Government Plans to Increase Financial Assistance for Businesses
The federal government is planning to provide more financial assistance to businesses. This includes: Extending the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS) for hardest hit businesses, including hotels, until June 2021. They will also raise the current subsidy rate to 65% of eligible wages until December 19, [...]
Travel Alberta — the (re)Bound of Alberta’s Visitor Economy
Tourism was one of the first and most significantly impacted sectors of the COVID-19 pandemic. At Ascend 2020, Travel Alberta provided an update on the Alberta re(Bound) Strategy to rebuild the tourism industry, including key research and insights into traveler sentiments. [...]
Advocacy, Resources & Sustainability: A Road Map for the Future
By Chris Barr, AHLA Board Chair Alberta hotels are one of the hardest-hit industries of the COVID-19 pandemic. Hoteliers have had to drastically adapt our businesses and make a lot of hard decisions just to survive. When the pandemic hit, the AHLA quickly refocused to [...]
Don’t Pay More Property Tax Than You Have To
In various communities across Alberta, pre-roll consultation periods for 2021 property tax assessments are about to begin. Pre-roll offers authorized representatives (sometimes referred to as “property tax agents”) the opportunity to see an estimate of a property's tax assessment before it is officially released in [...]
Federal Government Moves to Extend Wage Subsidy
The 2020 Speech from the Throne included key asks that the AHLA and the Hotel Association of Canada (HAC) have been advocating for, including: Extending the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS) to summer of 2021, Expanding the Canada Emergency Business Account (CEBA) to help businesses with fixed costs, Improving access to Government loans (BCAP), [...]
That’s a Wrap! Ascend focuses on recovery for Alberta hotels
Hotels around Alberta now have more data and resources to help manage today’s economic challenges, following the AHLA’s first annual Ascend conference for industry leaders on September 21 and 22. Held virtually this year, attendees heard from top tourism, real estate, and financial advisors in [...]
Ministry Approves Temporary Layoff Extension for AHLA Members
The AHLA has been working with Alberta Labour and Immigration to extend temporary layoff rules for our members. We are pleased to announce that our request has been approved, and that a Ministerial Order has been issued to extend temporary layoffs for AHLA members to [...]
Preventing Commercial Kitchen Fires
by Western Financial Group Insurance Solutions Commercial kitchen fires account for a large number of fire claims in Canada. The majority of these fires are the result of poor construction or maintenance practices. Fires tend to start when flare-ups ignite the grease residue on the [...]
AHLA Members Get INNsight Into State of the Industry
AHLA members learned about the latest market trends and most recent government activity impacting hotels at the AHLA’s first online Quarterly Innsight meeting. This new, members-only event will give members insight into the market realities that are affecting hotels, and how the AHLA is responding. [...]
Touchless Room Service is on the Menu
A hotel guest has just arrived in his room after a long trip and is craving a hamburger and fries. He taps his cell phone to a hotspot sign in his room and a screen opens on his phone. He selects "Room Service,” scans the [...]
Government Announces $37 Billion Income Support Plan
The Government of Canada has announced a $37 billion income support plan to replace the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB), which includes: Extension of CERB for an additional four weeks, until September 26. After this date, most CERB recipients will transition to the Employment Insurance [...]