Ontario business owners welcome $100M in pandemic recovery funds for tourism sector
CBC
The owner of two live music venues in Toronto says it's "welcome news" that the Ontario government has announced that it will invest $100 million in the province's tourism sector to help businesses recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.
"Well, the announcement itself is very exciting because we're part of the hardest hit part of the pandemic, first to close and among the last to reopen, and we're still in semi-lockdown," said Jeff Cohen, president of Collective Concerts and owner of Lee's Palace and the Horseshoe Tavern.
"Anything that the province, or federal government, or the city hands out to live music clubs, or venues, or promoters, or anyone in the music industry in Toronto that is hard hit by the pandemic, or other sectors, like restaurants and tourism operators, is welcome news," Cohen added.
"Of course, we really don't have all the details of how they are handing this out. Is it a competition? We don't have all of the information, but obviously, seeing as though the province of Ontario is still in Stage 3, we can't do normal business, and our rent still has to get paid and electricity and gas. Any money is a good thing."
Tourism Minister Lisa MacLeod said Monday the money will be distributed through the new Tourism Recovery Program, which will help for-profit tourism businesses in the attraction, accommodation, and leisure travel sectors.
"The last 18 months of the pandemic have been the most challenging Ontario's tourism industry has ever faced," MacLeod said in a news release on Monday.
"Previously an economic powerhouse for the province, tourism has been hit by the triple threat that COVID-19 represents — a health, economic and social crisis."
Fire crews responded to a transport truck fire on the Ambassador Bridge connecting Windsor and Detroit.
When the government touts that its auto insurance reforms might curb premiums by $400 come 2027, the ministers and premier don't readily mention what's to come in the three years leading up to that.
Who poses the greater threat to the free speech of Conservative MPs — the Speaker of the House of Commons or the leader of the Conservative Party?
As city council prepares to vote on a temporary shelter village for people experiencing homelessness in Thunder Bay, Ont., opposition is growing among the area's business community.
A Toronto centre for Black art is hosting an exhibition this weekend that exclusively features work by artists from across the African diaspora.
Click on the video player above on Saturday beginning at 1 p.m. ET to watch the 2024 Vanier Cup.
This story is part of CBC Health's Second Opinion, a weekly analysis of health and medical science news emailed to subscribers on Saturday mornings. If you haven't subscribed yet, you can do that by clicking here.
Some Canadian seniors say they're feeling abandoned by the Liberal government's latest inflation relief measure after learning they don't qualify for it.
WARNING: This article may affect those who have experienced sexual violence or know someone affected by it.
The weather has certainly been gloomy, damp and windy over the past 10 days in Nova Scotia and it's going to continue this weekend.
Premier Susan Holt says the federal tax holiday on some goods announced Thursday could cost New Brunswick $62 million in revenue.