COVID-19

The Issue

The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) continues to affect business and citizens on a massive scale. Sustained action by the federal and provincial governments is required to ensure businesses can survive through this global pandemic.

Please refer to COVID-19: Resources for Business for up-to-date information.

Our Position

While there were many helpful support programs at the federal and provincial levels since the start of the pandemic in the spring of 2020, COVID-19 is still ongoing and thus the need for support persists.

Recommendations

The SCC recommends that the government take action in the following areas to help offset business challenges and ensure COVID-19 is behind us all:

  • Continue to Support Business, Workers & Self-Employed
    • Review and continue support programs on an as needed basis.
    • This includes reducing interest costs on existing program supports, such as loans to business, to allow those same businesses to direct their resources to growth.
    • Extend tax or bill payment deadlines for business.
    • Federal Supports: https://www.canada.ca/en/department-finance/economic-response-plan.html
  • Ensure COVID-19 is Behind Us
    • Continue to focus on and support the medical care, rapid testing, and especially the full and easy vaccine access required to take us forward in a post-COVID world.
  • Prepare for the Future
    • Create a pan-Canadian working group of business, governments, and medical experts to review actions taken, programs delivered and outcomes during the pandemic so that a report can be compiled, and action plans implemented to better prepare Canada for the future.

In 2020, the SCC compiled a detailed document of the federal and provincial governments’ actions to date. It can be viewed here.

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