The Tourist Accommodation Tax, passed by the Yellowknife City Council in 2024, comes into effect on April 1st. The funds collected will be used to enhance and grow the tourism sector in Yellowknife.
After much deliberation over many years, the four-per-cent tax will now be applied to the purchase price of tourist accommodations in the city – with some key exceptions, stated a release late Wednesday.
Operators do not need to charge visitors the Tourist Accommodation Tax under the following circumstances:
- The accommodation is outside of the City of Yellowknife’s boundaries.
- The length of stay for a guest is more than 30 days.
- The rate billed to the guest is less than $20 per night.
Or if the guest is one of the following:
- An employee of the Government of the Northwest Territories travelling for work purposes.
- A public agency or other reporting body defined in the Financial Administration Act.
- A patient and/or their family on medical travel and/or staying at a hospital or healthcare facility.
All operators of licensed tourist accommodation within Yellowknife must comply with this new tax.
This includes both larger commercial properties and short-term rental hosts.
Accommodation operators must report and remit the tax quarterly, with the first deadline this July 30.
Payments can be made online through a new portal on the City of Yellowknife website that will launch prior to the first remittance date.
