Policy on Contributions from Tour Operators   Policy on Contributions from Tour Operators   Saint Joseph's Oratory of Mount Royal is a site of exceptional patrimonial, religious and touristic importance. Visited by over two million persons every year, it affords one of the most striking vistas of Montreal available. Its maintenance and improvement require significant investments on the part of the Congregation of Holy Cross, the owner and operator of this national historic monument. Known world-wide for its founding mission of hospitality to pilgrims, the Oratory must offer services and infrastructure suitable for the reception of guests. Maintaining a site with such intense tourist traffic entails constant fund-raising efforts. Pilgrims and unescorted visitors already provide some financial support in their contributions for parking and in donations made during the visit. It has been proposed by the Management Committee and adopted by the Council of the Administration on October 31, 2007 that:   Saint Joseph's Oratory of Mount Royal  requests financial support from tour operators who conduct organized groups of visitors to the site, so that these collateral enterprises may contribute to the Oratory's financial well-being.   This new policy is being distributed to tour operators and key participants in the tourism industry during November 2007, looking toward its implementation on January 1, 2008. Administrators of Visitor and Pilgrim Services at Saint Joseph's Oratory will be responsible for negotiating and concluding agreements with tour operators. For the year 2008, the amount of $1.00 is requested for each visitor transported by a tour operator. This contribution will increase to $3.00 beginning January 1, 2009. Beginning January 1, 2008, tour operators who stop on Oratory property for the purpose of taking photographs (but not for a visit of Saint Joseph’s Oratory) are asked to contribute $0.50 per person.     Father Claude Grou, CSC Rector