This bill is from the 43rd Parliament, 2nd session, which ended in August 2021.
Chrystia Freeland Liberal
This bill has received Royal Assent and is now law.
This is from the published bill. The Library of Parliament has also written a full legislative summary of the bill.
This enactment amends the Income Tax Act to revise the eligibility criteria, as well as the level of subsidization, under the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS) as part of the response to the coronavirus disease 2019. It also extends the CEWS to June 30, 2021. The enactment further amends the Income Tax Act to introduce the Canada Emergency Rent Subsidy (CERS) in order to support those hardest hit by the coronavirus disease 2019. This subsidy provides relief in respect of rent and interest on debt obligations incurred to acquire real property used by businesses, charities and not-for-profit organizations in the course of their businesses or other activities. The rent subsidy is effective as of September 27, 2020.
All sorts of information on this bill is available at LEGISinfo, an excellent resource from the Library of Parliament. You can also read the full text of the bill.
Bill numbers are reused for different bills each new session. Perhaps you were looking for one of these other C-9s:
Sébastien Lemire Bloc Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC
Madam Chair, Quebec has already taken steps to help certain Quebec companies and SMEs pay their fixed costs. In Canada, these consist solely of mortgage interest, property taxes and insurance. Quebec has added telecommunications expenses, permits, gas and electricity bills, and association fees.
Why is Canada not providing assistance that is this effective, generous and accessible to corporate tenants?
Mary Ng Liberal Markham—Thornhill, ON
Madam Chair, I am thrilled to have met with a number of female business owners in Quebec who have been able to take advantage of the emergency supports that we have had. The CEBA loan, which is a small-business loan, helps give businesses that additional flexibility and working capital to help bridge through expenses like the ones the member just talked about.
Sébastien Lemire Bloc Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC
Madam Chair, I would really appreciate it if my colleague would listen and answer the question. We see that in this version of Bill C-9, the federal assistance will end in June 2021.
Will there be a transitional measure for companies and organizations that operate in certain sectors where business is seasonal?
Mary Ng Liberal Markham—Thornhill, ON
Madam Chair, it is really important that we provide support to all Canadian small and medium-sized businesses, and that is what tonight's legislation is about. We committed to helping them with payroll costs, with fixed costs like rent, and with that important lending support so that they could get by and manage their businesses during this time.
Sébastien Lemire Bloc Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC
Madam Chair, I did not hear the answer to the previous question because the interpretation was not working.
I will continue with another question.
If some organizations want to start operating again in the next high season and want to prepare well in advance of collecting their main source of income, will there be some assistance for tourism, culture, festivals and summer camps, for example, to get through the summer season?
Mary Ng Liberal Markham—Thornhill, ON
Madam Chair, we have provided a range of program supports for businesses, and the regional development office in Quebec, CED-Q, provides additional support for those businesses that may not have access to the other programs that we have.
Sébastien Lemire Bloc Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC
Madam Chair, it is all well and good to want to extend the program until 2021, but what will the parameters be as of January 2021? We know that business owners need predictability. We only know the parameters until December 31, 2020. What will they be after that?
Mary Ng Liberal Markham—Thornhill, ON
Madam Chair, absolutely, I agree with the member that businesses need this predictability. This is why we have this legislation here. What businesses can rely on is that there will be support all the way until June, and—
Sébastien Lemire Bloc Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC
Madam Chair, once again, she did not answer my question.
Rent assistance must be given to those who need it, particularly to home-based businesses.
Will the program be adapted to that reality? Will there be provisions in the budget for the fixed costs of entrepreneurs who run a business out of their home?
Mary Ng Liberal Markham—Thornhill, ON
Madam Chair, we have provided a wide range of supports, from the CEBA loan to the wage subsidy as well as this commercial rent subsidy for businesses. It is a wide range of program supports that we are providing Canada's entrepreneurs and businesses.
Sébastien Lemire Bloc Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC
Madam Chair, many business owners have paid a lot of money in interest charges since the beginning of the pandemic.
Will the assistance that has been announced enable business owners to pay off all of the interest charges they have incurred?
Is there a cap? How much can a business owner be reimbursed for?
Mary Ng Liberal Markham—Thornhill, ON
Madam Chair, this is where I am very happy to talk about the Canada emergency business account, which is interest-free: $40,000 is now going up to $60,000. Of that, $20,000 is forgivable, and it is interest-free.
Sébastien Lemire Bloc Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC
Madam Chair, the question is, when will business owners have the money in their account? Can we have a date, for the sake of predictability?
Mary Ng Liberal Markham—Thornhill, ON
Madam Chair, our commitment is to make sure those businesses are supported with that liquidity.
