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

TICO's target processing time for new registration applications received is 30 days or sooner from the date of receipt of a completed application with no issues, concerns, or missing documentation.  

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 are included before submitting the 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) and/or $800 (branch office) non-refundable application processing fee.
• 10,000 security deposit *
• Registration application form.
• Terms & Conditions of Registration.
• Consumer sample invoice.

Payment options

Please do not combine the registration fee and security deposit.

• Certified cheques or bank drafts each payable to the “Travel Industry Council of Ontario”.
• E-Transfer: 

  • Registration fee: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

  • Security deposit: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

* Note on security deposit: 

• Required for head office registration applications. If applying for retail and wholesale registrations, separate security deposits are required. 
• 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.
• 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 Presence & Location

• Permanent place of business in Ontario. This could be a dedicated office in a commercial location, a residential location, or a virtual, shared, or coworking location.  
• Business phone number. 

If operating from residential location 

• Terms and Conditions for Residential Location 
• Proof of Municipal Zoning Compliance: A letter of approval from local municipality. 

If operating from virtual, shared, or coworking Space

• Lease Agreement: A copy of the commercial lease agreement is required for review.

Business presence reminder: While setting up your business, you may be preparing your online business presence, such as a website, social media accounts, or digital advertisements. You may begin planning and building these platforms, but they must not be active, publicly accessible until your registration with TICO is approved. Until registration is granted, you are not permitted to operate, sell, or promote travel services in any form. Engaging in these activities prior to registration is not compliant with the legislated requirements.

Business Structure & Operations

• Overview of business presented by a simple business summary or a detailed business plan.
  
  
• Business registration and legal business records. 
   
• Multiple business organizational structure: If the business structure involves multiple entities, such as subsidiaries, holding companies, or international affiliates, a detailed ownership structure chart must be provided. This chart should clearly illustrate the full ownership and/or shareholder breakdown, identifying all individuals and entities with ownership interests, up to and including the ultimate parent company and its owners / shareholders. When applicable, the following requirements must be met: 
  • Corporate Shareholder Information Form 
  • Disclosure of additional details of the separate business entity and/or holding company that is a shareholder, including but not limited to the share distribution and business ownership structure. 
  • The officers, directors, shareholders, or partners of the parent company of the applicant company must meet the requirements in the Key Business Personnel section. 
  • Additional information is required for new registration applications related to changes in control or ownership, amalgamations, or other changes to business structure. 
  • Business name registration with the Ontario Business Registry. 

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.
• Valid government-issued photo ID to confirm identity.
• Canadian Residency: Proof of Canadian residency or eligibility to work in Canada (when applicable).
•  All individuals selling travel services directly to the public on behalf of the business must also have passed the Travel Counsellor Certification exam.
•  Criminal Record and Judicial Matters Check (CRJMC) for each person. (Backcheck Report Info).
•  Must disclose all particulars regarding any bankruptcies, judgements, and/or discharges that they may have had at any time. Credit checks are required for each person but will be obtained by TICO during the application process.

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, which must be confirmed through employment verification.
• Must manage and supervise the business during the hours of operation.

Financial Information

• Two bank accounts in Ontario are required and must be held in a Schedule I or II bank, trust company, or credit union recognized by the Bank of Canada.
• The bank accounts must be designated as a “General Account” and a “Travel Industry Act Trust Account”
• The bank accounts must be under the travel seller’s legal business name registered with TICO. 
• 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.
• 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

• New business: Opening Statement of Financial Position (Balance Sheet).
• Business with prior activity: Statement of Financial Position (Balance Sheet), Statement of Operations (Income Statement).
• Current TICO registrant changing structure or ownership: Statement of Financial Position (Balance Sheet), Statement of Operations (Income Statement), Trust Reconciliation, and in some cases, a Pro Forma Balance Sheet may be required.

Criteria for Financial Statements:

• All documents/statements must be dated and current within 30 days of the application submission.
• You must demonstrate positive working capital on their financial statements to be eligible for TICO
• Financial statements must clearly indicate the current assets, current liabilities, and shareholder/related party advances, if any.
• Financial statements may be prepared internally, but if you have obtained a Review Engagement Report or Audit Report prepared by a licensed Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA) for other purposes, TICO will accept these reports as part of the application.
• Bank account statements: Provide bank account statements showing the balances and transaction activity for both the Trust Account(s) and General Account(s). These statements must align with the date of the Statement of Financial Position (Balance Sheet) and/or any accompanying financial

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.
• A detailed version of this checklist is included in the TICO Registration Checklist available in the downloadable kit.

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..