Canada could see coronavirus claim 50 percent of restaurants and bars

The issue was addressed last Thursday to the House of Commons finance committee where it was revealed that 10 percent of restaurants across Canada had to shut their doors for good at March's end, according to the Canadian Press.

April's numbers will likely see another spike, with another 18 percent of restaurants closing shop by the month's end.

Restaurant operator Andrew Oliver told the committee that many independent restaurants, nearly 50 percent, would not survive the pandemic, as many are forced to shut down shop if they are unable to deliver food or provide take out options.

According to Dave Lefebvre, vice-president of Restaurants Canada, the pandemic has "wreaked havoc" on the hospitality industry, with 800,000 of its 1.2 million jobs being axed.

“More than half our industry does not have any sales. Dreams are broken, retirement hopes are broken, careers are broken, lives are in shambles,” said Lefebvre.

Hotels are another victim of the pandemic. Marc Staniloff, owner of Superior Lodging Corp said that 20 percent of the chains under the Superior Lodging umbrella have had to shut their doors for the time being.

Hotel occupancy also sits at nine percent, he told the committee.

President of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business Dan Kelly said on Thursday that the total number of small and medium-sized businesses closed across Canada currently sits at 80 percent, with 55 percent of those still open saying they have seen decreases of over 50 percent.

In response to the crisis, the Trudeau government has both proposed and passed a number of legislation including rent relief, which could help businesses that have seen a reduction of business of 70 percent compared to last year, at the same time.

That rent relief was promised to be worked with provincial governments, as rents are right around the corner on May 1.