{"id":9003,"date":"2021-04-20T10:50:46","date_gmt":"2021-04-20T10:50:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pantheregroup.com\/2021\/04\/20\/federal-budget-brings-1-5-billion-support-for-hard-hit-tourism-and-travel-sectors\/"},"modified":"2021-04-20T10:50:46","modified_gmt":"2021-04-20T10:50:46","slug":"federal-budget-brings-1-5-billion-support-for-hard-hit-tourism-and-travel-sectors","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pantheregroup.com\/2021\/04\/20\/federal-budget-brings-1-5-billion-support-for-hard-hit-tourism-and-travel-sectors\/","title":{"rendered":"Federal budget brings $1.5 billion support for hard-hit tourism and travel sectors"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> \n<\/p>\n<div id=\"\">\n<nav aria-label=\"Breadcrumb\" class=\"breadcrumbs\">\n<h2 class=\"visually-hidden\">Breadcrumb Trail Links<\/h2>\n<ol class=\"breadcrumbs__items list-unstyled\">\n<li class=\"breadcrumbs__item\"> News <\/li>\n<li class=\"breadcrumbs__item\"> Economy <\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/nav>\n<p class=\"article-subtitle\"> With planes grounded and events cancelled, these two sectors have been among the hardest hit in the pandemic <\/p>\n<div class=\"article-meta\">\n<div class=\"published-by\">\n<p>Author of the article:<\/p>\n<p> <span class=\"published-by__author\">Stefanie Marotta<\/span> <\/div><\/div>\n<figure class=\"featured-image\"><picture class=\"featured-image__ratio featured-image-category__economy\"><source media=\"(min-width: 1200px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.prod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/airport0420.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=564&amp;type=webp,&#10;            https:\/\/smartcdn.prod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/airport0420.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1128&amp;type=webp 2x\" type=\"image\/webp\"\/><source media=\"(min-width: 1200px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.prod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/airport0420.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=564&amp;type=jpg,&#10;            https:\/\/smartcdn.prod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/airport0420.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1128&amp;type=jpg 2x\" type=\"image\/jpeg\"\/><source media=\"(min-width: 768px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.prod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/airport0420.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=472&amp;type=webp,&#10;            https:\/\/smartcdn.prod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/airport0420.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=944&amp;type=webp 2x\" type=\"image\/webp\"\/><source media=\"(min-width: 768px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.prod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/airport0420.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=472&amp;type=jpg,&#10;            https:\/\/smartcdn.prod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/airport0420.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=944&amp;type=jpg 2x\" type=\"image\/jpeg\"\/><source media=\"(max-width: 767px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.prod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/airport0420.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=288&amp;type=webp,&#10;            https:\/\/smartcdn.prod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/airport0420.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=576&amp;type=webp 2x\" type=\"image\/webp\"\/><\/picture><figcaption class=\"featured-image__caption image-caption\"><span class=\"caption\">An empty security queue with social distancing markers is seen at Toronto Pearson International Airport. Passengers typically make up about 90 per cent of airport revenue, but during the pandemic, travel plummeted to 10 per cent of normal levels while airports remained open to manage essential travellers and cargo.<\/span> <span class=\"credit\">Photo by Cole Burston\/Bloomberg<\/span> <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"\">\n<h2 class=\"visually-hidden\">Article content<\/h2>\n<p>The pandemic-battered travel and tourism industries will receive about $1.5 billion in targeted support from the federal budget as the Trudeau government attempts to boost jobs and revive the economy.<\/p>\n<p>The two sectors have been among the hardest hit due to restrictions and closures to help prevent the spread of COVID-19, with events cancelled and planes grounded. To help revive the beleaguered industries as the pandemic unwinds, the federal budget earmarked $1 billion for the tourism industry and $465 million dollars for air travel and airports.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt means providing support where COVID has struck hardest \u2014 to women, to young people, to low-wage workers, and to small and medium-sized businesses, especially in hospitality and tourism,\u201d Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland said on Monday.<\/p>\n<p>The budget includes $82.5 million this year for Transport Canada to help large Canadian airports invest in COVID-19 testing infrastructure, with an additional $105.3 million over five years to develop touchless and secure air travel technology with international partners. The Canadian Air Transport Security Authority will also receive $6.7 million to purchase sanitization equipment.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div id=\"\">\n<h2 class=\"visually-hidden\">Article content<\/h2>\n<figure class=\"embedded-image\"><picture class=\"embedded-image__ratio\"><source data-srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.prod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/budget-tourism.png?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=564&amp;type=webp,&#10;            https:\/\/smartcdn.prod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/budget-tourism.png?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1128&amp;type=webp 2x\" media=\"(min-width: 1200px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/financialpost.com\/data:,https:\/\/financialpost.com\/1w\" type=\"image\/webp\"\/><source data-srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.prod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/budget-tourism.png?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=564&amp;type=jpg,&#10;            https:\/\/smartcdn.prod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/budget-tourism.png?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1128&amp;type=jpg 2x\" media=\"(min-width: 1200px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/financialpost.com\/data:,https:\/\/financialpost.com\/1w\" type=\"image\/jpeg\"\/><source data-srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.prod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/budget-tourism.png?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=472&amp;type=webp,&#10;            https:\/\/smartcdn.prod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/budget-tourism.png?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=944&amp;type=webp 2x\" media=\"(min-width: 768px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/financialpost.com\/data:,https:\/\/financialpost.com\/1w\" type=\"image\/webp\"\/><source data-srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.prod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/budget-tourism.png?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=472&amp;type=jpg,&#10;            https:\/\/smartcdn.prod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/budget-tourism.png?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=944&amp;type=jpg 2x\" media=\"(min-width: 768px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/financialpost.com\/data:,https:\/\/financialpost.com\/1w\" type=\"image\/jpeg\"\/><source data-srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.prod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/budget-tourism.png?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=288&amp;type=webp,&#10;            https:\/\/smartcdn.prod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/budget-tourism.png?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=576&amp;type=webp 2x\" media=\"(max-width: 767px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/financialpost.com\/data:,https:\/\/financialpost.com\/1w\" type=\"image\/webp\"\/><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" class=\"embedded-image__image lazyload\" src=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.prod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/budget-tourism.png?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=288\" srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.prod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/budget-tourism.png?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=288,&#10;                https:\/\/smartcdn.prod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/budget-tourism.png?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=576 2x\" height=\"835\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1000\"\/><\/picture><\/figure>\n<p>Passengers typically make up about 90 per cent of airport revenue, but during the pandemic, travel plummeted to 10 per cent of normal levels while airports remained open to manage essential travellers and cargo. As a result, Canada\u2019s airports expect to have lost $5.5 billion in revenues while adding $2.8 billion in pandemic-related debt by the end the year, according to the Canadian Airport Council.<\/p>\n<section aria-labelledby=\"moreTopicLabel8192323687164401401905656936653160\" class=\"more-topic\" data-carousel-icon-button=\"\" data-carousel-type=\"list\"><button aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"more-topic__button-prev\" data-carousel-prev=\"\" tabindex=\"-1\" title=\"previous\" type=\"button\"\/><\/p>\n<ol class=\"more-topic__items list-unstyled\" data-carousel-slide-list=\"\" tabindex=\"0\">\n<li class=\"more-topic__item\" data-carousel-item=\"\"><picture class=\"more-topic__item-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland attends a press conference on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, on Monday.\" class=\"lazyload\" src=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.prod.postmedia.digital\/nationalpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/vw0419chrystia-freeland.jpg?h=96&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80\" height=\"96\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.prod.postmedia.digital\/nationalpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/vw0419chrystia-freeland.jpg?h=96&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80,&#10;                                    https:\/\/smartcdn.prod.postmedia.digital\/nationalpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/vw0419chrystia-freeland.jpg?h=192&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 2x,&#10;                                    https:\/\/smartcdn.prod.postmedia.digital\/nationalpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/vw0419chrystia-freeland.jpg?h=288&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 3x\" width=\"96\"\/><\/picture>\n<h3 class=\"more-topic__item-text\"><span class=\"more-topic__item-text-clamp\"> Canada&#8217;s economy was overdue for a positive shock \u2014 an historic budget might do the trick <\/span><\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"more-topic__item\" data-carousel-item=\"\"><picture class=\"more-topic__item-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"A women covers her face as she walks past a child care centre that's closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Toronto on Friday, April 10, 2020. \" class=\"lazyload\" src=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.prod.postmedia.digital\/nationalpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/child_care_federal_budget_2021.jpg?h=96&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80\" height=\"96\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.prod.postmedia.digital\/nationalpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/child_care_federal_budget_2021.jpg?h=96&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80,&#10;                                    https:\/\/smartcdn.prod.postmedia.digital\/nationalpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/child_care_federal_budget_2021.jpg?h=192&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 2x,&#10;                                    https:\/\/smartcdn.prod.postmedia.digital\/nationalpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/child_care_federal_budget_2021.jpg?h=288&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 3x\" width=\"96\"\/><\/picture>\n<h3 class=\"more-topic__item-text\"><span class=\"more-topic__item-text-clamp\"> Federal budget 2021 pledges $101 billion for child care and recovery spending as debt ratio skyrockets <\/span><\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"more-topic__item\" data-carousel-item=\"\"><picture class=\"more-topic__item-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"The federal budget proposes to put a countrywide tax in place on the value of \u201cnon-resident, non-Canadian owned residential real estate\u201d that is deemed vacant or underused.\" class=\"lazyload\" src=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.prod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/vw0419sold.jpg?h=96&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80\" height=\"96\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.prod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/vw0419sold.jpg?h=96&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80,&#10;                                    https:\/\/smartcdn.prod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/vw0419sold.jpg?h=192&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 2x,&#10;                                    https:\/\/smartcdn.prod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/vw0419sold.jpg?h=288&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 3x\" width=\"96\"\/><\/picture>\n<h3 class=\"more-topic__item-text\"><span class=\"more-topic__item-text-clamp\"> Trudeau government&#8217;s federal budget enters housing fray with tax on foreign owners <\/span><\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><button aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"more-topic__button-next\" data-carousel-next=\"\" tabindex=\"-1\" title=\"next\" type=\"button\"\/><\/section>\n<p>\u201cCanada clamped down on travel to keep Canadians safe, which has had an immediate and devastating impact on the air sector and prospects for post-pandemic recovery,\u201d Canadian Airport Council president Daniel-Robert Gooch said in a press release last week.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"embedded-image\"><picture class=\"embedded-image__ratio\"><source data-srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.prod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/calgary-stampede0420.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=564&amp;type=webp,&#10;            https:\/\/smartcdn.prod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/calgary-stampede0420.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1128&amp;type=webp 2x\" media=\"(min-width: 1200px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/financialpost.com\/data:,https:\/\/financialpost.com\/1w\" type=\"image\/webp\"\/><source data-srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.prod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/calgary-stampede0420.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=564&amp;type=jpg,&#10;            https:\/\/smartcdn.prod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/calgary-stampede0420.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1128&amp;type=jpg 2x\" media=\"(min-width: 1200px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/financialpost.com\/data:,https:\/\/financialpost.com\/1w\" type=\"image\/jpeg\"\/><source data-srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.prod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/calgary-stampede0420.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=472&amp;type=webp,&#10;            https:\/\/smartcdn.prod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/calgary-stampede0420.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=944&amp;type=webp 2x\" media=\"(min-width: 768px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/financialpost.com\/data:,https:\/\/financialpost.com\/1w\" type=\"image\/webp\"\/><source data-srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.prod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/calgary-stampede0420.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=472&amp;type=jpg,&#10;            https:\/\/smartcdn.prod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/calgary-stampede0420.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=944&amp;type=jpg 2x\" media=\"(min-width: 768px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/financialpost.com\/data:,https:\/\/financialpost.com\/1w\" type=\"image\/jpeg\"\/><source data-srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.prod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/calgary-stampede0420.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=288&amp;type=webp,&#10;            https:\/\/smartcdn.prod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/calgary-stampede0420.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=576&amp;type=webp 2x\" media=\"(max-width: 767px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/financialpost.com\/data:,https:\/\/financialpost.com\/1w\" type=\"image\/webp\"\/><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"An empty field at the grounds of the Calgary Stampede after it was announced in April 2020 that the event had been cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.\" class=\"embedded-image__image lazyload\" src=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.prod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/calgary-stampede0420.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=288\" srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.prod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/calgary-stampede0420.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=288,&#10;                https:\/\/smartcdn.prod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/calgary-stampede0420.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=576 2x\" height=\"323\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1000\"\/><\/picture><figcaption class=\"image-caption\"><span class=\"caption\"> An empty field at the grounds of the Calgary Stampede after it was announced in April 2020 that the event had been cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.<\/span> <span class=\"credit\">Photo by Gavin Young\/Postmedia<\/span> <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>In an attempt to meet its goal of creating one-million jobs by the end of this year, the federal government is spending $1 billion investment over three years to support festivals, local cultural celebrations, concerts, exhibits and live shows.<\/p>\n<p>The pandemic has decimated local tourism industries across the country. The number of active businesses in the sector dropped by nine per cent between January and November of last year, according to a March report by Destination Canada.<\/p>\n<p>Large national festivals \u2014 including Toronto\u2019s Canadian National Exhibition, Vancouver\u2019s Pacific National Exhibition and the Calgary Stampede \u2014 have struggled to maintain leases and pay what staff remain after layoffs without being able to host in-person events. Last year, the Canadian Association of Fairs and Exhibitions asked for $74 million to help fairs, exhibitions and agricultural societies survive.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"embedded-image\"><picture class=\"embedded-image__ratio\"><source data-srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.prod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/sector-jobs-losses.png?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=564&amp;type=webp,&#10;            https:\/\/smartcdn.prod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/sector-jobs-losses.png?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1128&amp;type=webp 2x\" media=\"(min-width: 1200px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/financialpost.com\/data:,https:\/\/financialpost.com\/1w\" type=\"image\/webp\"\/><source data-srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.prod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/sector-jobs-losses.png?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=564&amp;type=jpg,&#10;            https:\/\/smartcdn.prod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/sector-jobs-losses.png?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1128&amp;type=jpg 2x\" media=\"(min-width: 1200px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/financialpost.com\/data:,https:\/\/financialpost.com\/1w\" type=\"image\/jpeg\"\/><source data-srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.prod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/sector-jobs-losses.png?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=472&amp;type=webp,&#10;            https:\/\/smartcdn.prod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/sector-jobs-losses.png?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=944&amp;type=webp 2x\" media=\"(min-width: 768px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/financialpost.com\/data:,https:\/\/financialpost.com\/1w\" type=\"image\/webp\"\/><source data-srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.prod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/sector-jobs-losses.png?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=472&amp;type=jpg,&#10;            https:\/\/smartcdn.prod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/sector-jobs-losses.png?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=944&amp;type=jpg 2x\" media=\"(min-width: 768px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/financialpost.com\/data:,https:\/\/financialpost.com\/1w\" type=\"image\/jpeg\"\/><source data-srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.prod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/sector-jobs-losses.png?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=288&amp;type=webp,&#10;            https:\/\/smartcdn.prod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/sector-jobs-losses.png?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=576&amp;type=webp 2x\" media=\"(max-width: 767px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/financialpost.com\/data:,https:\/\/financialpost.com\/1w\" type=\"image\/webp\"\/><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" class=\"embedded-image__image lazyload\" src=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.prod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/sector-jobs-losses.png?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=288\" srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.prod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/sector-jobs-losses.png?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=288,&#10;                https:\/\/smartcdn.prod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/sector-jobs-losses.png?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=576 2x\" height=\"857\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1001\"\/><\/picture><\/figure>\n<p>The investment in travel and tourism comes one week after the federal government announced a $5.9 billion relief package for Air Canada, with further investments in Canada\u2019s airlines to be announced at a later date.<\/p>\n<p>Monday\u2019s announcement marks the first federal budget since before the COVID-19 pandemic hit, and the Canadian government is spending a significant amount of money \u2014 the most spent the Second World War \u2014 to help get the economy back on track.<\/p>\n<p data-async=\"\"><em>\u2022 Email: smarotta@postmedia.com | Twitter: <a class=\"twitter-follow-button\" data-evt=\"click\" data-evt-typ=\"User Interaction Click\" data-evt-val=\"{\" control_fields=\"\" source=\"\" type=\"\" name=\"\" target=\"\" url=\"\" vertical=\"\" position=\"\" pixels=\"\" link=\"\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/StefanieMarotta\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">StefanieMarotta<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><br \/>\n<br \/>\n<br \/>Federal budget brings $1.5 billion support for hard-hit tourism and travel sectors<\/a><br \/>\n<br \/>2021-04-20 10:50:46<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Breadcrumb Trail Links News Economy With planes grounded and events cancelled, these two sectors have been among the hardest hit in the pandemic Author of the article: Stefanie Marotta An&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":9004,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[31],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-9003","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-economy"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pantheregroup.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9003","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pantheregroup.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pantheregroup.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pantheregroup.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pantheregroup.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9003"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.pantheregroup.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9003\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pantheregroup.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/media\/9004"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pantheregroup.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9003"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pantheregroup.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9003"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pantheregroup.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9003"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}