Friday, March 29, 2024
ADVT 
National

NDP pledges support for small businesses

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 02 Mar, 2021 07:43 PM
  • NDP pledges support for small businesses

Jagmeet Singh is promising that a federal NDP government would provide more support for small businesses struggling during the pandemic, including paying a bonus to companies that hire new employees or bring back those who have been laid off.

Singh unveiled the promises during a campaign-style event in British Columbia on Tuesday, less than a week after he said the New Democrats would not provoke an election as long as the COVID-19 pandemic persists.

The federal NDP leader said last week that his party would support the minority Liberal government on confidence votes in the House of Commons during the pandemic. Parties are nonetheless preparing for an election that could come at any time.

The hiring bonus proposed by the NDP would see the federal government cover the portion of employment insurance and Canada Pension Plan contributions normally paid by employers for new staff that are hired or staff rehired after being laid off.

The NDP did not provide an estimate for how much that or any of the other measures announced on Tuesday are expected to cost the government.

However, the government announced in September that it was freezing employment insurance rates for employers for the next two years with the pandemic. The move was expected to save businesses and employees about $1 billion this year.

Singh also promised to extend the federal government’s existing wage subsidy, rent assistance and business loan programs until the end of the pandemic, while also making it easier for businesses to access those relief programs.

The wage subsidy is currently set to expire in June, but the Liberal government has extended it several times since it was first unveiled last April. It also expanded the amount of support following complaints from business and opposition parties.

Singh is also highlighting an earlier promise to impose what he describes as an “excess profit tax” on companies that have benefited during the pandemic, though the NDP has yet to provide details on exactly how that will work.

The federal NDP has unveiled campaign promises on a number of different fronts over the past few weeks as parties prepare for a possible election.

MORE National ARTICLES

Police probe death of B.C. boy injured last week

Police probe death of B.C. boy injured last week
Sgt. Frank Jang, spokesman for the homicide team, says the child died later that day from extensive injuries, but few other details are being released.

Police probe death of B.C. boy injured last week

Fleeing fraud suspect strikes two officers with his car

Fleeing fraud suspect strikes two officers with his car
The passenger was removed from the car and arrested for fraud, but the driver suddenly reversed the vehicle, striking the two officers.

Fleeing fraud suspect strikes two officers with his car

New record of overdose deaths for January: coroner

New record of overdose deaths for January: coroner
The BC Coroners Service says 165 people died from suspected overdoses in January, the largest number of lives lost due to illicit drugs in the first month of a calendar year.

New record of overdose deaths for January: coroner

COVID-19 cases climb again as variants spread

COVID-19 cases climb again as variants spread
Tam says there is an increase in new variants circulating in Canada, and no province has been spared — though several continue to ease anti-pandemic restrictions.

COVID-19 cases climb again as variants spread

International air travel falling with new rules

International air travel falling with new rules
The drop in international arrivals in early February is about four times the decline seen between early January and early February in 2019 and 2020.

International air travel falling with new rules

Economy fell 5.4 per cent in 2020: StatCan

Economy fell 5.4 per cent in 2020: StatCan
Statistics Canada says real gross domestic product shrank 5.4 per cent in 2020, the steepest annual decline since comparable data was first recorded in 1961.

Economy fell 5.4 per cent in 2020: StatCan

PrevNext