MP Warkentin calling on more support for restaurants and hospitality sector

Grande Prairie-Mackenzie’s Member of Parliament says the Tories are calling on the government to increase supports for restaurants, as well as the hospitality and tourism sectors.

Chris Warkentin tells the Trending 55 Newsroom that those industries were the first to feel the economic wrath of COVID-19.

“Day-after-day, going from full-speed to absolute decimation within hours has really hurt these industries,” says Warkentin.

He also explains that while the pandemic has caused companies to lay off employees, the entrepreneurs who own and operate restaurants and hotels are also facing hardships.

“Those people still have bills to pay and quite frankly, they have zero revenue coming in,” he says.

Warkentin did praise the government for rolling out the wage subsidy program, which will cover an employee’s wage up to 75 percent, up to a maximum of $847 per-week.

However, he says that the vast majority of the programs announced do nothing for industries that have had to completely shut their doors.

“If there isn’t some type of support for these businesses, they will not be able to re-open and there will be the loss of jobs and services in communities all over Canada,” states Warkentin. “We would encourage them (the federal government) to do something now.”

– Kenny Trenton, Trending 55 Newsroom

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