The Alberta government is surveying commercial landlords and business tenants about their COVID-19-related financial stresses.

Potential participants can begin to prepare ahead of registration opening next week, following instructions that have been posted on Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation’s website.

Thus far, in most markets, there’s been no spurt of office sublets or rent discounts that conventionally signify an economic downturn, but there has been a flurry of conjecture about the forces COVID-19 may have unleashed.

The CECRA program is voluntary. Not all eligible landlords will necessarily take advantage of this program for various reasons.

The Canadian Urban Institute, along with a growing coalition of partners, has launched the Bring Back Main Street campaign to help small businesses.

Commercial leasing specialists suggest landlords may prefer to stick with rent deferral agreements they have already negotiated.

Commercial landlords must agree to reduce rents by 75 per cent and halt evictions for April, May and June. In turn, CMHC will channel the forgivable joint federal-provincial loan directly to their lenders.

The envisioned loan program for commercial property owners would enable them to provide small business tenants with rent discounts or forgiveness for the months of April, May and June.

Tax specialists are reminding commercial landlords that rent deferrals could have flow-through implications for required GST/HST remittances to the Canada Revenue Agency.

A vast network of small and mid-sized businesses support the continued functioning of daily life in Canada.

Some of Canada’s most prominent commercial real estate players are tackling the challenge of COVID-19, asset class by asset class.

Small tenants in 12 of North American Development Group’s community shopping centres may be eligible to defer rent obligations for up to two months.

A North American facilities management association for retailers with multiple locations is marshalling resources to assist with a spate of store shutdowns.

Ivanhoé Cambridge will be granting rent deferral to retail tenants in its Quebec shopping centres in order to relieve their financial burden.

Market analysts foresee a varying degree of short-term and long-term impacts among real estate asset types, as well as supply chain interruptions that could slow activity at construction sites and in the booming distribution/warehouse sector.

Commercial ratepayers will see a phased 15 per cent cut in the property tax rate, in step with previously promised tax reductions for residential landlords.

A growing number of industry organizations are providing their membership with online guidance related to COVID-19.