CFA working hard to fight for franchised businesses and provide support to franchise community
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March 26, 2020


We are Better Together and United, We are Strong

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Canadian franchise community is unprecedented and we are all adapting to the knowledge that we will be navigating this situation for longer than we first anticipated.

As business leaders, we are faced with hard decisions. This is not business as usual. I have spoken to many members about the challenges they are currently facing and what they see to come. The adverse situation in which we all find ourselves is painful, difficult, and in some cases is devastating… but it does not need to determine the outcome of our organizations.  

The Canadian Franchise Association (CFA) is working hard on behalf of our members to fight for their businesses and their employees to try to bring creative solutions to government at all levels to help the franchise industry in Canada. Some of the work we have achieved includes:

Support for the Franchised Businesses & Workers

Yesterday, the Canadian Franchise Association (CFA) called on the Prime Minister and provincial and territorial Premiers for additional measures to support franchised businesses and the Canadian workers employed by the franchise industry. In our proposal, we ask for critical relief and funding, including:

  • Increasing Wage Subsidies
  • Workers’ Compensation Premium Subsidies
  • Sales Tax Remittance Deferrals
  • Commercial Rent Relief
  • Forgoing of Municipal Property Tax Payments
  • Relief from Utility Bills
  • Loan Payment Deferrals
  • Requiring Rating Agencies to Freeze Credit Scores
  • Creating Incentives & Subsidies for New Hires after the Crisis
  • Enhancements to the Canadian Small Business Finance Program (CSBFP), such as:
    • Improving Access to Capital;
    • Increasing Maximum Loan Amounts; and
    • Allowing Working Capital to be Financed.
A full copy of our letter to government can be found here and in the COVID-19 Resources section of our website.

Cooperation with Leading Business Organizations

In working with the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, the CFA has signed a joint statement along with over 60 other leading business organizations calling for government to protect jobs and postpone non-essential measures and consultations.

Continual Interaction with Government

David Black, CFA Director of Government Relations and Public Policy, has been working non-stop to garner support from government on your behalf through daily conference calls with the federal government and through frequent communications with multiple government officials. His efforts helped influence Canada’s federal stimulus package and his ongoing meetings with government are keeping franchised business owners on their radar.

In addition to Government Relations, the other priority for the CFA is Education. The CFA is doing everything we can to help you by providing up-to-date information through our Daily Update E-mails and the COVID-19 Resources section of our website.

Working with all of our members – franchisors, franchisees, and suppliers – we are serving as the nexus point through which the wealth of our members’ knowledge can flow. Through the CFA’s resources, you can expect the guidance of more experienced franchisors and suppliers and can rely on trusted friends along the way.

More webinars are being scheduled for the coming weeks on a variety of topics in response to member questions and feedback. Webinar information will be posted on the COVID-19 Resources page as it becomes available. If you are seeking information on a topic or issue related to current challenges, please let us know through our feedback form.

Our goal with these educational resources is to provide you with the right tools and support to not only make it through the challenges we face, but also emerge stronger than before.

During times of crisis, it is easy to feel overwhelmed. The important thing to remember is that you are not alone in this journey. The CFA community is here. No matter how many waves crash into us, we will find a way to navigate forward together as a community.

We are Better Together and United, We are Strong.

 

Sincerely,

 

Sherry McNeil

CFA President & CEO

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116-5399 Eglinton Avenue West
Toronto, Ontario M9C 5K6
Tel: 416-695-2896/800-665-4232
Fax: 416-695-1950
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