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Hi everyone,

Here we are at the second week of August - WOW.   It has felt like the floodgates opened July 1st and it is incredible to see more people travelling around our community and reaching out to us for help planning their stay.  We hope it has been a positive experience for your business now that travel has resumed.  We have heard from many of you that one challenge has been staffing.  This is definitely a common theme across the hospitality industry in BC.  If you are not familiar with go2hr I recommend reviewing the website to see if they may have any resources that might help.  Additionally, industry stakeholders such as TIABC and the BC Hotel Association are also working hard to find solutions to challenges the industry is seeing in a post COVID environment.

It may have seemed like it was in a blink of an eye that we arrived at the second week of August, but it also feels equally fast that we are almost at the end of our current Five Year Strategic Plan.  Our next Five Year Strategic Plan for 2022 - 2027 will be submitted to Destination BC in early 2022 as part of our MRDT (The Municipal and Regional District Tax) renewal process.  A key element in preparing for our Five Year Strategic Plan is getting input from as many of you as possible.  We have chosen to work with Stephen Pearce of Gaining Edge to help us with several elements in the preparation of our plan including stakeholder consultations. There will be several opportunities for you to provide input as we work on the plan and we will send more details in future emails.  We wanted to make you all aware that we have started this process and if you have questions or ideas you are welcome to reach out to me directly at any time,

Below are some resources we have gathered that we hope are helpful to you including a list of financial assistance currently available or extended.  I recognize that many organizations are sending similar information but we want to be sure nothing is missed.  We were so happy to hear the recent announcement that Thunderbird Show Park was 1 of 83 businesses that received a grant via the Major Anchor Attractions Program. If you have any questions about the grants available, please reach out and we are happy to help.

Erinn and Daniella 

        

INDUSTRY NEWS & OPPORTUNITIES

INDUSTRY MESSAGING GUIDANCE

Starting today, fully vaccinated US citizens and permanent residents (currently residing in the US) can enter Canada for leisure travel. If they meet the entry criteria, fully vaccinated travellers will not have to quarantine upon arrival. 
Destination BC has created an “Industry Messaging Guidance for US Visitors” document that includes key messaging, information on entry requirements, and a comprehensive FAQ. There are also suggested content themes, a “Know Before You Go” section, and links to additional information.

This toolkit is designed as a guide for tourism owners and operators for Step 3, which started July 1 and will run until at least September. 7. It summarizes current guidelines, provides links to more information on topics like the transition from COVID-19 Safety Plans to communicable disease prevention, and shares what the province and the hospitality and tourism sector are doing together to restart the visitor economy.

TOURISM & HOSPITALITY RELIEF

Thank you to the BC Hotel Association for this comprehensive list

Federal Programs

 
  • Tourism Relief Fund (TRF): to help tourism businesses and organizations adapt their operations to meet public health requirements while investing in products and services to facilitate their future growth. The $500 million national initiative across Canada will be administered by Western Economic Diversification in Western Canada.
  • Canadian Emergency Rent Subsidy (CERS): Subsidy to cover a portion of eligible expenses until September 25, 2021. Also includes an additional Lockdown Support of 25% if your business was significantly affected by a public health order. Hotline: 1-800-959-5525
  • Highly Affected Sectors Credit Availability Program (HASCAP): Aimed at sectors like tourism and hospitality, hotels, arts and entertainment, and will offer 100% government-guaranteed financing and provide low-interest loans up to $1 million for up to ten years.
  • Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS): Covers part of your employee wages retroactively back to December 20, 2020 until September 25, 2021. The maximum subsidy is 75%. Hotline: 1-800-959-5525
  • Canada Recovery Hiring Program (CRHP): The new Canada Recovery Hiring Program (CRHP) is designed to encourage businesses to grow as the economy recovers, whether it’s due to hiring and re-hiring staff, increasing shifts, or increasing overall pay.
  • Note: Your business can only claim the CEWS OR CRHP - here is a comparison between the two programs
  • Canada Recovery Benefit (CRB): $400 per week for 13 two-week periods between September 27, 2020, and September 25, 2021 for self-employed workers and those in the gig economy. Applications are handled through the Canada Revenue Agency. Hotline: 1-833-966-2099
Indigenous Programs  
Provincial Program
The Workplace Accessibility Grant program. The grant program direct supports to small business employers in British Columbia by providing direct financial assistance towards creating an inclusive work environment for persons with a disability(ies).
 
Indigenous Programs  
Provincial Program
  • The Workplace Accessibility Grant program. The grant program direct supports to small business employers in British Columbia by providing direct financial assistance towards creating an inclusive work environment for persons with a disability(ies).

BC Hospitality Foundation

The BC Hospitality Foundation (BCHF) is a registered charity that raises funds to support those in the hospitality industry facing financial crisis due to a health condition to themselves or a family member.  Each year many hospitality workers across BC face financial challenges because of a health condition and have nowhere else to turn.  The BCHF helps them quickly and with discretion.  In addition, the BCHF offers a scholarship program to foster the development of the next generation of workers and industry leaders.
 
Since 2006, the BCHF has provided over $1.3 million in support of hospitality industry workers.  Almost one million dollars of that support helped over 250 hospitality industry workers in their time of need.  In addition, a scholarship program was designed in 2009 to foster the development of the next generation of workers and industry leaders. This program has granted over 260 scholarships worth over $330,000 in total.
 
If you have team members who could benefit from BCHF please reach out to:

Dana Harris, Executive Director
604-986-3262
dana@danalee.biz

TRANSLINK SEEKING INPUT

As Metro residents start visiting stores, restaurants and attractions again, TransLink is hoping to welcome them back to transit and would like to hear ideas about how they could improve the transportation system. They are asking customers to share what would make their trips more comfortable and convenient and will look to implement ideas through their next Customer Experience Action Plan.  Submit your idea here and there’s a chance to win a month pass if ideas are submitted before Aug. 13.
 
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