The Coalition of Hardest Hit Businesses is praising the new targeted support measures for businesses that are still facing significant pandemic-related challenges, including the Tourism and Hospitality Recovery Program and the Hardest-Hit Business Recovery Program, that were announced by the Trudeau government earlier today. Hardest Hit also applauds the announcement on the new international vaccine passport. These new initiatives will help support the hard-hit sector through the winter period, prioritizing job creation and a strong recovery of the travel economy.

The tourism, hotel, and events sectors are unique:

• Most global tourists visit Canada only in the summer. This international summer season was missed due to border restrictions
• Hardest Hit has entered the off-season where domestic travel slows and Canadians travel south
• Mass gathering restrictions mean that large events – festivals, conferences, live music – are prevented from operating
• Key messages from government that “now is not the time to travel” are still in effect
• Work from home has resulted in limited business travel

Without continued support, many tourism, hotel and event businesses would have closed permanently, making temporary job losses permanent. This would have had a significant negative impact not only on the tourism industry, but Canada’s broader economic recovery overall. This announcement gives our industry hope as Hardest Hot works hard to achieve full recovery from the effects of the pandemic.