posted on August 12, 2020
August 11-12, 2020
Dear Tourism Stakeholders,
The TIAC Team is pleased to provide you with this update on the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, including the steps government is taking to address the situation. We are working hard to make sure the industry’s voice is heard by government, and that you have the information you need to keep your business going in these uncertain times.
Please find the latest updates on official announcements and a recap of TIAC’s advocacy work on behalf of Canada’s Visitor Economy:
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TIAC’s Advocacy Update
- Yesterday, TIAC’s Vice-President, Stakeholder Relations and Business Development participated in a regular call with ISED’s tourism department on COVID-19. TIAC continues to use these meetings as an opportunity to inform the government on the continued struggles of the tourism sector, and encourage further support for immediate liquidity access to get businesses through the crisis.
- Yesterday, the government of Canada officially launched a calculator to help Canadian businesses using the CEWS program to better assess their upcoming eligibility as changes to payments come into effect. While TIAC continues to advocate for better CEWS eligibility terms for the sector, we encourage businesses to access these tools to help plan for upcoming pay and staffing periods.
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Government Announcements
- On Monday, the government of Saskatchewan announced the launch of a $35M program to aid the tourism sector in the province. Under the Saskatchewan Tourism Sector Support Program, businesses can receive up to $50k. TIAC’s members can apply under 2 streams, the first being “Accommodations and Major Event Facilities Funding” and the second “Event, Attractions or Tour Sector Business Funding”. – LINK
- Over the weekend, the federal government released funding for Indigenous businesses across Canada on the International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples. These funds support projects in Indigenous communities across the country, including tourism initiatives. These funds will be released through Regional Development Agencies to organizations outlined in each province.
- Please visit your respective RDA’s website for more details.
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In Case You Missed It …
- On Monday TIAC’s President & CEO appeared before the federal Standing Committee on Industry, Science and Technology (INDU) to discuss with Members of Parliament the crucial need for liquidity support for the industry in the face of COVID-19.
- TIAC’s team has been hard at work to plan our virtual Tourism Congress in November and will cover a variety of topics including more information on COVID-19 recovery and industry advocacy. Find out more here.
- Meetings Mean Business Canada and TIAC still need you to send letters to your MPs to support our COVID-19 advocacy initiatives! Please click on the following links to send a letter of support:
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Looking Ahead – COVID-19 Recovery
Several provinces have begun announcing plans for reopening economies. Timelines and actions vary, but can provide businesses and workers with information on what to expect in the upcoming weeks and months. TIAC is following up on measures announced by British Columbia to limit gatherings of more than 50 people and seeking a coordinated approach between provinces in the recovery phase. We have reached out to our provincial counterparts to work together in an effort to create an orderly recovery strategy that will address health concerns and support tourism businesses. TIAC will continue to add links to provincial recovery plans as they become available:
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