Everything you need to know about Joe Biden’s inauguration

Today is the day.  Joe Biden will be sworn in as the 46th president of the United States with his vice president beside him — and it all starts at 12:00 pm ET.

With the pandemic forcing a smaller crowd and President Trump announcing he will not be in attendance, this inauguration will definitely look different than others. Nonetheless, the whole world will be tuning in to watch. So here’s everything you need to know:

For Canadians looking to tune in:

CBC News and CTV will be airing all of the live events so you can watch from home. This year, those events include the official address, a “Parade Across America” at 3:15 pm, and a livestream concert called “Celebrating America.” You can also watch on YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and Twitch. 

Did we mention Lady Gaga and JLo will be there too? Set your reminders now; we’re only a few hours away.

What does Biden’s inauguration mean for Canadians?

Canada and the U.S. are close allies, and a lot of what goes on south of the border affects Canadian businesses, trade and politics. 

Canadians are definitely keeping a close eye on the new president to see how Biden turns around a few key issues, especially in his first few days. The Washington Post reported that Biden will be signing a series of executive orders upon his entrance to the White House to reverse certain decisions made by Trump. One of his first orders of business is rejoining the Paris Agreement, an act that will realign Canada and the U.S. in terms of climate change and global greenhouse gas emissions.

International tax, Canadian tax and transfer pricing policy might also be affected when Biden takes office. But perhaps what Canadians are most hesitant for is Biden’s pandemic recovery plan. With COVID-19 cases rising in both Canada and the U.S., it’s important for the incoming president to focus on rebuilding the country and protecting its citizens, but his plan to “Buy American,” might leave Canada out in the cold. The companies looking like they’re going to be hit the hardest are those that bid on American government contracts.