books and records at the business premises and ensure that these records are accessible to any Inspector designated by the Registrar.
  • Business Address: the travel seller must include its business address (as well as the business name and registration number) in every written representation. Therefore, if a travel seller is operating from a residential location, the travel seller must include this residential address in its representations.

Key Business Personnel

Shareholders, Officers, Directors, Partners, Sole Proprietor, and Supervisor/Manager

• 18 years of age and be a resident of Canada. This residency requirement does not apply to corporate or partnership applicants.
• Key Business Personnel Declaration Form completed and signed by the sole proprietor, every partner in a partnership, and by every officer and director for corporate entities.
• If a shareholder is a corporation and/or holding company, a Corporate Shareholder Information Form is required.
• Valid government photo identification for each person.
• All applicants including the designated supervisor or manager must disclose all particulars regarding any bankruptcies, judgements, and/or discharges that they may have had at any time.
• Criminal Record and Judicial Matters Check (CRJMC) for each person.

Canadian residents can obtain a CRJMC from an Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) detachment or Municipal Police Services. TICO has partnered with MyBackCheck.com to assist applicants in obtaining this report.

For U.S. citizens and individuals from other countries, please seek comparable services within your respective jurisdictions. Ensure that the criminal record check covers all national jurisdiction levels (federal or country-wide records) and includes a search of outstanding entries and charges.

Additional Requirements for the Designated Manager

• Designated Manager Declaration Form
• Legally entitled to work in Canada.
• Proof of Travel Counsellor and Supervisor/Manager TICO Certification
• Must have a minimum of three years of travel industry experience.
• Must manage and supervise the business during the hours of operation.

Financial Information

• Two bank accounts are required, and they must be designated as a “General Account” and a “Travel Industry Act Trust Account”.
• The bank accounts must be held in a Bank of Canada recognized bank, trust company, or credit union.
• The bank accounts must be under the travel seller’s legal business name registered with TICO.
• If CAD and USD accounts are maintained, the bank letter should clearly show the currency for each account.
• Financial Information Consent & Verification Form. This form is to outline the consent the applicant is providing and includes verification from the bank. Part One must be completed by the applicant and Part Two must be completed by the financial institution.
• Trust Declaration Form signed by a person authorized to bind the company.
• If you will be a credit card merchant, you must include supporting documentation showing the merchant account is linked to the Travel Industry Act Trust Account.

Financial Statements and Other Third-party Documentation

• For new businesses, an internally prepared Statement of Financial Position (Balance Sheet) is sufficient.
• For businesses that have been in operation before applying for TICO registration, an internally prepared Statement of Financial Position (Balance Sheet) and Statement of Operations (Income Statement), or a Review Engagement Report or Audit Report is required.
• For changes in ownership or applications involving current TICO registrants, a Trust Reconciliation is required in addition to an internally prepared Statement of Financial Position (Balance Sheet) and Statement of Operations (Income Statement), or a Review Engagement Report or Audit Report.
• Financial Statements must clearly indicate the current assets, and current liabilities, and shareholder/related party advances, if any.
• Potential TICO registrants must show that they have positive working capital on their financial statements to obtain TICO registration.
• All applications must include bank account statements showing the balance and activity for the Trust Account(s) and the General Account(s). The statements must coincide with the date of the balance sheet and other financial statement(s) provided.
• All documents/statements must be dated and current within 30 days of the application submission.

Additional Notes

• Any document submitted in a foreign language must be accompanied by a certified translation.
• TICO reserves the right to request any additional information and/or supporting documentation and to verify any information contained in the application. This can include conducting inquiries as necessary to determine your eligibility for registration.
• You should not be operating, selling, or advertising travel services without first being approved for registration with TICO. This includes having any online presence, e.g., website, social media, etc. Please ensure you are compliant with the legislated requirements.
• A detailed version of this checklist is included in the TICO Registration Application Kit.

Registering a Branch Office

Click here to view the registration application kit for a branch office.

Registration Application Processing

To avoid a delay in processing your application, applicants are advised to review all the mandatory requirements and ensure that all the supporting documentation and information is obtained before applying for registration. TICO's target processing time for complete applications received is 30 days or sooner.  

Refusal of Registration

In some cases, an application for registration can be refused. Further information is available in the Registration Application Form

Ready to Apply?

Download a TICO Registration Application Kit to get started on your application for registration!

Questions?

If you have any questions, please contact TICO’s registration department at 905-624-6241 ext. 291 or 1-888-451-8426 ext. 291 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..