Canadian COVID-19 Update | Friday, April 3

April 3, 2020

TIAC’s Work

• TIAC has continued to collect feedback from the industry on the impact of COVID 19 and recent government relief measures to address the crisis.  We continue to share this information with government officials. Your feedback is invaluable to us and we encourage members to continue to provide this information. Today TIAC, Restaurants Canada and the Hotels Association of Canada reached out again to government officials thanking government for speed and innovation in putting new measures into place to address the impact of COVID-19. The coalition also reinforced the fact that our industry is facing an immediate liquidity crisis that requires urgent measures to ensure that businesses can access support to stay afloat during this crisis and until the situation becomes more stable. TIAC also continues to seek additional clarification concerning the newly-announced wage subsidy as some of the criteria suggests it may not be available to some members.  We understand that more information is forthcoming in the next few days. Please bear with us as we continue to work through this and communicate your concerns to decision-makers.

Government Announcements

• Today, the government announced new supports for food banks and local food organizations to help provide food to people and communities most vulnerable during this difficult time. The government announced $100 million to improve access to food, including indigenous and northern communities. 
• Distribution of critical equipment to provinces and territories continues to be crucial. The government has been working closely with industries to make sure Canadian workers have the supplies they need, and has reached an agreement with Amazon Canada to manage the distribution of this equipment to provinces and territories. 
• The Prime Minister confirmed that Canadian armed forces have been sent to Northern Quebec, in order to help isolated and remote communities. Rangers are instructed to provide assistance with tasks such as setting up tents and medical infrastructure.
• The Prime Minister also reiterated his message to Canadians to stay home, and reminded Canadians that the Emergency Measures Act can be enacted and mandate Canadians to stay home, while at this time, enforcement measures are being left with the provinces. 
• The government is working with major banks to deliver benefits through direct deposit – it is recommended that Canadians visit their bank websites for instructions on how to enroll for direct deposit. In addition to the CERB. 
• Yesterday, Canada’s first Minsters discussed data sharing and projections. Many more people are being tested across the country, and provinces and territories are consistently updating their information and working towards verifying the latest figures to put online. Visit Canada.ca/coronavirus for more information. 

The government also continues to work with the United States to ensure trade continues to flow for essential products and services, including personal protective equipment.