Canada column for
Sunday, May 31/2020
THE CANADIAN REPORT
(c) By Jim Fox
A study shows the
pandemic has disrupted Canadians’ travel plan not just for this summer but into
next year.
“Our survey shows
that travelers are paying attention to government guidelines and are staying
home,” said Todd Crawford of the Conference Board of Canada.
The not-for-profit
think tank outlines the devastating impact of the virus on tourism and
businesses and communities relying on it.
Domestic travel intentions
should return to “somewhat normal in April 2021” while international travel
should remain at “below-normal levels until December 2021,” the survey
predicts.
In a normal year,
about 80 percent of Canadians are planning a leisure trip but this year the
number is almost halved to 45 percent.
Some 58 per cent
have either delayed or canceled their summer trips.
Sixty-six percent
plan to stay in Canada this year even if the border with the U.S. reopens.
---
More areas of
Canada are reopening as COVID-1 cases drop with 90,000 confirmed and
presumptive cases and 6,979 deaths nationally.
Ontario is looking
at reopening region by region and in Quebec elementary schools outside of
Montreal have reopened.
A devastating blow
to tourism is the Canadian government’s extended ban on large cruise ships through
the end of October.
Transport Minister
Marc Garneau said ships carrying more than 100 people, including crew, and 12
passengers in the Arctic can’t operate in Canadian waters in a bid to prevent virus
outbreaks.
Last year 140
cruise ships brought two-million visitors to Canadian ports, resulting in more
than $3 billion to the economy and 23,000 Canadian jobs.
---
News in brief:
- “We have work to
do as well in Canada,” Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said reacting to riots in
the U.S. over the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man while being
arrested in Minneapolis. Canadians are watching the news “with shock and horror,”
Trudeau said. “Anti-black racism is s also in Canada and we know people are
facing systemic discrimination, unconscious bias and anti-black racism every single
day,” he added.
- Statistics Canada
is warning of a steeper hit to the economy after reporting the country had its
worst showing in the first quarter of the year since 2009 due to the virus
outbreak. The gross domestic product fell 8.2 percent while preliminary numbers
indicate an 11 percent drop in April. The government has so far spent $152
billion in aid, upping the national debt to $950 billion.
---
Facts and figures:
The Canadian dollar
has advanced to 72.6 cents U.S. while the U.S. dollar returns $1.376 Canadian before
exchange fees.
The Bank of Canada’s
key interest rate is unchanged at 0.25 percent while the prime lending rate is
2.45 percent.
Canadian stock
markets are higher with the Toronto index at 15,192 points and the TSX Venture
index 553 points.
The average price
for gas in Canada is 95.3 cents a liter (Canadian) or $3.62 for a U.S. gallon.
Lotto Max: (May
26) 5, 27, 34, 37, 39, 41 and 47; bonus 20. (May 22) 9, 11, 14, 21, 22, 24 and 41;
bonus 10.
Lotto 6/49 (May
27) 7, 17, 18, 22, 28 and 34; bonus 1. (May 23) 4, 25, 27, 28, 35, 44 and 9.
---
Regional briefs:
- Deplorable
conditions in numerous long-term care homes for the elderly in Ontario and
Quebec could lead to criminal charges, said Ontario Premier Doug Ford. The
problems were detailed in reports from the military called in to help at
several homes during the pandemic. Outbreaks at nursing homes have accounted
for most of Canada’s deaths. The provincial governments have turned the
operation of several private homes to local hospitals and are hiring more
workers.
- Just after
predicting a more active hurricane season, Canada is also expecting a wildfire
season that’s “well above average.” Scientists at Natural Resources Canada
predict an elevated fire risk starting in June from British Columbia to northern
Ontario and the territories. Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and British
Columbia could see an elevated threat of wildfires that stretches into
September, they said.
-30-
Jim Fox can be reached at canadareport@hotmail.com
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