NWT Tourism Coronavirus Update #10 - Latest Advocacy update

Dear valued members,

Just before the long weekend starts, I wanted to touch base to give you a brief update on advocacy work - which is continuing. Today for the first time we have heard some projections of pandemic modelling for Canada from the Canadian government. A key message from the update and modelling is that Canada is in an early stage of the epidemic. We are looking ahead to recovery, but this is particularly challenging without having some sense of the timeframe when things will open again. While so much is changing around us, one thing we want to keep constant is our connection to you so we are providing key information that you need to navigate this uncertainty.

Presentation to the Parliamentary Committee on Finance
On the advocacy front, the efforts of NWT Tourism are continuing. Earlier this week, I was invited to present to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Finance and my presentation was made yesterday on behalf of our industry.This federal committee studies and reports on all matters relating to the management and operation of federal departments and agencies, including the Department of Finance, and it conducts consultations with selected industry experts. I was pleased to represent the Northwest Territories tourism sector as part of a small panel of tourism experts, including the Tourism Industry Association of Canada (TIAC), the Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada (ITAC), the Hotel Association of Canada (HAC) and a few others.

This presentation enabled an opportunity for me to outline the difficulties individuals in our industry are having accessing federal opportunities that were developed to support our industry through this pandemic. One thing I stressed for our industry was the issue of liquidity and the need for federal programs to address this gap. From what members are telling me, the issue of liquidity is one issue that is top of mind for many. This issue was also spoken to by our national colleagues.

I also spoke to the gaps that I have been hearing about from members in programs such as the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy, the Canada Emergency Business Account, the Canada Emergency Response Benefit and others as they have limited applicability for many businesses in the NWT.

Our Member of Parliament, Michael McLeod has kept in touch with our organization to understand how our industry is impacted. As a member of the Parliamentary Committee on Finance, his questions to me as a panelist created additional opportunites for NWT Tourism to share our perspective, and to provide additonal information and recommendations to the federal government. He is working hard to ensure the NWT and our sector are factored into decisons made at the federal level.

There was a strong collective voice on the panel for the tourism sector and a number of recommendations were made for program criteria or supports that could better meet the specific needs of the tourism industry and our northern reality.

TIAC has put together a very comprehensive and helpful list of different tools and resources to help businesses navigate through this pandemic, and I wanted to post the link here: https://tiac-aitc.ca/COVID-19_Resources.html#1a  It is important to note that the information on this site is updated as programs change and evolve, and new supports are added as they become available.

Thank you to everyone who has shared information about your business and your challenges accessing current supports. This information continues to be very important in the advocacy work we are doing. Remember, we are here for you. Let's stay connected as we continue to work together for our industry.

And finally, as we head into the Easter weekend, I can't help by ending on a more personal note. I was delighted to hear this week that the Easter Bunny has been declared an essential worker. For me and for my grandchildren, this means there will be chocolate this weekend!  I hope for each of you that can connect with friends and family, be it on Zoom or through FaceTime or other technologies that exist. Stay healthy, stay safe, and enjoy your loved ones and your weekend.  

Happy Easter!

Cathie Bolstad
Chief Executive Officer 
Northwest Territories Tourism