June 29, 2010, Toronto – The Canadian Restaurant and Foodservices Association
(CRFA) is urging the federal government to fully compensate restaurant owners
and employees who were affected by the G20 protests, and has set up a hotline
to help its members navigate the compensation process.
“Restaurants are still counting their losses, but it’s clear that the
damage and disruption expanded well beyond the G20 security fence and well
beyond the two days of the Summit,” says Garth Whyte, CRFA president and
CEO. “We need a fair compensation system for business owners and employees
whose livelihoods have suffered because of this event.”
CRFA has three main concerns that have not been addressed by the federal
government: compensation for property damage; fair compensation for
restaurants inside and well outside the security perimeter, whose business
plummeted because customers avoided going downtown for several days; and
compensation for employees who lost wages.
“The rules are unclear,” says Whyte. “We are concerned that
a lot of restaurant owners who have been hurt by the G20 event will not be
compensated.”
The CRFA has set up a G20 hotline (416-649-4214 or G20@crfa.ca) to answer questions from its members
about government compensation. Restaurants have only 90 days to submit a claim
and volumes of supporting documents.
CRFA will also be surveying Toronto restaurant operators to assess the
damage caused by the G20 Summit. There are more than 8,000 restaurant
operators in the City of Toronto, employing almost 85,000 people.
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