OTTAWA -- Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the federal government is looking into ways to support Royal Canadian Legions and other service and volunteer-based organizations that are “going through a very difficult time right now.”
As CTV News has reported, Royal Canadian Legion halls across the country are facing the prospect of never being able to reopen, after being shuttered for months due to COVID-19 and ineligible for the host of federal aid programs that have been offered to help keep other businesses and charitable organizations afloat.
It’s estimated that about 124 of the 1,381 Royal Canadian Legion branches across Canada are likely to close permanently, and another 357 are facing financial hardship.
“There have been many, many supports for Canadians but there are smaller organizations, service organizations, and legions… that are going through a very difficult time right now,” Trudeau told reporters on Friday.
“We know that, we hear that and we're working with the Minister of Veterans Affairs and other officials to try and ensure that we're supporting these organizations that are so important, not just for veterans but for their communities as well,” he said.
Unable to hold events or rent their space has meant that legions have lost a key income stream, leaving them unable to cover costs like rent and utilities. While some branches may have employees on their payroll and could be eligible for some assistance, most are volunteer-run and while they may be able to qualify for funding for COVID-19 specific programming, those funds can’t be used on operational costs.
“We've had, of our 1,381 branches, 167 have applied for federal assistance programs, but unfortunately only 55 have received that funding so it's still a very small percentage,” National Executive Director Steven Clark previously told CTV News.
In a statement, NDP critic for veterans Rachel Blaney said that it’s important that the government “look after our legions.”
“Legions provide a fundamentally important resource to veterans, their families, and communities across Canada… the Government of Canada needs to stand up for legions and the veterans they serve,” she said.
The national organization founded by veterans for veterans has also launched a legal battle against a Canadian insurance company, arguing that they have been denied an insurance claim for loss of business income in a debate over the policy’s language.
There are 625 Legion branches involved in the $20-million class-action filed against AVIVA Insurance Company of Canada.
With files from CTV News’ Annie Bergeron-Oliver and CTV News London
