Thank you, Mr. Julian, for the question.
As I indicated earlier, the wage subsidy has really been a critical lifeline for a lot of our operators. Certainly in Prince Edward Island and other areas across Canada, the tourism industry is very much seasonal. A large portion of our industry is based on a six-month season. For us to be looking at the declining rates of those wage subsidies right now, when we still have those border restrictions—we're not even open to Atlantic Canada—is incredibly difficult.
Our infrastructure is built to be welcoming 1.6 million visitors. Right now, with a population of 160,000 people on Prince Edward Island, it's just not realistic for us to sustain this. We were certainly concerned when we saw those declining amounts. Again, to look at that Atlantic component, in Prince Edward Island and among my Atlantic Canada counterparts, we're all in very similar situations in the sense that our operators just can't sustain their operations. Last year, with the wage subsidy in place and those supports at a higher rate, many of our operators still saw deficits at the end of the year. To get through this season and really be able to prepare for next year—with the optimism of being open to all of Canada and beyond—it's imperative for us to see those supports back in place and as they were.