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| Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announcing an extension to the CEBA program repayment deadline at an event yesterday (Screenshot from CPAC) |
A call to reduce the burden on business owners was answered by the Federal government on Thursday, with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announcing that there will be an additional year for loan repayments for those business owners that took assistance through the Canada Emergency Business Account program in the COVID and post COVID period.
Also announced was more flexibility for loan holders towards loan forgiveness of up to 33 percent.
As a result of the announcement yesterday, the repayment deadline for CEBA loans to qualify for partial loan forgiveness of up to 33 per cent is being extended from December 31, 2023, to January 18, 2024, recognizing that the end of December is a busy time for many Canadian businesses.
The government noted that the announcement builds on the government’s previous one-year extension announced in January 2022.
More details towards that program and the new grace period can be reviewed here.
He and a number of other NDP MP's had been advocating for small business operators for a number of months, seeking some further attention by the Federal government.
And Thursday's announcement left the MP somewhat insulted.
While we're glad to see that these businesses will be able to avoid the five-percent interest rate for two more years, the fact that the government only gave these businesses an additional eighteen days to qualify for partial loan forgiveness is frankly, insulting."
The Skeena-Bulkley Valley MP has vowed to continue to keep pressure on the Federal Government towards the issue of partial loan forgiveness, his full statement can be reviewed below.
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You can review some of his past advocacy on the issue from our archive page.
The Federal announcement was also panned by the Canadian Federation of Business which observed of its limitations and described the federal efforts as 'not good enough'.
So far, the Prince Rupert Chamber of Commerce which advocates for local business, has not offered up an opinion towards Thursday's announcement.
The Liberal Government's plan has also generated some discussion for Canada's business community, some of their thoughts were relayed through the Business media yesterday.
More notes on the Business sector in the Northwest can be reviewed here.
We explore items of note on the Federal scene from our Ottawa Observations feature from our companion blog D'Arcy McGee which you can access here.
MP Bachrach’s social feed is all about canoeing, airlines, CERB extensions, and the Atlin Canada Post Office.
ReplyDeleteNothing, about securing federal funding for Prince Rupert Water.
If he does not address the water funding today in parliament. He does not deserve your vote next election.
Not quite a correct assessment of his work in Ottawa ... there have been a number of times that the MP has raised the Prince Rupert water issues in the House and with federal officials.
DeleteHere's just one ... https://northcoastreview.blogspot.com/2023/04/taylor-bachrach-keeps-prince-ruperts.html.
Whether he deserves another term in Ottawa is up to the voters to decide, but on the water issue, he has been engaged .
NCR
Has he escalated the issue, yes. Has he finished the job, no.
DeleteBeing engaged is not the same as getting the job done.
Holes are being left open around the city because the federal funding piece has not been finalized.
LOL, well someone has come out of last weekends rallies in Terrace and Smithers rather energized ... not sure the holes in the ground is in the domain of the MP over the city's application process, but time will tell regardless whether the funding comes along.
DeleteAt which time you likely will have opportunity to revisit the topic, maybe before that, invite the Conservative leader to come down the road just a bit further to the west to look at our holes ... NCR