Wear Your Mask - COVID-19 Thread II

[robkelk]

'Untenable' insurance policies could silence live music venues

The COVID-19 pandemic has already taken a big toll on Ontario's music venues, with several in Ottawa having closed their doors for good.

For those who've survived the lockdowns and capacity restrictions, however, there's now a new threat: many small-and-medium-sized venues are facing remarkably high increases in their insurance premiums.

"You can get insurance if you're willing to pay, in some cases — and this is not a made up number — 4,000 per cent higher than what you may have paid before," said Erin Benjamin, president and CEO of the Canadian Live Music Association, in an interview with CBC Radio's All In A Day.

"They're not all that high, but they're certainly higher than pre-pandemic amounts."