BC Greens promise to support tourism sector through the pandemic

BC’s Green party has released part of its platform focused on supporting the small business and tourism sectors.

Campaigning in Whistler, Leader Sonia Furstenau says the NDP’s snap election call has been at the expense of small business owners who’ve seen pandemic supports delayed.

She says a Green government would allocate $300 million to create a six-month rent subsidy program for small businesses.

Qualifying businesses that have monthly rental costs up to $50,000 would have a quarter of those costs covered.

• See also:
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  • BC Green Party election proposals include four-day work week
  • BC Liberals promise $8 billion infrastructure plan, including 10-lane George Massey bridge

The Greens would also retool the provincial grant program for the tourism sector to focus on supporting small operators, which Furstenau says have been the hardest hit by the pandemic.

She says her plan would offer targeted support to businesses that need it faster to provide them with much-needed certainly through the winter.