ACTA Asks All Advisors to Contact MPs Today to Support Bill C-2

Thousands of travel agencies in Canada could be facing bankruptcy if Bill C-2 is not passed before the holiday break and it is time for agents to act in order to secure a future for the Canadian travel agency industry. 

That’s the message from Wendy Paradis, the president of the Association for Canadian Travel Agencies (ACTA), this week. 

“The recently added testing regime for travellers, along with new travel restrictions, have caused a lot of concern and confusion — and customers are calling travel agencies looking for clarity asking what they will have to do, will they be covered by insurance — and should they be travelling at all,” Paradis said. 

The bill, which introduces the Tourism and Hospitality Recovery Program, needs to be passed before the government goes on its lengthy holiday break. It is currently in the House of Commons being reviewed by the Finance Committee. 

The last day the House sits is Friday, Dec. 17. If the bill doesn’t pass before then, the House will not reconvene until Jan. 31, 2022. 

If passed, Bill C-2 would provide up to 75% in wage and rent support to businesses with revenue losses of over 40%, a category that many Canadian travel agencies would fall into. 

ACTA is urging all members, and non-members to write to MPs today. Agents can use the form from the Coalition of Hardest Hit Business, an organization that ACTA is part of, here. 

ACTA is separately urging independent agents to join a letter-writing campaign, urging parliamentarians to pass legislation that includes support for independent travel agents as it is unknown whether independent travel agents will be eligible for support in Bill C-2.