ACTA Survey: Feedback Needed on Gaps with Federal Government Relief Programs

As part of ACTA’s ongoing COVID-19 advocacy to the Federal Government for financial aid for Travel Agencies, ACTA is conducting a survey directed to Travel Agency Owners/Managers on the various federal financial aid programs available to you. ACTA needs to hear from you and whether you had any challenges getting approval of such supports. Your responses will provide ACTA with a better understanding of any gaps that may exist in these programs. Where needed, we can share these specific examples with the government for investigation and possible correction/enhancement. Your travel agency data is important for ACTA’s advocacy efforts!

While financial support measures have also been implemented by the provinces and territories to compliment what the federal government has extended (including measures taken by regulators such as the Travel Industry Council in Ontario, for example), the questions contained in this survey focus on the supports extended by the federal government.

The survey has 22 questions under the different headings of Wage Subsidy Programs, Loans, Tax Deferral Initiatives, Commercial Rent Assistance and Work-Sharing. It should take approximately 10 minutes to complete.

Please know that your responses will remain confidential. The deadline to complete the survey is Tuesday, May 12, 2020 at 8:00 PM EST.

Thank you for participating and assisting ACTA in our advocacy efforts!
1.Travel Agency Name(Required.)
2.Travel Agency Position:(Required.)
3.Province
WAGE SUBSIDY PROGRAMS

The Temporary 10% Wage Subsidy is a three-month measure that will allow eligible employers to reduce the amount of payroll deduction required to be remitted to the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA).
4.Did you apply for the Temporary 10% Wage Subsidy program?
5.Was your application for the Temporary 10% Wage Subsidy approved?
The NEW Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS) program generally covers 75% of an employee's wages – up to $847 per week - for employers of all sizes and across all sectors who have suffered a drop in gross revenues of at least 15% in March, and 30% in April and May.
6.Did you apply for the 75% Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS) program?
7.Was your application for the CEWS program approved?
LOANS

Canada Emergency Business Account (CEBA) will provide interest-free loans of up to $40,000 to small businesses and not-for-profits, to help cover their operating costs during a period where their revenues have been temporarily reduced. A quarter of this loan (up to $10,000) is eligible for complete forgiveness if you pay it back before the end of 2022.To qualify, businesses will need to demonstrate they paid between $20,000 to $1.5 million in total payroll in 2019. Business owners can apply for support from CEBA through their banks and credit unions.
8.Did you apply for the interest-free loan of up to $40K under the Canada Emergency Business Account (CEBA)?
9.Was your interest-free loan application approved?
Business Credit Availability Program (BCAP) provides two additional supports: Loan Guarantees offered through Export Development Canada (EDC) and Co-Lending Programs offered through the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC). The programs are available to small and medium-sized businesses or enterprises (up to 499 employees) with loans up to $6.25M. Both the BDC and EDC are working with financial institutions on credit solutions for individual businesses.
10.Did you apply for an EDC Loan Guarantee through your existing financial institution?
11.Was your EDC Loan Guarantee approved?
12.Did you apply for a BDC Co-Lending Term Loan through your existing financial institution?
13.Was your BDC Co-Lending Term Loan approved?
Canada Regional Development Agencies provide financial support for small and medium-sized businesses unable to access other support measures, available through Canada’s Regional Development Agencies.
14.Did you apply for financial support through Canada’s Regional Development Agencies?
15.Was your Regional Development Agency application approved?
TAX DEFERRAL INITIATIVES

GST/HST tax deferral: Businesses, including self-employed individuals, are allowed to defer until June 30, 2020 payments of the GST/HST, as well as customs duty owing on their imports. Any GST/HST payment that becomes owing from March 27 until the end of May can be deferred until the end of June.
16.Have you taken advantage of the GST/HST tax deferral?
Income tax deferral: All businesses are able to defer, until after August 31, 2020, the payment of any income tax amounts that become owing on or after March 18 and before September 2020. This relief would apply to tax balances due, as well as instalments, under Part I of the Income Tax Act. No interest or penalties will accumulate on these amounts during this period. 
17.Have you taken advantage of income tax deferral?
COMMERCIAL RENT ASSISTANCE

The Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance (CECRA) program will lower rent by 75 per cent for small businesses that have been most affected by COVID-19. CECRA will provide forgivable loans to qualifying commercial property owners to cover 50 per cent of three monthly rent payments that are payable by eligible small business tenants who are experiencing financial hardship during April, May and June. In this way, CECRA will provide relief for small businesses paying less than $50,000 per month in gross rent/location that have either been forced to close due to the pandemic or have had their revenues severely impacted by at least 70 per cent. Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) will administer the program on behalf the Government of Canada and our provincial and territorial partners.
18.Have you worked with your landlord in order to benefit from the Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance (CECRA) program?
19.Was your landlord willing to accept the terms of the CECRA program?
WORK-SHARING PROGRAM

Work-Sharing (WS) is a program that helps employers and employees avoid layoffs when there is a temporary decrease in business activity beyond the control of the employer. The program provides Employment Insurance (EI) benefits to eligible employees who agree to reduce their normal working hours and share the available work while their employer recovers. Work-Sharing is an agreement between employers, employees and the Government of Canada
20.Did you apply for the Work-Sharing Program?
21.Was your Work-Sharing application approved?
22.Other comments