Briefing Note: Economic Responses to COVID–19 (January 2021)

The economic restrictions and social distancing measures during the COVID-19 pandemic have caused major disruptions to Canadian businesses. Those disruptions are expected to have particularly large negative effects on small and medium-sized organizations, as many of these businesses tend to be concentrated in the travel and hospitality-related industries, such as transportation, restaurants, accommodation, and arts and entertainment, which took the hardest hit from the COVID-19 pandemic.

This briefing-note is based on information in the public domains and documents relating to economic responses to the pandemic by the Canadian federal and provincial governments. It also summarizes similar responses by other developed countries for the purpose of comparison.

CPHR (Chartered Professionals in Human Resources) Canada represents 27,000 members in the Human Resources (HR) Profession across various Provinces and Territories in Canada. Established in 1994, CPHR Canada is the national voice on the enhancement and promotion of the HR Profession.