In the middle of Montreal’s summer season, illegal tour guides continue to tour the city without being disturbed and without receiving insults. Companies have decided to step in and ban access to these illegal guides, who have neither training nor a license.
Posted at 1:04 am. Updated at 05:00
“Note for tourist guides” reads a poster prominently displayed on the door of the Guillaume Bakery. “We ask you to present your official approval before you go on a tour of our house. »
Guillaume Vaillant, co-owner of the popular bakery, was fed up with hearing nonsense from unlicensed guides. Since the city of Montreal doesn’t enforce its municipal bylaws, he decided to do it himself.
PHOTO JOSIE DESMARAIS, THE PRESS
At the entrance to the Guillaume Bakery in Mile End, a sign asks tour guides to present their license before taking a tour of the premises.
“I love Montréal. I cannot allow untruths to be told about his history and cultural life,” he said in a vigorous appeal.
untruths? Over the years, the merchant heard unlicensed guides mislead the year his Mile End bakery was founded. Others threw noise and mirrors at their customers while talking about the pastry’s design.
PHOTO JOSIE DESMARAIS, THE PRESS
The co-owner of the Guillaume Bakery, Guillaume Vaillant
I even heard that I’m of Alsatian descent, so I made an Alsatian galette. But that has nothing to do with it. I’m from Quebec of French-Canadian parents. You invent a poetic novel about me, even though it’s completely false.
Guillaume Vaillant, co-owner of the Guillaume Bakery
Mandatory education and license
In Montreal, according to the G-2 statute, guides must complete a 240-hour training course at the Institut de Tourisme et d’hôtellerie du Québec (ITHQ) and have a permit from the city. In North America, only the cities of New York and Quebec also require a permit from tour guides.
Leaders who do not comply with the community bylaws face a first violation fine of $100 to $300 and a second violation fine of up to $1,000.
In a report published in La Presse last April, reputable tourism companies denounced this unfair competition. “I’m discouraged. They do not charge GST and QST. That’s downright unfair,” repeated Frédérik Nissen, founder of Local Food Tours, in a recent interview.
Illegal guides often advertise their services on foreign-based websites and only in English. It could not be confirmed whether they pay their taxes in Quebec and Canada.
“We have to solve the problem now, this summer! We can’t wait another year,” said the man, who expressed disappointment that the city wasn’t more proactive on the matter.
“For the sake of fairness”
The Siboire microbrewery has also stopped serving Putin and offering beer tastings to illegal tour guides and, on behalf of the gang, their groups. The owners informed the tour guides of the property’s new policies two months ago, and then permanently suspended reception in early July.
“We’re doing this out of fairness and moral concerns,” explains Antoine Ducharme, co-owner of the Boulevard Saint-Laurent eatery.
PHOTO PATRICK SANFAÇON, THE PRESS
The co-owner of the Siboire microbrewery, Antoine Ducharme
It sure got us customers, but we’d rather show solidarity with small businesses that are doing things right, getting their license and paying their taxes.
Antoine Ducharme, co-owner of the Siboire microbrewery
The districts of Plateau-Mont-Royal, which includes Mile End, and Ville-Marie, where Old Montreal and downtown Montreal are located, confirm they have not filed criminal charges against illegal tour guides since the beginning of the year.
The City of Montreal says it has not received any complaints from dissatisfied tourists regarding tours and claims it is reviewing the application of its bylaws.
“The City has begun consideration of this bylaw and will announce the recommended resolution once steps are taken [terminées]. “Talks have been held with the partners with the elected official in this file about actions to be implemented as soon as possible and in the long term,” said Kim Nantais, Public Relations Officer for the City of Montreal.
“A Slow Machine”
Frédéric Mandel, president of the Professional Association of Montreal Tourist Guides (AGPT), regrets that the city has been slow in enforcing its own regulations. “It’s a slow machine. Yes, we would have liked it to be faster. There is a rule. It would be quite easy to implement it by issuing a mandate to peace officers,” he stresses.
The AGPT is also preparing a letter to various tourism industry stakeholders to remind them of the existence of the G-2 regulation. The letter is co-signed by the Ville de Montréal, Tourisme Montréal and ITHQ. The target group of the awareness campaign are companies specializing in tours and hotel concierges. Also the favorite shops of tourists.
However, traders who would like to ban illegal guides claim that it is not that easy in reality. Such is the case with the Kem Coba Ice Cream Parlor on Fairmount Avenue.
“The illegal guides don’t show up. You buy and go. When a person takes 12 minicornets, it’s difficult to know if it’s family, a group of friends or colleagues,” explains Vincent Beck, co-owner of the venue.
It would be a lot easier if the city enforced its own bylaws, argues Mr. Beck, and if they just applied logic.
Learn more
$2,500 cost of 240-hour tour guide training in Montreal. The course will be held at the Quebec Institute of Tourism and Hospitality.
Source: Quebec Tourism and Hospitality Institute
$105 guide permit fee. This is valid for one year, from January 1st to December 31st.
Source: City of Montreal