Growing anger on the part of business owners slipping through the many cracks of government support programs | CFIB

CFIB urges all business owners to join the movement 

Winnipeg, August 13, 2020 – Small business owners are joining forces to demand important changes to the federal government’s COVID-19 aid programs through an online petition launched today, says the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB). 

“Small businesses have been battered by months of closures, reduced sales and new costs, and three quarters of entrepreneurs still not making their normal levels of sales. As a result, CFIB estimates 158,000 small firms (one in seven) may close,” said CFIB president Dan Kelly. 

While many small firms have been helped by the three major government support programs, tens of thousands remain ineligible—particularly for the CEBA loan program and the commercial rent subsidy (CECRA).

“Government needs to understand that there is a growing anger on the part of business owners who are left out by these critical supports,” Kelly noted. “The CECRA program has created massive frustrations as even those businesses who are eligible for the subsidy are not getting it as landlords are required to apply on behalf of their commercial tenants. And there are huge gaps in coverage for the CEBA loan program, despite a promise to expand the program from the Prime Minister in mid-May.”  

“We urge all small business owners to visit cfib.ca/covidpetition and tell government what they need to help them recover in the months ahead,” added Kelly.

CFIB has asked government to make the following changes to current aid programs:

• Canada Emergency Business Account (CEBA): (a) extend the deadline for the program (b) immediately expand access to more firms (those using personal bank accounts, new firms and those with less than $40,000 in non-deferrable expenses), (c) provide clear reasons for rejection, and (d) increase the loan amount to $60,000 and the forgivable portion to 50 per cent
• Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance (CECRA): (a) allow tenants to access rent support directly, regardless of their landlord’s participation, (b) expand coverage to more firms with lower levels of business losses and (c) extend over the summer and fall
• Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB): (a) extend CERB for those without work, but ensure benefits stop if an employee is offered their old job back (other than for sickness/family issues), and (b) allow recipients to earn more than $1,000/month without losing benefits
• Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS): (a) simplify the application process and (b) ensure business owners and their family members working in the business can have some of their dividend income covered

More than 7,000 business owners have already signed CFIB’s petition calling for changes. 

“So many small business owners continue to struggle as we move through a slow recovery. We urge the government to take their concerns seriously and implement these critical changes immediately,” added Jonathan Alward, CFIB’s director, prairie region.

To arrange an interview with Jonathan Alward, CFIB’s director, prairie region, please call 431-998-4498 or email msman@cfib.ca. You can also follow CFIB Manitoba on Twitter @cfibMB.

For media enquiries or interviews with Dan Kelly, CFIB’s president, please contact Milena Stanoeva, CFIB’s Media Relations Specialist at 647-464-2814 or email public.affairs@cfib.ca.

About CFIB
The Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) is Canada’s largest association of small and medium-sized businesses with 110,000 members (4,800 in Manitoba) across every industry and region. CFIB is dedicated to increasing business owners’ chances of success by driving policy change at all levels of government, providing expert advice and tools, and negotiating exclusive savings. Learn more at cfib.ca.