Dear Hospitality Community,
It has been another week of community engagement, media interviews, new government announcements and significant work with our industry working groups on the best practices and protocols. Thank you all for participating and working on behalf of your industry, I know many of you spent your time over the long weekend on this important work.
The focus now is how do we as business owners, operators, and employers, work towards ensuring a safe and healthy environment. I know the best practices will help you in your training, planning, and reopening plans. They will also help our industry recover and move forward once the state of emergency is lifted, and we are given the green light to once again travel for pleasure in beautiful British Columbia.
Best Regards,
Ingrid Jarrett
President & CEO
BC Hotel Association
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Canada Emergency Business Account (CEBA) - Expanded Eligibility Criteria
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Yesterday, Prime Minister Trudeau announced that the Canada Emergency Business Account (CEBA) will have expanded eligibility criteria to cover hoteliers that are sole operators, that rely on contractors, or are a family-owned business that pays employees through dividends. For full article click
here.
HAC and BCHA continue to press the government to expand its qualifying criteria so that all hoteliers, regardless of structure, can qualify for support measures. This win is a result of HAC’s ongoing advocacy to expand liquidity options for our sector.
To qualify for CEBA under the expanded eligibility criteria, applicants with payroll lower than $20,000 would need:
- a business operating account at a participating financial institution
- a Canada Revenue Agency business number, and to have filed a 2018 or 2019 tax return.
- eligible non-deferrable expenses between $40,000 and $1.5 million. Eligible non-deferrable expenses could include costs such as rent, property taxes, utilities, and insurance.
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Hotel Owner Survey for Federal Support Advocacy
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As part of the ongoing lobbying efforts, HAC is trying to track the effectiveness and shortcomings of the Government’s new Business Credit Availability Program (BCAP), and the current and intended use of the extended wage subsidy program.
Our collective goal is to secure further adjustments to the BCAP program to facilitate greater access and better terms, and to build a case for another expansion of the wage subsidy beyond August 2020.
It is incredibly important that they capture solid, statistical data in order to further our work and build the case.
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COVID-19: Interaction of CERB and CEWS
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Dear Members,
We have been fielding a number of member inquiries concerning the interaction between the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) and the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS), and whether both can be used.
The answer is YES.
Hoteliers are able to use both CERB and CEWS
as long as employees do not make more than $1000 in wages per month.
It will be
the responsibility of the employee
to ensure that they report to the Canada Revenue Agency if they receive more than $1000 in wages per month and as a result, employees will need to repay any CERB amounts paid during the ineligibility period.
Sincerely,
Susie Grynol
President & CEO
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BCHA Congratulates Royce Chwin on his appointment as the new
President and CEO of Tourism Vancouver
Chwin’s impressive experience in senior roles at both federal and provincial tourism organizations combined with his keen business acumen from leading teams in the private sector made him the top choice for the job. BCHA is looking forward to partnering and working along side with him.
Please click
here
to view announcement.
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On May 13, a team of lawyers from the law firm
Fasken
presented a webinar entitled “Return to Work: Employment Law & COVID-19.” It provided information and guidance on how to respond to the significant changes employers are facing due to COVID-19 and how to plan for the post-pandemic landscape. It touched on employment law, human rights, immigration, workplace health and safety, privacy and government aid programs. This webinar is based on BC Labour Standards.
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WorkSafeBC Health & Safety Guidelines Webinar
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Friday, May 22 at 1:00 p.m. (60 minutes)
In advance of WorkSafeBC’s development of health and safety guidelines specific to tourism (expected in June), Chris Back, Director of OHS Consultation & Education Services, will provide an overview of what employers and employees should consider as you develop your plans for re-opening and a return to work.
This webinar will also touch on what future visitors will expect and need from a health and safety perspective. WorkSafeBC’s Consultation & Education Services assists the workers and employers of British Columbia by positively influencing health and safety behaviours and disability management practices through partnerships, consultation and outreach. Please click
here
to register.
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Reminder: STR Webinar -
Don't forget to sign up!
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Using STR Data in Times of Crisis and Recovery
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The Early Edition with Stephen Quinn | Live Radio | CBC...
The Early Edition is Vancouver's connection to the latest breaking local news, interviews that cut through the spin, and community stories and personalities that surprise and delight.
Read more
www.cbc.ca
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