Canadian businesses struggling through a year of the COVID-19 pandemic are asking the federal government to extend emergency relief programs beyond the June 5th deadline.
The Coalition of Hardest Hit Businesses, which represents hotel, tourism, arts, culture and hospitality industries, is calling for the federal wage subsidy and the federal rent subsidy programs to be continued until the end of the year.
It says of six-thousand businesses that responded to a survey this month, 60 per cent of them said they'll go under without sustained access to federal support programs.
Beth Potter, president of the Tourism Industry Association of Canada, says without extended aid, Canada's tourism, culture and hospitality industries will be devastated for a generation