TICO Shares Fourth Quarterly Update on Progress in Addressing Auditor General Recommendations
May 12, 2025
Mississauga, ON – Today, the Travel Industry Council of Ontario (TICO) 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% of the action items directed at TICO, 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 CEO Richard Smart. “The enhancements we’ve made are already delivering positive results in how we protect consumers and oversee Ontario’s travel marketplace.”
Over the past three months, TICO 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 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, please click here.
About TICO
Formed in 1997, the Travel Industry Council of Ontario (TICO) regulates Ontario’s approximately 1,900 travel agencies, booking websites and tour operators. TICO administers the Travel Industry Act, 2002 on behalf of the Ontario government. As a consumer protection organization, TICO facilitates a consumer complaints process and administers the Ontario Travel Industry Compensation Fund. By booking travel with a TICO-registered business, consumers have access to added protection. To verify if a company is registered with TICO, and for helpful information and resources, visit www.tico.ca.
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Kristina Wilson
Stakeholder Relations Manager