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Enterprise asks for seniors' discounts Hamlet makes case for price break for seniors at GNWT campgrounds
Paul Bickford
Northern News Services
Published Monday, June 17, 2013
ENTERPRISE
The hamlet council in Enterprise is encouraging the GNWT to offer discounts for seniors at territorial campgrounds, but is disappointed by a response from Industry, Tourism and Investment (ITI) Minister David Ramsay on the issue.
Jim Dives: Rejects reasoning why there are no discounts for seniors. |
The mayor, Mike St. Amour, is not happy with the response, while a councillor uses words such as "atrocious" and "ludicrous."
Deh Cho MLA Michael Nadli brought the issue forward at a May 21 constituency meeting in Enterprise when a community resident asked why there are no discounts for seniors.
Nadli then asked Ramsay about it in the legislative assembly on May 30, resulting in a written response by Ramsay.
Ramsay wrote there are currently no discounts for seniors at any territorial campgrounds.
The minister said he discussed the matter with the department and ITI does not recommend offering special rates or discounts to senior citizens, listing three reasons for this stance.
An independent panel conducted a comprehensive review of park permit prices in 2008 and recommended against discounts for seniors.
Seniors from outside the NWT are already an important part of the customer base for parks, Ramsay wrote.
"As more baby boomers enter their senior years, these aging boomers will become even more important in our customer mix; offering a price break to these consumers, who may not need this discount, will erode the revenue base that helps offset the very high cost of parks operations."
The minister also said a seniors discount provides an opportunity for dishonesty on the online reservation system.
"People may be tempted to be dishonest about their age when booking online to receive a discount," Ramsay wrote. "A greater administrative burden would be placed on parks contractors to verify the age of campers claiming the discount when checking in."
At a June 10 meeting of Enterprise hamlet council, Mayor Mike St. Amour said he is not happy with the minister's response. Enterprise is just north of Twin Falls Territorial Park.
"If they find it too expensive to do this kind of project, then maybe they should look at handing off the parks to the local government," he said.
Deputy Mayor Craig McMaster suggested telling the territorial government the hamlet feels strongly on the matter and the department should rethink its stance.
Coun. Jim Dives was also disappointed in the GNWT's position.
"What they're doing is they're effectively cutting off a large portion of the population that does a lot of travelling, and to say that they can't provide a discount for seniors is atrocious, because that goes around very quickly," he said.
Dives said he has a tag in his motor home for a seniors' discount at all national parks in the United States and it's a very simple thing.
"To say that it's not manageable is ludicrous in the biggest sense of the word," he said, referring to the minister's concerns with potential dishonesty among travellers.
In his comments in the legislative assembly on May 30, Nadli also expressed support for a discount for seniors.
"A large number of RV tourists are seniors. Even a small discount on their campsite is a meaningful way to welcome them to the NWT, recognize the respect we hold for elders in the aboriginal culture, and help offset the expense of travelling all the way up here," Nadli said, adding the cost of implementing a discount would likely be offset by an increased number of visitors.
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