The provincial opposition says the federal government is not doing enough to provide relief for restaurants, bars, and retail stores hit hard by COVID-19 disruptions.

Opposition Finance critic, Tony Wakeham says small and medium-sized businesses are the backbone of the economy.

He says those businesses need to survive to help the local economy rebound once health emergency measures are lifted.

Wakeham says the new commercial rent assistance program announced on Friday will provide some help, but it doesn’t go far enough.

Business owners still have to pay 25 per cent of their rent, which will be difficult for those with no revenue coming in, and they need what he calls “real relief.”

“Deferrals and loans don’t ensure survival and may crush businesses with a double burden a year or so from now. Many businesses that are closed now will never recover the revenue they have lost. Deferred taxes and loan repayments will hit them hard down the road, only adding to their cash problems and threatening their viability” according to Wakeham.