QUESTION PERIOD — Finance
Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance
September 30, 2020
Honourable senators, my question is for the Government Representative in the Senate.
It is so nice to see Senator Gold and all our colleagues here today in person.
As you know, the Canada Emergency Commercial Rental Assistance program is set to expire tomorrow, six months after its implementation and after being extended twice over the summer. While the program has been criticized by many, it still has been used by thousands of commercial landlords to help alleviate the financial burden of their tenants. The number I have is 106,000 small businesses have been supported, which represents nearly one million Canadian jobs. Although it was not perfect, it was a good program. It had its flaws.
Reports have shown that approximately one third of the funds set aside have been used. As of September 8, $1.32 billion in rent support was distributed.
Your counterpart in the other place, Minister Rodriguez, recently indicated that another emergency bill to extend rent relief for businesses will be coming soon.
October 1 is tomorrow. For many, rent is due. The government needs to provide a clear indication of what it plans to propose. It has been six months, and the pandemic has been stressful for everyone. Businesses need to be reassured that the government will support them with concrete measures.
Can you tell us if, how and when it will be extended, revamped or simply eliminated, and in which way will it be more efficient and effective than the initial program, that hasn’t had all the wanted benefits for our commercial tenants and all in need? Thank you.
Thank you, senator, for your question. It is an important and timely one. Thank you for acknowledging that, notwithstanding some of its difficulties, it was a program that helped many small businesses get through and manage and survive a difficult time. I won’t bore you with anecdotes, but in my circle I have a number of friends and associates who survived exclusively because of this program and are grateful for that.
The government is aware, and has been for a while, of recommendations to improve support for small business. I’m advised that the government is going to move forward with additional support for small businesses. I’m not in a position today to announce details or specific timelines, but I am advised that announcements will soon be forthcoming to provide additional and necessary support for businesses that are still struggling in this regard, and that includes support with regard to rent.
