Thursday morning, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland spoke to the media in Ottawa on pandemic topics critical to Canada’s travel industry.
Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland acknowledged what’s been top of mind for many in Canada’s travel trade: current federal government support programs end 23OCT.
She announced that several streams of support programs will continue or replace current supports, and Freeland advised Canadians that Ottawa was moving from broad support of the population as a whole - to much more targeted supports for Canadians and Canadian companies that continue to struggle with recovery.
The new stream of supports will run until 07MAY 2022, although support amounts will be reduced beginning in MAR, Freeland says, “as we prepare for a full recovery and an end” to all subsidies.
The Deputy Prime Minister promised full details would be provided in a press release, but as of Open Jaw publishing, those details had not yet been released; this story will be updated with more information as it becomes available. Here's what we know now:
Subsidy program for tourism industry will include travel agencies
Freeland confirmed that extended subsidies will include travel agencies as well as hotels and the hospitality industry.
“Hardest Hit” recovery program extended
For employers who can show deep losses, under this program, the subsidy rate starts at 10 per cent with a 50 per cent revenue loss, going up to a 50 per cent subsidy for 75 per cent revenue loss.
While the program runs from 24OCT to 07MAY, Freeland advised that after 13MAR, only half of the original support amounts will be paid.
New: lockdown support program
If the pandemic flares up and requires local lockdowns anywhere in the country, that would trigger wage and rent subsidies for the localized, lockdown area for the duration of the local lockdown.
Canada Hiring Recovery Benefit
In addition, Freeland pointed out that Ottawa is also extending the Canada Hiring Recovery Benefit, to support job creation and to give workers on the payroll now who may not be working full hours a boost to fuller income.
