Consumer Rights

Booking Travel in Ontario: How TICO Protects You

Booking a trip through an Ontario travel agency or website gives you an extra layer of protection. Here is how TICO and its compensation fund work.

A sailboat on Lake Ontario off Toronto

Under Ontario's Travel Industry Act, 2002, travel agencies and travel websites based in Ontario must be registered with the Travel Industry Council of Ontario (TICO).

The short answer

Book with a TICO-registered business. If you paid for travel services that you didn't receive because the agency or an end supplier, such as an airline, went bankrupt or insolvent, you may be able to claim from the Travel Industry Compensation Fund.

Check registration

Holding a passport with travel documents

Look for the TICO registration number on the agency's website or ask for it. You can also check TICO's public database.

The Compensation Fund

The Travel Industry Compensation Fund may reimburse customers of registered travel businesses for travel services they paid for but didn't receive, for example because:

  • the travel agency went bankrupt or out of business; or
  • an end supplier, such as an airline or cruise line, failed.

Claims must be made within the deadline after the event, so act quickly.

What isn't covered

  • Trips booked directly with an airline, or through a business not registered in Ontario.
  • Trips cancelled for reasons other than a business failure, such as weather.

Paid by credit card?

Try your credit card company first: you may be able to get a chargeback.

Disputes with an agency

TICO can also help with complaints about how an Ontario-registered agency handled your booking.

Talk to NEO

Need help with a consumer dispute? NEO can help you write a demand letter, or bring or defend a claim in Small Claims Court. Call 647-200-3526 or toll-free 888-519-2435, email info@neolegalservices.com, or book a free consultation.

Sources

Read next: Home Insurance Claim Denied? Your Next Steps in Ontario

General Ontario legal information, not legal advice for your matter, and reading it does not create a retainer. Sources checked 15 October 2026: check the current law, forms and dates before you act.

Photos from Pexels: A sailboat on Lake Ontario off Toronto · Holding a passport with travel documents.

This article is general information for people in Ontario, not legal advice. Rules, forms and deadlines change, and every situation is different. Check the current rule or speak to a licensed legal professional before you act.

Not sure where you stand? A licensed paralegal can look at your documents and tell you your options.

Book a Free Consultation

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Law Society of Ontario — Barreau de l'Ontario
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