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e-3427 (Business and trade)
E-petition
Initiated by John Pappas from Toronto, Ontario
Original language of petition: English
Petition to the Government of Canada
Whereas:
- Owners of small businesses that operate in buildings that they own, do not qualify for Rent Subsidy since the Federal Government added an “arms length” restriction to the Rent Subsidy policy in September 2020;
- These owners are not “shell companies” that will take advantage of the Rent Subsidy. They are mainly small business owners that own buildings on traditional main streets;
- These owners only qualify for property tax and utilities relief or deferral which is a small fraction of Rent Subsidy;
- Foreigners who own buildings in Canada receive their rent because their tenants qualify for Rent Subsidy;
- Large corporations that own malls and other huge properties receive their rent because their tenants qualify for Rent Subsidy;
- Canadian real estate investment trusts (REITs) receive their rent because their tenants qualify for Rent Subsidy;
- But, hard working Canadian small business owners who invested in their own communities by purchasing the buildings they operate in do not qualify for Rent Subsidy due to the “arms length” restriction. This is unjustifiable and discriminatory; and
- The building owner/operators desperately need and deserve the Rent Subsidy just as much as other small businesses shuttered due to Covid lockdowns.
We, the undersigned, Board of Directors of The Port Credit BIA, call upon the Government of Canada to lift the “arms length” restriction on Rent Subsidy.
We request that our federal government lift the “arms length” restriction on Rent Subsidy immediately to allow small businesses owners that operate in buildings that they own to qualify for Rent Subsidy retroactive to September 2020 and for Rent Subsidy from this date going forward.
- Open for signature
- June 14, 2021, at 2:10 p.m. (EDT)
- Closed for signature
- July 14, 2021, at 2:10 p.m. (EDT)
