Parliament has passed Bill C-2, the Tourism and Hospitality Recovery Program, which will provide up to to 75% wage and rent support for hard-hit businesses.
The Senate gave quick approval to the bill yesterday, following an urgent request from Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland. She promised that benefits will flow quickly to companies and workers in need. With Parliament recessing until the end of January, there were fears the legislation wouldn't be approved in time.
The bill enables targeted aid to businesses that are ordered closed and to workers sent home, as part of a local lockdown, as well as wage and rent subsidies to those still recovering from previous pandemic restrictions.
Bill C-2 deems a lockdown to be when a health authority orders non-essential businesses closed and non-essential workers to stay home. Freeland said there may be some regions of the country that currently apply.
Freeland told senators the government created the measures in case there was another wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, and argued that the rapidly spreading Omicron variant makes support more important than ever.
The Finance Minister specify when benefits start to flow, but said the government plans to use existing systems for applications and payments in order to quickly distribute aid.
Independent travel agents, who make up an estimated 40-50% of the sector, will not receive aid through the new legislation. Agency organizations ACTA and ACITA are continuing to lobby for financial support for these workers.
in a statement to TravelPulse Canada, ACTA President Wendy Paradis said:
"ACTA is extremely thankful that Parliament has finally passed Bill C-2, which includes the Tourism and Hospitality Program financial support programs. The program will provide critically needed wage and rent subsidies to hard-hit travel agencies through to May 2022."
She added: "As governments respond to the Omicron variant of concern with new travel restrictions and advisories, this support becomes increasingly important to sustain businesses throughout the winter."
ACTA now calls on the Ministry of Finance and the Canada Revenue Agency to deliver this critical program without delay. "Travel agencies have been without support since October and still have little to no revenue. The new restrictions and fear about the Omicron variant have jeopardized any hope of recovery this winter."
Unfortunately, most independent travel agents are not eligible for support under the Tourism and Hospitality Recovery Program.
"These entrepreneurs have also been devastated by the pandemic and the government must take action," said Paradis.
"We understand from our meetings with government that delivering sector specific financial support to independent workers is challenging, however the government must work with industry to find a way to navigate through these challenges," she said. "ACTA will continue to advocate for a new program that supports travel agency furloughed employees, sole proprietors and independent contractors."
ACTA says a major thank you to all of the travel agency owners, employees and independent travel agents for their incredible outreach to MPs across Canada.
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