Good Afternoon All,
I want to start by thanking Councillor Paula Fletcher and MPP Peter Tabuns for all of their work and assistance in getting our Toronto business/landlord survey results out to the media and their government colleagues this week. I want to thank all of our BIA members for emailing the survey results out to our government representatives. As a BIA we can push these messages but additional help is so needed in order to move those messages to the people who can actually make a change.
In this morning's briefing by the Prime Minister he said, and I quote " Everyone who needs help will get it". He stated that he knew that the current programs have gaps and that he continues to work with MPs, provinces and stakeholders to fill the gaps and fix what is missing.
Julie, Peter, Paula:
- On Tuesday, April 14 the PM announced that he would be working with the Premiers on creating an Emergency Rent Relief program for Small Businesses to help them cover their April, May and June rents.
- On Thursday, April 16 the PM made a slight reference to this program saying that he was having a conference call that night with all of the Premiers to discuss many issues.
- Today is Thursday, April 23 - so a full week since last Thursday - and there hasn't been any mention about this program at all by either the PM or our Ontario Premier.
- May 1st is now 8 days away and small businesses and landlords will be faced with the crisis of rent being due. This is a huge gap in the current programs. This gap has not been fixed. This is a section of the country's economy that NEEDS HELP NOW - a rent bailout is needed, not loans and deferrals. Yesterday we released survey results from businesses and landlords in Toronto that back up this plea for help; and, we know that the Toronto example is not any different for small businesses and landlords across the entire country.
So my question today is when is this help coming? Has the PM just forgotten that he put this forward? Can he and the Premiers be reminded that this was put forward and hasn't been dealt with? Can our opposition leaders, both Federal and Provincial, remind their colleagues that this hasn't been dealt with? Can our Mayor remind the Premier that this hasn't been dealt with?
"Everyone who needs help will get it" It's time to make this statement a reality for small businesses and landlords - there's 8 days to accomplish this.
Thanks,
Susan