At a press conference at 12p.m. today, December 22, 2021, Prime Minister Trudeau and various Cabinet Ministers reported on the country’s current COVID-19 situation.
Restaurants Canada has been working with the federal government to expand eligibility for financial support programs. In particular, we asked that the 40% threshold on current losses and for the last 12 months of the Tourism and Hospitality Recovery Program be lowered. We also asked for the Lockdown Support Program to apply when restaurant capacity is limited to percentages by the provinces, and not only when restaurants are forced to be completely closed.
Mr. Trudeau and Ms. Freeland have listened our demands, since today they confirmed that the Lockdown Support Program 40% loss bar will be lowered to 25%, and that it will only apply for the current month, and not for the past 12 months. This measure will be in place from December 19 to February 12, covering two wage and rent subsidies periods, covering salaries and rents at a one-to-one ratio, up to 75%.
Moreover, the Lockdown Support Program will now apply when capacity restrictions are 50% or more, not just when the restaurant is fully closed.
Links to the announcement backgrounders:
- Government Temporarily Expands Access to Lockdown Program and Worker Lockdown Benefit
- Le gouvernement facilite temporairement l’accès au Programme de soutien en cas de confinement et à la Prestation pour les travailleurs en cas de confinement
- Temporarily Expanding Eligibility for the Local Lockdown Program and the Canada Worker Lockdown Benefit
- Élargissement temporaire de l’admissibilité au Programme de soutien en cas de confinement local et à la Prestation pour les travailleurs en cas de confinement
Restaurants Canada welcomes this news. A significant number of our members will now be able to apply for these programs and will thus be able to get through the restrictions that have been put in place.
We continue to work closely with all levels of government in order to ensure we get through this crisis together.
Restaurants Canada Digital
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