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ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
(a) Travel vendors and their authorized sponsors
Administer and maintain the travel loyalty programs at no cost to government.
(b) Employees
1. Select and enrol into the travel loyalty programs of their choice.
2. Review and adhere to the terms and conditions of the travel loyalty programs.
3. Notify starting June 1, 2001, BTI Canada GTS (formerly Rider GTS) at https://www.gts.gc.ca/tin/default.asp of their selected travel loyalty
programs by updating their Personal Travel Profile with their travel loyalty program account number.
4. Collect travel points for personal and/or official business use while travelling on authorized government
business.
5. Redeem travel points for personal and/or official business use.
6. Report taxable benefits when the travel points are redeemed for personal use in accordance with CCRA's
Interpretation Bulletin IT-470R (Consolidated) - Employees' Fringe Benefits.
CHOOSING A TRAVEL LOYALTY PROGRAM
Employees can belong to any number of travel loyalty programs of their choice. Employees should review and evaluate
the benefits associated with programs to ensure that benefits meet their particular needs. Travel loyalty programs have
many affiliated partners from which employees can also benefit.
Employees who are currently a member of a travel loyalty program will not need to open a new account; however
they should review and evaluate their current program. Employees should ensure the benefits associated with the program
meet their particular needs. Employees may want to enrol into more than one travel loyalty program.
Employees who are not a member of a travel loyalty program and would like to join should evaluate the
benefits of the various programs to ensure that they meet their particular needs. Employees may want to enrol into more
than one travel loyalty program.
ENROLLING IN TRAVEL LOYALTY PROGRAMS
Employees should submit their application directly to the travel loyalty program of their choice. Instuctions to
enrol will vary depending on the program. The travel loyalty program will supply the employee with an account number.
This account number will be used to accumulate and redeem benefits.
For example, the most utilized commercial air carrier in government is presently Air Canada. Accordingly, to assist
employees in enrolling into Air Canada's Aeroplan, the following is being provided for information purposes only.
There are three ways to enrol in the Aeroplan as follows:
(a) Internet
(b) By Telephone
Call the Aeroplan Centre, toll-free at 1-800-361-5373. The telephone lines are open 7 days a week, between 7:00 a.m.
and 11:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.
After registering, you will be assigned an Aeroplan account number over the telephone.
(c) By Mail
Complete a hard copy application form, which may be obtained at an Air Canada ticket office. After registering, you
will be assigned an Aeroplan account number over the telephone.
Regardless of the option of enrolment chosen, you will receive a personalized membership card, member guide and
welcome package in the mail in approximately four weeks from date of enrolment. You can begin to earn Aeroplan Miles as
of your enrolment date (i.e. the date your membership is processed by Aeroplan). Transactions dated prior to your
enrolment are not eligible for accumulation of air miles. You will also receive statements by mail
providing the status of your travel loyalty program.
For further information about Air Canada's Aeroplan visit: https://www.aeroplan.com/en/home/index.jsp
REDEEMING TRAVEL LOYALTY BENEFITS
Employees must contact their travel loyalty programs directly (not BTI Canada Inc. or American Express Canada) to
redeem benefits. These benefits can be redeemed for personal or official business use at any time, as long as it is in
accordance with their loyalty program agreement.
Travel industry promotions are aimed at attracting business travellers, and include benefits, such as points, air
miles, vouchers, discount coupons and free trips, accommodation and car rental. Travel loyalty programs that have
authorized sponsors affiliated with the travel industry provide a number of benefits to employees such as priority
check-in, boarding and baggage handling at air terminals and other arrangements to improve their comfort and
productivity when they are travelling. They reflect the business practices of the private sector and recognize that
employees who travel often incur inconvenience and disruption to their personal lives while on government business.
To ensure transparency and program efficiency, usage of the travel loyalty programs is premised on the enhanced use
of government approved credit cards. Employees are entitled to collect and redeem benefits within travel loyalty
programs as long as there is no additional administrative travel costs or impact on operational requirements to the
government. Employees remain governed by the terms and conditions of the government's travel policies for the selection
and approval of all travel related services. Employees must arrange their travel with due consideration of the
economies, standards and selection criteria established in the government's Travel Directive for the acquisition of
travel related services regardless of the loyalty programs employees belong to.
Benefits such as points, air miles, vouchers, discount coupons and free trips which are direct benefits of a travel
loyalty program for travel services paid for or reimbursed by government are not subject to the requirements of the
Gifts, Hospitality and Other Benefits Policy. However, other types of benefits unrelated to travel loyalty programs
(e.g. a draw for a free trip at an official event) are subject to the government's Gifts, Hospitality and Other
Benefits Policy.
Benefits that have been earned in a travel loyalty program as a result of business travel transactions that are paid
or reimbursed by the government are taxable benefits when redeemed for personal needs. For further information on this
matter refer to Interpretation Bulletin IT-470R (Consolidated) - Employees' Fringe Benefits. The government will not
issue a T4or T4A slip in this regard. It is the responsibility of each employee to report the applicable taxable
benefit when completing their annual tax return.
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