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441-01295 (Business and trade)

Paper petition

Original language of petition: English

Petition to the Government of Canada

WHEREAS:

  • The Village of Lytton was decimated by fire on June 30th, 2021. The Village remains under an Evacuation Order with homes, and buildings not yet started construction;

  • Since rebuilding has yet to begin, doors cannot open, and businesses have had no revenue for nearly two years; and

  • Already incurring large deficits due to the pandemic, businesses destroyed by the fire will not be in a position to repay the CEBA loan when due December 31, 2023.

THEREFORE:

We, the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to recognize the extraordinary circumstances of businesses in the Lytton area and forgive their amounts owing on Canada Emergency Bank Account loans. Due to the magnitude of disaster and consequential bureaucratic delays, businesses have been unable to rebuild for nearly two years. Forgiveness of the CEBA loan for Lytton businesses would help to empower economic development and restore this destroyed community.

Response by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance

Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Chrystia Freeland

The Government of Canada thanks the petitioners for expressing their views about the Canada Emergency Business Account (CEBA), and the impact the fire in Lytton has had on Lytton businesses.

The government launched the CEBA program to provide timely support to small businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and help support the jobs these businesses provide. The program provided nearly 900,000 small businesses with interest-free, partially forgivable loans of up to $60,000 to cover non-deferrable operating expenses. From the onset of the COVID pandemic, Export Development Canada (EDC), federal government partners and more than 230 Canadian financial institutions worked together to provide support to both exporting and non-exporting companies. This vital support helped small businesses make it through an unprecedented period of time. 

To provide additional support to businesses, the government extended the deadline to repay the loan, interest-free, until December 31, 2023, after which there is a repayment period of up to two years at an interest rate of 5%. The loans are fully due by December 31, 2025.

EDC is the administrator of the CEBA program on behalf of the Government of Canada and is working with the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) to put in place systems to collect loans that remain outstanding after the repayment date. For those that cannot repay by the deadline, the CRA will work with each business to determine its ability to repay, emphasizing fairness, empathy, and putting people first.

The Government of Canada recognizes the importance of helping the people of Lytton rebuild. Pacific Economic Development Canada (PacifiCan) are offering two new programs to support the rebuilding of Lytton:

  • $6 million for the new Lytton Homeowner Resilient Rebuild program to support eligible homeowners who will rebuild to net-zero and fire-resistant standards; and
  • $7.2 million to create the Lytton Business Restart program to help small- and medium-sized businesses re-establish in the community. This funding will include support for Indigenous businesses and those operated by women, youth and other underrepresented groups.

The Government of Canada remains committed to supporting Canadians and Canadian businesses and is focusing on growing our economy and building a stronger, more resilient Canada for everyone.

Presented to the House of Commons
Brad Vis (Mission—Matsqui—Fraser Canyon)
April 18, 2023 (Petition No. 441-01295)
Government response tabled
June 1, 2023
Photo - Brad Vis
Mission—Matsqui—Fraser Canyon
Conservative Caucus
British Columbia

Only validated signatures are counted towards the total number of signatures.