Post Election, CLMA Calls For Urgent Action To Aid Live Industry
The Canadian Live Music Association is fast past the post in congratulating the re-elected Liberals and calling for urgent action to protect its once vibrant industry that
By External Source
The Canadian Live Music Association is fast past the post in congratulating the re-elected Liberals and calling for urgent action to protect its once vibrant industry that contributed upwards of $3B to Canada’s GDP and supported 72,000 jobs.
In a communique released Wednesday, the CLMA states that Canada’s hardest hit industries are at serious risk without continued federal support. “Live music businesses have faced devastating revenue losses due to Covid. The industry has lost 19 months of business, drained financial reserves, taken on debt and now has difficulty attracting enough employees as it strives to relaunch.”
CLMA President and CEO Erin Benjamin says that she looks forward to working with the new government to ensure Canada's beleaguered live music industry can stay operational. “We are now facing the most challenging time of the pandemic - a convergence of factors that are making our survival harder than ever. Our future will depend on sector-specific support."
Benjamin says the CLMA is encouraged that hardest hit businesses will be able to expect tailored and sector-specific support as they head into the winter months. The support package, as per election promises, include:
Providing Canada’s hard hit tourism industry with temporary wage and rent support of up to 75% of their expenses;
For sectors like hotels, tour operators, convention centres, live music and festivals experiencing a minimum of 40% revenue loss;
Qualifying businesses in these sectors would be able to access a maximum subsidy rate of up to 75%, commensurate to their revenue loss, in order to help cover fixed costs like wages and rent.
The subsidy would be available between September 2021 until May 31, 2022.
Extending the Canada Recovery Hiring Program to March 31, 2022;
Launching the Arts and Culture Recovery Program that will match ticket sales for performing arts, live theatres and other cultural venues to compensate for reduced capacity;
advertisementExtending Covid-related insurance coverage for media production stoppages to support 150,000 Canadian jobs; and
Implementing a transitional support program to help bridge workers from the creative industry who continue to be impacted by the pandemic.
The CLMA is now urging all Members of Parliament to endorse these initiatives in support of the industry and to work collectively to pass them as quickly as possible in this new Parliamentary session.
