Mr. Speaker, the government announced the highly affected sectors credit availability program in late November and waited two months to open applications. According to the Tourism Industry Association of Ontario, only 4% of its members have taken up HASCAP. Businesses have told us increased debt loads, higher interest rates and continued issues with the criteria are the reasons for the program's failure.
With an unemployment rate of 13% in the tourism sector in March, why is the government failing those hardest-hit businesses and workers who desperately need support to survive through this pandemic?