QUESTION PERIOD — Finance
COVID-19 Economic Response Plan
February 10, 2021
Honourable senators, if time permits, I may have three questions for the leader, but here is my first one.
There was something in the news this morning regarding Vancouver’s historic Chinatown, and it concerns me greatly. The region, including many others, has been impacted by COVID-19 and the small businesses that are there. Chinatown in Vancouver currently has a retail vacancy rate of over 17%. The federal government’s decision to ban cruise ships, which has been extended to the end of February 2022, has had a devastating impact on local business sales as well. The store closures and vandalism being faced by Chinatown is heartbreaking to witness as this has long been a vibrant cultural centre in the city for over 125 years. And, of course, there is the opioid crisis and the Downtown Eastside, which is almost neighbouring the area.
Leader, what specific action is your government taking to help owners of small businesses in Vancouver’s Chinatown weather these tough economic times, and can this community expect further measures to be taken, especially in light of the upcoming federal budget?
Senator, thank you for your question. I spent four very happy years in Vancouver, know the area well and I remember it very fondly. Everyone in this chamber and across the country is concerned about the impact the pandemic has had generally and, in particular, as you outlined, in that important area in Vancouver.
The government has done a lot to try to help small businesses through this crisis and continues to listen to businesses, to understand their needs and try to respond as best as it can.
I won’t give you the long list. All senators are aware of the rent subsidy program, the adjustments the government made in response to input from tenants, and the other measures to provide support — whether it’s support for employees so that they can stay on the payroll or, at the very least, still be able to put food on the table as businesses try to figure out how they are going to get through this period — the extension of the wage subsidy, the business credits available and the like.
None of that takes away from the anxiety that small businesses feel as the pandemic seems to be continuing with every bit as serious implications. I am confident that the government remains in close contact with its provincial counterparts and is getting the input that they’re getting from the municipalities, and I certainly will make inquiries as to what particular asks may have been made in the various networks and report back.
As a supplementary question, it is a very historic part of our province, so I’m curious about Heritage Canada and, with the upcoming federal budget, whether certain considerations are made for very important regions in our country.
Senator Gold, is your government currently monitoring the uptake of federal support programs by ethnocultural communities, like Vancouver’s Chinatown, or by region? What kind of outreach is your government doing to ensure these business owners are aware of and can apply for federal programs available to them, especially in consideration of language barriers that may exist?
Thank you, senator. These are very important questions. I don’t have the specific answers. I’ll make inquiries and be happy to report back.
