Par Caroline Gignac - Responsable des stratégies politiques et de la recherche

Venues open to full capacity

As of October 8, 2021, theaters are allowed to seat patrons at full capacity. This means that it is no longer necessary to leave a seat distance between individuals, but they must still wear the mask throughout the performance. 

Although this new ministerial order allows us to consider the revival of our sector in a more concrete way, we maintain that it will take some time before we can return to more normal attendance rates. With this in mind, on October 14, the CQT met with Minister Nathalie Roy's chief of staff to share our concerns and defend the need to offer transitional financial support.

In addition, during a meeting with the CALQ that took place during the same period, we were delighted to note that the organization was well aware of the current issues and was making the necessary efforts to present an operational support program as quickly as possible. In this regard, an updated version of the Specific Measures for the Dissemination of Performances is now available and certain changes have been made to the method of calculating the grant. The grant has also been extended to December 31, 2021. 

It is clear that this date does not provide sufficient predictability. A meeting between the Minister and the Performing Arts Attendance Working Group (PAWG) is scheduled for November 5 to discuss the needs of the community beyond December 31.

Targeted support measures related to the federal government's COVID-19

At a press conference, Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland stated that the federal government intends to extend the wage subsidy program and rental assistance until May 7, 2022 for areas where they are still needed. 

Here are some details about the announcement:

• A stimulus program for the hardest hit businesses that would provide support to other businesses that have experienced significant losses through wage subsidy and rental subsidy programs, with a subsidy rate of up to 50 percent.
• Applicants will use a new eligibility system in which they will have to demonstrate that they have suffered significant income losses over a 12-month period during the pandemic as well as in the current month.
• These programs will be available until May 7, 2022, and the proposed subsidy rates will be in effect until March 13, 2022. From March 13 to May 7, 2022, the rates will be cut in half.

During the same speech, we learned that the Canadian Economic Recovery Benefit (CERB) will end on October 23, 2021. However, until December 22, 2021, it will be possible to apply for period 28 (October 10 to 23, 2021).