That's fantastic. I'm from CAFE. I'll get us started.
Thank you for inviting us to speak today on behalf of the Canadian Association of Fairs and Exhibitions. We represent almost 800 non-profit organizations, as well as service providers who support these organizations with entertainment, food, security, logistics and activities.
Many of you have likely been to a fair before, enjoyed the cotton candy, seen the sights from the Ferris wheel and maybe even enjoyed an on-site concert. What you may not know is that behind this event there is a non-profit organization, often called an agricultural society, and often led almost entirely by volunteers who are passionate about their community and who want to support its vibrancy, economy and quality of life.
These NPOs are much more than an annual event. They run spaghetti suppers; lend their grounds for weddings, funerals, trade shows and fundraisers; and may have campgrounds, curling clubs or hockey arenas. We have become integral parts of the communities we are in, whether it's Vancouver or Hants County, and we support community sustainability as a result. For every dollar our organizations earn, on average, $4.54 is put back into the surrounding community.
We are advocating to ensure that the heritage and the physical, social and mental health of our communities are protected.
Unfortunately, the programs that have been put in place by the federal government related to COVID-19 to date have proven to be almost useless to us. A wage subsidy does little for a volunteer-run organization. The short time frame in which a loan has to be repaid is nearly impossible for a non-profit to meet. We have been rejected by regional programs and redirected from one department to another.
Ultimately, as you will hear from others today, we have a very short seasonal window that has now all but passed. Events have specifically one shot to generate revenue for the next 365 days, and we've lost that.
We've been working with TIAC and fully support their comprehensive recovery plan. These measures include 100% backed loans, extending work visas and developing funding programs to support events.
Finally we are urging the government to provide $74 million in solvency support for our 743 organizations. This would support non-deferrable expenses to carry our industry through to May 2021, when we could generate revenue again.
There is a blatant gap for non-profit tourism support, and we hope you will seriously consider the suggestions above as well as how to adapt the current programs to meet industry needs.
Rest assured that this isn't about making a profit. It very literally is about surviving. Recovery is going to start locally, and that means with us, so we need to make sure we are there and ready when the time is right. By investing in us, you are investing in communities across Canada.
Once again, thank you for your time. I'll hand it over to Monsieur Roy.