BRITISH COLUMBIA – The BC Hotel Association is pleased to see Bill C-2, An Act to provide further support in response to COVID-19 introduced in the House of Commons, that will be a lifeline to tourism and hospitality operators across British Columbia and Canada. This is the first Bill introduced to support the new Liberal Government’s commitments to save businesses and jobs that are critical to Canada’s economy.
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought significant devastation to the entire tourism and hospitality sector, resulting in catastrophic losses due to restrictions such as border closures, travel bans, heightened health protocols, and the temporary erasure of the events and international tourism markets.
“These past 20 months have been incredibly taxing on our provincial accommodation community and we have heard from business owners time and again that Federal support programs have been the single greatest resource to keep doors open and workers employed,” said Ingrid Jarrett, President and CEO of the BC Hotel Association. “Without this legislation, businesses would close, our economy would take a tremendous hit, and we would see a devastating impact on each and every community in our province. We are so grateful that this Bill recognizes our industry, our employees, and that our voice has been heard.”
This legislation was made possible because of the incredible efforts of the Hardest Hit Coalition along with the engagement of the federal Cabinet and the broad-base support among all Members of Parliament in the House of Commons.
“While we celebrate this recognition, there is still considerable work to be done as our industry’s immediate focus is getting the legislation passed before the holiday season,” said Jarrett. “We are working hard to engage with MPs, urging them to pass this Bill as quickly
