Feds provide rent relief for businesses in national parks, national historic sites and national marine conservation areas
by CM Staff
Over 700 businesses may now be eligible for relief from the Government of Canada under similar eligibility conditions to those of the CECRA program.
GATINEAU, Que. – The Government of Canada is supporting businesses operating in Canada’s national parks, national historic sites and national marine conservation areas dealing with the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
On May 25, the Canadian Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance (CECRA) program opened for applications to provide rent relief to small businesses that had been forced to close or had lost a significant portion of their revenue due to COVID-19.
Businesses that are renters in Parks Canada places are not eligible for the CECRA program because they are on federal lands renting from a federal agency.
“We recognize the impact this pandemic is having on the many businesses that operate in Parks Canada places,” said Jonathan Wilkinson,
minister of Environment and Climate Change and minister responsible for Parks Canada, in a prepared statement. “The measures that we are taking today will assist these businesses through some of the financial hardships they have experienced due to COVID-19.”
Over 700 businesses may now be eligible for relief from the Government of Canada under similar eligibility conditions to those of the CECRA program. The Government of Canada will waive up to 75% of eligible commercial rents for the months of April, May and June 2020 or equivalent amounts of annual rents.
This relief is additional to measures announced March 27 allowing commercial operators to defer payments normally due on or after April 2, 2020 to as late as September 1, 2020.
Parks Canada will be contacting all holders of commercial leases and licences of occupation in national parks, national historic sites and national marine conservation areas to provide details on this additional relief being provided by the government.
