If\u00a0Canadian PM Justin Trudeau can’t get his agenda passed in parliament, his government could fall.<\/p>\n
The Canadian federal government unveiled details of its legislative agenda for fresh support for businesses hit by the coronavirus in the\u00a0<\/span>Speech from the Throne presented by Canada\u2019s Governor General Julie Payette<\/span><\/a>\u00a0on Wednesday, September 23rd<\/a>\u00a0before the 43rd<\/sup>\u00a0Parliament. This was the second time Payette delivers the throne speech.\u00a0<\/span>The measures announced are focused on supporting small businesses, described as \u201cthe lifeblood of communities and the backbone of the economy\u201d and which have been devastated by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.\u00a0<\/span>Specifically, the government pledged to extend the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy through next summer, expand the Canada Emergency Business Account to assist businesses with fixed costs, and improve the Business Credit Availability Program.\u00a0<\/span>The government also said it \u201cwill work to target additional financial support directly to businesses which have to temporarily shut down as a result of a local public health decision.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Dan Kelly, president of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB), said in a statement that the extension and expansion of CEWS and CEBA were \u201cboth very positive measures.\u201d\u00a0<\/span>Nevertheless, the CFIB was hoping for specific supports to address rent relief, one of the most significant fixed costs that small businesses have had to face during the pandemic.<\/span><\/p>\n The government\u2019s Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance (CECRA) program, which has been extended through September, has been widely criticized for its strict criteria. According to a CFIB survey, just 15% of small businesses used the program, and only 20% of those who did found it either very or somewhat helpful.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re hoping that the Canada Emergency Business Account extension will be another way of getting at the rent relief issue since it is meant to cover fixed costs,\u201d Corinne Pohlmann, CFIB\u2019s vice president of national affairs, told CBC.\u00a0<\/span>Pohlmann added that the direct financial support for businesses that have to shut down temporarily\u2014one of the new initiatives unveiled by the government\u2014will be important for small businesses, particularly in the event of a second wave of the pandemic.\u00a0<\/span>\u201cOnly about 30% of businesses right now are back at normal revenues,\u201d she said. \u201cIf you\u2019re still struggling, and you\u2019re hit with the second shutdown, that could be the death of your business.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n The government also announced financial support for industries that have been hit particularly hard by the pandemic, such as the travel, tourism, hospitality, and cultural industries.<\/span><\/p>\n