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Federal Supports Update

Dear Neighbour,

It’s National AcessAbility Week! This week gives us all an opportunity to take action to build an inclusive and accessible Canada. We celebrate the valuable contributions of Canadians with disabilities, and recognize the efforts of individuals, communities and workplaces that are actively removing barriers to accessibility and inclusion.  

This email includes updates on:  

• Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance (CECRA)
• New Support to Help Communities Create Jobs and Restart the Economy 
• Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS) Consultation 
• Canada Summer Jobs 
• Enhancing the Youth Employment and Skills Program to help create new positions for youth in the agriculture sector
• Additional Funding for Health, Economic, and Social Support for Indigenous Peoples and Communities 
• Parks Canada Partial Reopening on June 1^st 
• Plan to Mobilize Industry to Fight COVID-19

Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance (CECRA)

Our government introduced the Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance to provide forgivable loans to commercial property owners who in turn lower the rent for their tenants by 75% to help small businesses worried about being able to pay rent. As of May 25, applications will be accepted through the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC). All eligible property owners are encouraged to do their part and take advantage of the program. 

The Government of British Columbia has introduced additional measures to protect our small businesses. As of June 1, eligible businesses whose property owners decide not to participate in the CECRA program will be protected from evictions as a result of unpaid rent payments until the end of June 2020. 

New Support to Help Communities Create Jobs and Restart the Economy

Our government announced immediate action to support small towns and big cities across Canada to restart the economy and create good, well-paying jobs. 

Our Prime Minister announced that the funding delivered annually through the federal Gas Tax will be accelerated this year in order to ensure communities get the help they need quickly while continuing to adhere to public health requirements. 

$2.2 billion in annual infrastructure funding for communities will be received in a single payment in June. This expedited delivery of the full funding for 2020-21 will assist communities in going forward with infrastructure projects to improve our quality of life and help restart our local economies.

Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS) Consultation 

Our government has launched a consultation process to seek information and feedback from businesses of all sizes in different sector, labour representatives, not-for-profits, and charities on how the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy program can be adapted to better support their needs. 

All modifications made to the program work to ensure the CEWS program reflects the evolving needs to businesses and work to better position them for post-crisis economic recovery. 

To participate in this conversation, you can: 

1. Share your experience by taking a short survey 
2. Provide in-depth feedback to [email protected] and answer the following guiding questions: 

• Are there specific challenges associated with the CEWS program? For example, are there challenges with respect to its accessibility, its incentive impacts, or any other aspect? 
• What adjustments to the CEWS would you propose to provide the right level of support to those most affected by the pandemic while supporting the economic recovery? 
• Would adding complexity to the CEWS program be acceptable in order to expand access to this support, or better support those who need it? 
• To what extent are employers using the CEWS to provide support to furloughed employees as compared to using it as a means to pay active employees? Do employers value maintaining ties with furloughed employees by keeping them on the payroll? Should the level of support for furloughed employees be the same as for active employees?
• What are the key barriers to rehiring workers recently laid off due to the pandemic?
• Are there specific factors that are preventing or discouraging employers from applying for the CEWS?
• If you are a seasonal business, are there any unique challenges you are facing in relation to the CEWS?

The consultation will be open until June 5, 2020

Canada Summer Jobs- Job Bank

The Job Bank for Canada Summer Jobs now has over 45,000 jobs available for Canadian youth from 15-30 years old. Be sure to start your search today!  

Additional Funding for Health, Economic, and Social Support for Indigenous Peoples and Communities 

Our government is working with Indigenous peoples and communities in support of their public health response, with flexibility to answer their varied needs with community-led solutions and identifying areas to provide long-term support. 

Last Friday our Prime Minister announced new funding to provide needed support to Indigenous families and community during the COVID-19 outbreak based on identified necessities. 

This funding includes: 

• Invest $285.1 million to support the continuous public health response to COVID-19 in Indigenous communities to fund community-led responses to the pandemic and provide targeted increases in primary care resources in First Nation communities. 
• Provide $270 million to supplement the On-Reserve Income Assistance Program to assist with its increased demand on the program, support individuals and families with essential living costs and help with hiring extra staff to better support First Nations communities and connect individuals to other government programs
• Constructing 12 new shelters protect and support women and girls experiencing and fleeing violence. Our government will also provide $40.8 million to support operational costs for these new shelters over the first five years, and $10.2 million annually ongoing. We are also providing $1 million per year ongoing to support engagement with Métis leaders and service providers on shelter provision and community-led violence prevention projects for Métis women, girls and LGBTQ and two-spirit people.

Parks Canada Partial Reopening on June 1^st 

Starting on June 1^st Parks Canada will be incrementally resuming operations at 29 of our 48 national parks. This will include, in most cases, access to day use areas, trails, beaches, green spaces, and some access for recreational boating and fishing while camping will remain suspended for the time being. 

This BC parks included in the gradual reopening are: 

• Yoho National Park
• Kootenay National Park 
• Mount Revelstoke National Park 
• Glacier National Park
• Gulf Islands National Park Reserve 
• Pacific Rim National Park Reserve

For more information and to plan and prepare for your visit, check the Parks Canada website for up-to-date information

Enhancing the Youth Employment and Skills Program to help create new positions for youth in the agriculture sector

Last week, Minister Bibeau (Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food) announced $9.2 million to enhance the Youth Employment and Skills Program (YESP) to fund up to 700 new positions for youth in the agriculture sector. 

This additional funding will assist the agriculture sector to attract Canadian youth from 15 to 30 years old with an objective to provide youth with job experience in agriculture that will provide career-related work experience. 

The YESP will provide agriculture employers up to 50% of the cost of hiring a Canadian youth up to $14,000. Indigenous applicants and those applicants hiring a youth facing barriers are eligible for funding of up to 80% of hiring costs. 

Eligible applicants include: producers, agri-businesses, industry associations, provincial and territorial governments, Indigenous organizations and research centers. 

Employers can apply for funding starting May 26 (retroactive to April 1, 2020) with activities to be completed by March 31, 2021. Applications will function on a first-come, first-served basis so be sure to apply quickly. 

Update: Plan to Mobilize Industry to Fight COVID-19

Our government has been working hard to acquire supplies and equipment to help protect the health and safety of Canadians and our front-line healthcare workers. 

Across Canada businesses have stepped up to support the fight against COVID-19 by shifting their activities to support the manufacturing of Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) and medical supplies, ranging from ventilators, to hand sanitizer to face shields and masks. 

As of last week, our government has received almost 300,000 gowns from domestic grown manufacturers, over 3.7 million made-in-Canada face shields and more than 5 million litres of Canadian-made hand sanitizer and more as other Canadian companies retool to support us all during these unprecedented circumstances.

We are also focused on ensuring that everyone has the most up-to-date information and that it is accessible. For daily updates, follow me on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, or visit my website.

Yours sincerely,

Ron McKinnon

Member of Parliament for Coquitlam - Port Coquitlam