COVID-19 INDUSTRY UPDATES
Hospitality Industry Resources In Response to COVID-19:
DineSafe.ca
Our new DineSafe.ca platform is a catalogue of best practices to help guide your safe and successful reopening. Developed by the industry for the industry because we are in this together!
DineSafe - Take Out & Delivery Edition
As an addition to the DineSafe guide and website initiative, ORHMA has gathered resources for establishments currently operating with take-out & delivery services. By following these recommendations, we can design safe and welcome spaces that inspire public trust, so our industry as a whole can not only survive but thrive.
CovidInHospitality.com
ORHMA has launched a dedicated website for our members in order to access information that will help your operations during this pandemic. This website includes information on the virus, its symptoms and treatments, employment law information, complimentary webinars and more. Click here to view ORHMA’s dedicated COVID-19 in the Hospitality Industry Resource Site.
Staying On Course: A Message from ORHMA's President & CEO
To call the current environment “chaotic and unpredictable” would be an understatement. While this pandemic has been recognized as a triad catastrophe impacting health, economy and society, the health factor is what adds pressure to the other two. Rightfully, without health and safety the economy and social openness will suffer.
Some countries have been able to do a better job in controlling the virus than others and have been able to start moving their domestic economy forward even if its localized. Others opened too soon and have had rebounds with the virus returning. The events transpiring in the USA are examples.
Ontario has effectively been able to lower the curve and is gaining control over the virus with the exception of flare-ups seen in the agricultural sector among temporary foreign workers. The province, except for one area, entered Stage 2 which includes the opening of outdoor patios. In approximately one week’s time, we are predicting a transition to Stage 3 which includes dine-in restaurants (indoor) and meetings in conference rooms based on capacity and distancing guidelines. Read more.
Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance (CECRA) Extended To End of July 2020
Property owners and small business tenants will soon be able to access funding for the month of July. Read more.
Ontario Launches Online Training to Promote Safe Workplaces
As the province safely and gradually reopens, the Ontario government is investing $3 million to provide free online health and safety training for the first time. These virtual courses will make it easier for job seekers and workers to get essential qualifications, while practising physical distancing and preventing the spread of COVID-19. Read more.
ORHMA Speaks to Standing Committee of Finance & Economic Affairs on Impact of COVID-19 to Industry
The social characteristics of the hospitality are its strengths. We are about socializing, engaging and meeting with people. We have been hit directly in the heart of what makes hospitality thrive.
- Over 300,000 Ontario hospitality employees are laid off or not working any hours
- 50% of Ontario’s hotels have been closed and those staying open operate with skeleton staff largely accommodating essential service needs. We are seeing a 94% decline in year on year revenues
- Nearly half of single-unit restaurants are temporarily closed
- Ontario’s foodservice industry is on track to lose approximately $7 billion in sales in this Q2 of this year
As Ontario has entered the reopening stage, it is of paramount importance that hospitality opens and opens immediately. We are ready! We are ready to open by following safety protocols and guidelines which have been completed and released.
To continue, read full statement here.
Extension to Outdoor Patio Spaces
Restaurants and Bars will be allowed to extend an existing licensed patio, or add a new one, once they are permitted to open, provided that the patio extension is adjacent to their licensed premises. This will provide an opportunity for the public to safely enjoy service that meets physical distancing requirements and other public health guidelines.
These opportunities will be available to all licensed establishments, whether or not they currently have a patio, and will be subject to any additional requirements set out by the AGCO and municipality (such as by-laws or other restrictions).
This announcements builds on other changes brought forth by the Attorney General in order to to support the hospitality sector, including allowing licensed restaurants and bars to offer takeout and delivery of alcohol with food orders, extending all liquor licenses for three months at no extra cost to licensees and reducing the minimum price restaurants and bars are required to sell spirits at by 33 per cent.
Once restaurants and bars are again permitted to welcome patrons on-site and until January 1, 2021 at 3:00 a.m., liquor sales licensees who wish to temporarily extend the physical size of their existing licensed patio or to temporarily add a new licensed patio within the approved period, are authorized to do so, if the following criteria are met:
- The physical extension of the premises is adjacent to the premises to which the licence to sell liquor applies;
- The municipality in which the premises is situated has indicated it does not object to an extension;
- The licensee is able to demonstrate sufficient control over the physical extension of the premises;
- There is no condition on the liquor sales licence prohibiting a patio; and,
- The capacity of any new patio, or extended patio space where the licensee has an existing licensed patio, does not exceed 1.11 square metres per person.
Read more.
Temporary Ban Proposed on Commercial Evictions
The provincial government has announced that it intends to take action to protect commercial tenants from being locked out or having their assets seized by their landlords due to the negative impacts of COVID-19. The proposed changes to the Commercial Tenancies Act would, if passed, temporarily halt evictions of businesses that are eligible for federal/provincial rent assistance. If passed, the legislation would reverse evictions that occurred on or after June 3, 2020. The government intends to bring this legislation forward as soon as possible. If passed, the proposed legislation would make it illegal to evict a commercial tenant until August 31, 2020.
On May 25, 2020, an open letter to Premier Ford was sent on behalf of small-and medium-sized businesses sharing details of the economic destruction that the outbreak of COVID-19 has had on our industry and asking for immediate assistance. As the industry continues to deal with the unprecedented impacts of the COVID-19 oubtreak, ORHMA continues to advocate for industry relief. We are happy to see the government stepping up to provide relief to small businesses who are facing negative impacts of COVID-19. Read more.
Ontario Permits More Businesses to Re-Open in Stage 2
The provincial government announced a regional approach to the second stage of re-opening the province. This means that the government is easing restrictions only in the communities which it is safe to do so. Businesses and services permitted to reopen with proper health and safety measures in place in regions entering Stage 2 include:
- Outdoor dine-in services at restaurants, bars and other establishments, including patios, curbside, parking lots and adjacent properties
- Shopping malls under existing restrictions, including food services reopening for take-out and outdoor dining only
- Tour and guide services, such as bike and walking, bus and boat tours, as well as tasting and tours for wineries, breweries and distilleries
For a full list of regions and eligible businesess permitted to move into Stage 2,
click here.
Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance (CECRA)
On April 24, 2020, the Government of Canada, along with its provincial and territorial partners, announced additional details on the much-anticipated Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance (CECRA) program. This program, which will also apply in Ontario, will be structured as a forgivable loan for qualifying commercial landlords and is intended to create a mechanism whereby 50% of commercial rent that would otherwise be owed by eligible tenants will be paid through CECRA. Read all relief options here.
Liquor Sales For Delivery & Take-Out
· Licensed restaurants and bars in Ontario may sell alcohol with food take-out and delivery orders between the hours of 9:00 am and 11:00 pm. All active liquor licensees may immediately begin offering this service if they choose and there is no application process or fee required. Liquor may be sold for take-out or delivery through a third party, such as a food delivery service or ordering platform, provided they are acting on behalf of the licensee. Read all relief options here.
New Access to Credit through Small and Medium-sized Enterprise Loan and Guarantee program
Government of Canada has introduced the Business Credit Availability Program (BCAP) to help Canadian businesses obtain financing during the current period of significant uncertainty.
BCAP will support access to financing for Canadian businesses in all sectors and regions. Through this program, Export Development Canada (EDC) and the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) will provide $65 billion in direct lending and other types of financial support.
For additional information on any of the BCAP programs or to apply, Businesses should contact their primary lender, where they have a pre-existing relationship. Businesses that are impacted can contact them by phone or email to find out about their application process. Read all relief options here.
Canada Emergency Business Account
- Banks will offer $40,000 loans, guaranteed by the government, to qualifying small businesses and loans will be interest-free for the first year. Qualifying businesses must have payrolls of greater than $20,000 and less than $1.5 million.
- If certain conditions are met, a 25% loan forgiveness will be available (up to $10,000).
- Loans will be available through eligible financial institutions and will be fully guaranteed and funded by the Government of Canada
Read all relief options here.
Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS) – up to 75% of wages
On April 1, 2020, the Department of Finance announced the new Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy delivering a 12-week wage subsidy of up to 75% of wages paid starting March 15, 2020. CEWS is available to eligible employers experiencing revenue declines of 30% or more. Read all relief options here.