This bill was last introduced in 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.
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.
Income Tax ActGovernment Orders
November 5th, 2020 / 9:50 p.m.
Mississauga—Malton Ontario
Liberal
Navdeep Bains LiberalMinister of Innovation
Madam Chair, I want to make it abundantly clear that we have had protocols and procedures in place that protect Canadians. We work with local health authorities to make sure that we advance measures to keep Canadians safe, and that will continue to be our policy going forward.
Shannon Stubbs Conservative Lakeland, AB
Madam Chair, I want to cite specific cases, just so we can illustrate the double standard here. I hope the Liberals can find a fix for Canadian small businesses.
I just heard about a small business owner in B.C. who was told, in advance, by CBSA that he could go 300 yards across the border to retrieve supplies, yet when he came back CBSA agents told him he had to quarantine for 14 days. He has to close his business or significantly reduce operations, obviously at the very worst time.
Why is the government granting quarantine exemptions to well-connected American billionaires but not to Canadian small business owners?
Jean-Yves Duclos LiberalPresident of the Treasury Board
Madam Chair, we are, of course, very mindful of the difficulties the crisis has created for many Canadians. We would all like for the crisis not to exist and for the pandemic to be away from us. That will come at some point, but until then, CBSA border officials and various departments are doing all they can to protect both the integrity of the system and provide some peace of mind to all Canadians.
Shannon Stubbs Conservative Lakeland, AB
Madam Chair, Canadians have gone to the border for a visa so they could work. They are given paperwork stating that they were not actually in the U.S. by American border officials, and then when they come back, CBSA tells them to quarantine, that they must stay home from their jobs and lose a paycheque for two weeks.
Again, U.S. billionaires get free access to come into Canada, travel around freely and skip quarantine. How is that fair? How does that help Canadians and Canadian businesses survive financially?
Jean-Yves Duclos Liberal Québec, QC
Madam Chair, indeed, to make businesses thrive and survive going through the crisis and to help workers as well is a central piece of our economic agenda. That is why we are here tonight, together. We want this bill and these pieces of legislation to go forward exactly for that purpose, to support our small and other businesses in Canada.
Shannon Stubbs Conservative Lakeland, AB
This is the problem, Madam Chair. The inconsistency, uncertainty and lack of clarity are hurting Canadians but helping Americans. The government gave the American UPS president an exemption to come to Canada to push the Teamsters union into a new contract. He was not delivering packages for UPS. He could have held his meetings by video like the rest of the world is forced to do, but the government let him in, with no quarantine required.
Canadian small business owners are being forced to quarantine in their own country, with no exemptions for them. They literally have to put their lives and livelihoods on hold for two weeks. How can small businesses survive when there is one set of rules under the Liberals for wealthy American elites and another set for working Canadians and Canadian small business owners?
Jean-Yves Duclos Liberal Québec, QC
There would be a lot more to say that I can say in just 15 seconds, Madam Chair, but exactly the purpose of our meeting tonight is to support and help businesses, and small businesses in particular, get through the crisis, keep their workers and be prepared for when the crisis is over.
Sébastien Lemire Bloc Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC
Madam Chair, I congratulate you for your rigour and I also congratulate your predecessors. This is an interesting system.
According to a survey by the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, Quebec's SMEs will need an average of $25,000 to cover their fixed costs to the end of the year.
Has the government considered providing assistance for fixed costs for SMEs, whether they are landlords or tenants?
Income Tax ActGovernment Orders
November 5th, 2020 / 9:55 p.m.
Markham—Thornhill Ontario
Liberal
Mary Ng LiberalMinister of Small Business
Madam Chair, I appreciate that important question. That is exactly why we are here tonight: to debate this important piece of legislation to give those businesses the help that they need for those important fixed costs like rent, in addition to the lockdown support that businesses will need in an effort to fight COVID-19.
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?
