Noon Update for April 8, 2020

Prime Minister Trudeau. 📷: PMO photographer (used with permission).

NANAIMO —The Prime Minister has announced changes to an emergency program, aimed at keeping employees on the payroll. The changes relax the eligibility requirements for the Canada Wage Subsidy Benefit. Employers no longer have to prove a 30 percent loss in gross revenues last month, compared to revenues in March of 2019. Now, employers need only prove a 15 percent loss last month, compared to revenues in January of this year. Justin Trudeau says the changes will help new, growing or seasonal businesses that were not eligible under the former rules. The benefit pays 75 percent of employee wages. Trudeau says other changes to the program will help charities and non-profits, that now have the option to include or exclude government subsidies like grants, in calculating their losses.

Ottawa hopes to create more jobs for students by expanding its Canada Summer Jobs program. The program will now subsidize 100 percent of the cost of hiring students and it will also apply to part-time jobs.

Provincial parks in BC are closed until further notice. The decision is an attempt to ensure people stay at home this holiday weekend. The province says it was prompted by concerns raised by the RCMP, first nations, local governments and search and rescue groups about the ability to enforce physical distancing orders in wilderness settings. BC Parks has also extended its ban on camping in its parks until the end of May. Refunds for bookings will be sent automatically. Canada's national parks were closed to traffic two weeks ago because of a big spike in use. Highways and roadways which pass through those parks and sites will remain open but no one will be allowed to stop anywhere inside the parks.

The Premier has told CBC News that BC will begin a more intensive screening of travellers returning to Canada. John Horgan says travellers arriving at airports and border crossings will have to show they have a plan to quarantine, instead of just promises to do so. Horgan will provide more details at a news conference at 1:15 this afternoon.

Meanwhile, the Premier has given a free pass to the Easter Bunny. Horgan posted a Special Eggs-Emption on Twitter today, allowing the Easter Bunny to "travel freely and throughout the province of British Columbia, for the essential service of spreading Eggs-ellent cheer."

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Lisa Cordasco

Senior Reporter and News Director — Lisa is responsible for creating the station's first morning news current affairs show on CHLY. She is also deeply involved in training and mentoring student and citizen journalists who volunteer their time at the station. Before joining CHLY, Lisa spent 35 years in various roles at CBC Radio, from host to reporter. Her passion for journalism and radio has led her to Nanaimo, where she intends to provide CHLY listeners with news they can use, in an alternative radio environment. Her other not-so-secret passion is costuming for any occasion.

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