Thanks for the opportunity to speak to the role of municipal parks and recreation and what we can do to help in the societal and economic recovery of communities from COVID-19.
The Canadian Parks and Recreation Association is the national voice for municipal parks and recreation. We are the arenas, pools, sports fields and playgrounds in your community, and we are the summer camps, yoga classes, sport leagues and swimming lessons in which you and your family participate.
The municipal parks and recreation sector provides facilities, services and programs for both a social and financial return. During the pandemic, as facilities and programs are shuttered, we are losing both revenues and the value we bring to communities and individuals. Returning these services fully, safely and quickly in a post-pandemic context must be a priority for all levels of government. Jurisdictional roles must not be a barrier during this time of crisis for municipalities and non-profits.
The financial impact of COVID-19 on the municipal parks and recreation sector is $221 million monthly, due to the incurred fixed costs of operating facilities against zero financial and social return. When facilities and programs do resume, new public health requirements such as hygiene, cleaning and social distancing could raise facility operating costs by as much as $226 million annually. Lower revenues are expected due to capacity restrictions on facilities and programs under social distancing. The true impact of this is yet to be determined.
Since municipalities do not qualify for the Canada emergency wage subsidy program, thousands of parks and recreation employees have been laid off, and thousands more, including summer students, will not be hired for summer programs.
I will now turn it over to Mike Roma.