OTTAWA — The Canadian Federation of Independent Business has expressed its support for new rent relief measures announced last week by the federal government. Unlike the Canadian Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance (CECRA) program, the new Canadian Emergency Rent Subsidy allows tenants to apply without an opt-in by their landlords. The new program also provides assistance directly to tenants rather than through landlords.
At the same time, the federation said in a statement that it is “disappointed that government has not created a retroactive pathway to access funds” for businesses meeting the revenue-loss criteria between April and September, but whose landlords chose not to apply for CECRA. “Many businesses have taken on tens of thousands of dollars in new debt to stay afloat during the last six months,” said CFIB EVP Laura Jones, “and they should not be left to deal with it with no help.”
