Want to scrap the Carbon Tax? Add your name here!

Covid-19 Update – March 17, 2020

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

My staff and I remain available to assist constituents. My office can be reached by phone at 1-800-667-8450 or by email at arnold.viersen@parl.gc.ca. Throughout this period, I will be providing regular updates on changes at the national level. All national updates can be found at: Canada.ca/coronavirus

 

National

On March 16, the federal government announced several new measures to limit the spread of the Covid-19 in Canada:

 

  1. Canada will be closing its borders to people who are not Canadian citizens, or permanent residents of Canada. Exceptions will be made for air crews, diplomats, immediate family members and U.S. citizens. An economic aid package is being made available to help Canadians amid the outbreak.
  2. Airlines will ban anyone who is showing symptoms of the virus from getting on a plane.
  3. Only four airports will receive international flights: Pearson International Airport, Vancouver International Airport, Montreal Trudeau Airport and Calgary International Airport.
  4. Domestic flights and flights from the U.S., Mexico and the Caribbean will not be affected.
  5. These measures do not apply to trade or businesses. (Conservatives are working to verify the impact to the Temporary Foreign Worker and Seasonal Agriculture Worker programs)
  6. Recommended that Canadians abroad return home via commercial means while they remain available. If you have just arrived, you must self-isolate for 14 days.

 

For businesses, the federal government announced that they are establishing a Business Credit Availability Program (BCAP) to support financing in the private sector through the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) and Export Development Canada (EDC). Current assistance includes:

BDC also has an online assessment tool. For additional information, visit: https://www.tradecommissioner.gc.ca/campaign-campagne/ressources-entreprises-COVID-19-business-resources.aspx

 

Alberta

Within Alberta, the most up to date information locally including current situation, risk, cases and testing, prevention, etc. can be found at https://www.alberta.ca/coronavirus-info-for-albertans.aspx