Restaurant group urges Ottawa to expand compensation for G20-related losses

TORONTO, June 29 /CNW/ - 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 [phone] or [email protected]) 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.

For further information: Prasanthi Vasanthakumar, CRFA Communications Specialist, [phone] or [email protected]