COVID-19 Updates > Tourism Advocacy Update – May 26, 2020
Publié le 26 mai 2020
May 26, 2020
Dear Tourism Stakeholders,
The TIAC Team continues to monitor and provide daily updates 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 Tourism Sector:
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TIAC’s Advocacy Update
- TIAC hosted and participated in our first Tourism Town Hall of Tourism Week with more than 200 tourism businesses across Manitoba. This engaging session highlighted the efforts of a number of tourism associations working with the federal and provincial governments to get support for tourism businesses. We would like to thank our panelists, our local partner Travel Manitoba, our sponsors and industry participants for their time and engaging questions during this first virtual town hall session!
- A recording of today’s session can be found here
- Our next virtual Tourism Town Hall is tomorrow in Ontario from 1:00-3:00 pm EST. You can register here
- TIAC’s President and CEO participated in a regular call with ISED ADM Paul Thompson, where they discussed Tourism Week, current state of support programs and TIAC’s forthcoming recommendations to aide in sector recovery phase.
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Government Announcements
- Today, the Prime Minister announced that the Government of Canada is extending the deployment of Canada’s Armed Forces in Ontario and Quebec due to a request from the two provinces
- The Prime Minister announced that funding will be made available to create 700 new youth jobs in the agriculture industry to help support farmers as they work to provide food amidst the increased demand from Canadians during the pandemic.
- The Prime Minister also announced new contracts with General Motors to produce 10 million face masks, and with other organizations to develop new and improved testing kits and an additional 10,000 ventilators. This is in addition to the 40 planes of PPE equipment that has arrived in Canada over the last 10 weeks.
- Finally, the Prime Minister announced he will be convening a meeting with UN officials and other dignitaries from Jamaica and countries around the world to discuss shared strategies to support the global economy and the importance of global cooperation during the pandemic
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In Case You Missed It …
- It’s Tourism Week! Find messaging, social media materials and more at www.tourismmatters.ca
- The latest edition of Twenty31’s industry dashboard is now available on the TIAC website
- This project is made possible through Canadian Experience Fund funding
- The Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance (CECRA) program portal has opened for applications. As part of this program, property owners will reduce rent by at least 75% for the months of April, May and June (retroactively). CECRA will cover 50% of the rent, with tenants paying up to 25%. As always, we ask industry stakeholders to share their experiences in accessing this and other programs to enable us to better advocate on your behalf.
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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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TIAC Members: Making a difference
Thank you to the many TIAC Members who are helping during this difficult time. From those offering support like temporary housing for essential service providers, to others who brought home stranded Canadians from around the world. You are making a difference.
Today, we are recognizing Amy from Moonstone Creation in Calgary, Alberta. Amy is a Cree First Nations artist who runs a Native Gallery and Gift Shop and is an active member of the indigenous tourism sector. Amy is helping businesses in her neighbourhood by creating non-medical masks. Amy co-owns her small business with her mother, who is also the onsite artisan. The shop is currently open for curbside pick-ups.
Thank you to Kim Gray from Toque and Canoe for nominating Amy and sharing this story!
Do you have a story to share about how tourism businesses are supporting communities during these challenging times? We want to hear from you whether you’re a TIAC member or not. We need to celebrate our industry and recognize your generosity during these trying times. Please share your stories with us at communications@tiac-aitc.ca.
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