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Plummeting revenues and forced closures meant

that business owners quickly needed help covering

their employees’ wages and fixed costs like rent.
CFIB was an early advocate of a 75 to 90 per

cent wage subsidy. When the federal government
announced its initial 10 per cent subsidy, we pushed

back hard, in meetings with government officials

and through thousands of media appearances, and
we were successful in raising it to 75 per cent.

While the government’s latest round of changes to

the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy extended

the program to the end of the year, CFIB is also
fighting to ensure the many family businesses that

pay themselves through dividends and who are not

currently eligible for wage support are covered.

Cash flow for fixed costs like rent or utilities was program was a good initial step, the program’s

another emergent issue for small business owners. flawed and unfair design has left many businesses
CFIB worked closely with government to ensure in need of relief unable to access it because their

the Canada Emergency Business Account loan landlord doesn’t wish to apply on their behalf
program was accessible to as many businesses as or because they don’t qualify. CFIB is pushing

possible, and has succeeded in expanding access government to give the relief directly to commercial

to those with no payroll, but who can demonstrate tenants.
non-deferrable expenses exceeding $40,000,

and recently businesses with personal banking The fight continues: Many firms have been helped
accounts. Despite this, new firms, and those with by these federal support programs, but changes

less than $40,000 in non-deferrable expenses are are still needed to help small firms recover and

still left out of getting the help they need, and CFIB ensure more businesses are able to survive the
continues to advocate for their inclusion. COVID-19 crisis. That’s why CFIB launched a

new online petition to push government to make

Another issue that small businesses continue to these important changes to its relief measures. All
face is access to meaningful rent relief. While the business owners can join the fight for better COVID-

federal government’s commercial rent assistance 19 relief at cfib.ca/covidpetition and tell policy

68 SEP 2020 | BUSINESS ELITE CANADA