TICO shares update on Auditor General recommendations; 70% of action items completed

The Travel Industry Council of Ontario (TICO) has released its fourth quarterly update on progress addressing recommendations from the Office of the Auditor General of Ontario (OAGO).

This update highlights the progress achieved through March 31, 2025. TICO has now completed 70 per cent of the action items directed at TICO. The items are subject to verification by the OAGO.

“Implementing the Auditor General’s recommendations has been a key priority for the organization, and we’ve made significant progress to date,” said TICO's CEO Richard Smart, in a press release. "The enhancements we’ve made are already delivering positive results in how we protect consumers and oversee Ontario’s travel marketplace.”

The OAGO noted "significant concerns" about TICO's operations in a 51-page value-for-money audit report that was released at the end of 2023. 

The report found that while the travel industry has changed significantly since 1997, TICO’s structure and responsibilities “have remained largely unchanged.”

It addresses the cost of things like the Compensation Fund, finding that the cost to administer the Fund” may outweigh the benefits it provides to consumers.”

The report also notes “significant concerns” around compliance issues with TICO registrants, security deposits, the public’s general awareness of TICO, among other items.

Since the release of the report, TICO has been working to implement the OAGO's recommendations. 

Progress so far 

Over the past three months, TICO says it has:

• Launched an enhanced public search directory, which provides detailed compliance and enforcement information about all registrants.
• Reviewed and updated its risk rating system for registrants to include an assessment of additional non-financial factors, including the results of past registrant inspections and violations of legislative requirements.
• Established a policy for how frequently registrant risk ratings should be updated, as well as how frequently TICO should conduct registrant inspections based on each risk rating.
• Implemented a new policy for determining the method and frequency of recovering reasonable costs associated with the administration, management and protection of the Compensation Fund, along with an enhanced financial reporting structure.
• Updated the Registrant Toolkit with new shareable materials to assist registrants in their communication of available consumer protections to their clients.

TICO says it will continue to provide quarterly updates on the plan’s progress.

The OAGO’s report contains a total of 16 recommendations, with nine of those directed at TICO, six directed at both TICO and the Ministry of Public and Business Service Delivery and Procurement (Ministry) and one directed at the Ministry.

To access the quarterly update, click here.