B.C. Hospitality & Tourism Industry Update - Recording & Presentation Slides

The Tourism industry Association of BC (TIABC) and BC Hotel Association (BCHA) co-hosted an industry update webinar to discuss the state of the hospitality and tourism industry and an outlook on the future.

Review Presentation Slides

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Legislation for Paid COVID-19 Vaccination Leave Now in Force

Amendments to the Employment Standards Act providing workers with up to three hours of paid leave to get each dose of their COVID-19 vaccine are now in effect, retroactive to April 19th. Bill 3 is now law and ensures that no employee will lose pay if they need time away from work to get vaccinated. Both full-time and part-time employees can take up to three hours of paid leave.

B.C. Large Operator Survey | TIABC / BCHA / ITBC

The BC Hotel Association, the Tourism Industry Association of BC, and Indigenous Tourism BC have been advocating for the needs of larger BC tourism and hospitality operators. As part of that advocacy, they have been meeting with various levels of government to discuss relief and assistance measures. As a result of those discussions, they have been asked to provide additional industry level data, specific to the large operators, about your collective situation and needs.

The purpose of collecting this data is to aggregate the data for us to use in our conversations with various levels of government about the types of relief and assistance packages required for the industry and for large operators. No individual company data, nor individual responses to any of the questions will be shared with government officials or other entities. This information will be treated as confidential and only used at the aggregate level.

The survey has 21 questions and should take approximately 10-12 minutes to complete.

Preparation for Survey

There are several questions that require more detailed data on BC assets, financial metrics, and employee demographics. We would recommend that you have your financial data for 2019 and 2020 available, and your employee demographics data if you collect that type of information. We have provided a preview of the full list of questions as an attachment in order for you to prepare to complete the online survey. 

Should you have any questions or concerns about the survey, or the purpose of it, please contact membership@bcha.com

Share Your Story with TIABC in Hardest Hit Campaign | Deadline: May 6

A growing coalition of tourism and hospitality businesses and sectors from around the province is adding its voice to a BC version of the “Hardest Hit” campaign to compel federal and provincial governments to work with our sector on a restart plan that includes the lifting of travel restrictions for immunized people and for those that have tested negative for the COVID-19 virus.

As part of the advocacy efforts, TIABC is collecting information in the form of stories from businesses like yours to inform government on the extent of the impact that travel restrictions have had on the visitor economy since the start of the pandemic.

We encourage you to write your story using the format (template) below to a maximum of two pages. Be as candid as you feel comfortable. By telling your story, you give permission to share the information with government. TIABC may call on you to tell your story through social and/or traditional media channels, as well as via industry communiques.

Please send your (maximum 2-page) summary to info@tiabc.ca by May 6, 2021.

Template

Background: Business name; location/s in BC; date established; ownership structure; # of full and/or part-time employees.

Primary Customers: Where your customers are from; demographics; who your booking partners are; what primary marketing channels you use.

Revenue Base: State pre and post-COVID revenues (actual or range & % drop); how much longer you can afford to remain in operation; support programs you’ve applied for and either received or been rejected (state reasons for rejection).

Tourism Supply Chain: List other tourism businesses or other sectors that you work with and how your business supports these enterprises.

Government Decisions: State how federal and/or provincial government orders, directives and measures have affected your business; provide recommendations on what government can do differently or better to lessen the impact on your business.

Community Contribution: Illustrate why your business is a key part of your community and how travel restrictions have impacted you, your employees, your business in general, as well as the community you call home.

Personal Implications: Illustrate the ways the pandemic has affected you personally, professionally, mentally, physically, emotionally or spiritually.

Increased funding & expanded eligibility for BC Circuit Breaker Relief Grant

The BC government announced the addition of $75 million to the Circuit Breaker Business Relief Grant, bringing the amount available for hard-hit BC businesses to over $125 million.

The grant is now also open to hotels, motels, and other short-term accommodations impacted by the April 23 emergency order to restrict travel between BC's regional zones

Additionally, the grant remains open to bars, pubs, restaurants, breweries, wineries, gyms, and fitness facilities impacted by the March 31, 2021, provincial health officer's orders. The orders remain in place until May 25.

With the increased funding, eligible businesses will receive up to $20,000 (double the original grant amount) to help with expenses like employee wages, rent, maintenance, and utilities. The individual amount a business received will be based on the number of employees with no cap on the number of employees.

To be eligible for the Circuit Breaker Business Relief Grant, a business is required to:

• confirm it has been affected by the recent provincial health officer’s orders and emergency order;

• provide electronic banking information;

• confirm that it is registered as a B.C. business;

• produce a business validation document, such as a business license, liquor license, notice of assessment or lease agreement; and

• confirm majority ownership and operations and payment of taxes in B.C.

The Circuit Breaker Business Relief Grant is open to businesses of any size impacted by the March 31 to May 25, 2021, provincial health officer’s orders and the April 23 emergency order to restrict travel between B.C.’s regional zones.

Businesses that previously applied for or received the Circuit Breaker Business Relief Grant that opened on April 12, 2021 do not need to apply again. They will automatically receive the additional funding.

We strongly encourage you to apply now, if you haven't already. Applications will be processed on a first-come, first-served basis, and applicants are encouraged to apply as soon as possible. Applications will be accepted until June 4, 2021, or when the funds are disbursed.

Learn more and apply

See full press release