COVID-19 Updates, Information and Important Links

https://www.canada.ca/en/department-finance/news/2022/01/government-extends-loan-forgiveness-repayment-deadline-for-the-canada-emergency-business-account.html

The Canada Emergency Business Account (CEBA) program has provided interest-free, partially forgivable loans to nearly 900,000 small businesses and not-for-profit organizations to help them navigate the pandemic and remain resilient. However, the Omicron variant has delayed the recovery for businesses in many parts of the country.

Today, the Honourable Chrystia Freeland, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, and the Honourable Mary Ng, Minister of International Trade, Export Promotion, Small Business and Economic Development, announced that the repayment deadline for CEBA loans to qualify for partial loan forgiveness is being extended from December 31, 2022, to December 31, 2023, for all eligible borrowers in good standing.

This extension will support short-term economic recovery and offer greater repayment flexibility to small businesses and not-for-profit organizations, many of which are facing continued challenges due to the pandemic. Repayment on or before the new deadline of December 31, 2023, will result in loan forgiveness of up to a third of the value of the loans (meaning up to $20,000).

Outstanding loans would subsequently convert to two-year term loans with interest of 5 per cent per annum commencing on January 1, 2024, with the loans fully due by December 31, 2025.

The government is also announcing that the repayment deadline to qualify for partial forgiveness for CEBA-equivalent lending through the Regional Relief and Recovery Fund is extended to December 31, 2023.

Ontario COVID-19 Small Business Relief Grant

The government is announcing an Ontario COVID-19 Small Business Relief Grant for small businesses that are subject to closure under the modified Step Two of Roadmap to Reopen.

What you’ll get

Eligible businesses that are part of the list below which were subject to closures as a result of the province’s move to the modified Step Two of the Roadmap to Reopen will receive a grant of $10,000.

Eligibility

To receive the grant, a small business identified from the eligible list below must:

• be required to close due to public health orders that took effect 12:01 a.m. on January 5, 2022
• have fewer than 100 employees as of December 31, 2021
• be an active business as of January 14, 2022

Eligible businesses that previously qualified for the Ontario Small Business Support Grant will be pre-screened to verify eligibility and may need to provide some additional information but will not need to apply for the new program.

Newly established and newly eligible small businesses will need to apply once the application portal opens in the coming weeks. Small businesses that qualify can expect to receive their payment in early February.

Eligible small businesses include:

• restaurants and bars
• facilities for indoor sports and recreational fitness activities (including fitness centres and gyms)
• performing arts and cinemas
• museums, galleries, aquariums, zoos, science centres, landmarks, historic sites, botanical gardens and similar attractions
• performing arts venues and cinemas, museums, galleries, aquariums, zoos, science centres, landmarks, historic sites, botanical gardens and similar attractions
• meeting or event spaces
• tour and guide services
• conference centres and convention centres
• driving instruction for individuals
• before- and after- school programs

How to apply

Applications for the Ontario COVID-19 Small Business Relief Grant will be open in the coming weeks.

Ontario Business Costs Rebate Program: applications now open

We are introducing the new Ontario Business Costs Rebate Program to support businesses that are most impacted by provincial public health measures in response to the Omicron variant of COVID-19.

What you’ll get

Eligible businesses that are required to close or reduce capacity will receive rebate payments for a portion of the property tax and energy costs they incur while subject to these measures. Eligible businesses required to reduce capacity to 50 per cent, such as smaller retail stores, will receive a rebate payment equivalent to 50 per cent of their costs, while businesses required to close for indoor activities, such as restaurants and gyms, will receive a rebate payment equivalent to 100 per cent of their costs. Payments to eligible businesses will be retroactive to December 19, 2021 when public health measures were first effective.

Eligibility

Eligible businesses include:

• restaurants and bars
• personal care services (hair or body)
• retailers (non-grocery, less than 50,000 sq ft)
• small grocery stores (less than 5,000 sq ft)
• gyms and other indoor sports and recreational facilities
• places of worship
• indoor meeting and event spaces
• indoor concert venues, theatres and cinemas
• casinos, bingo halls and other gaming establishments
• indoor portion of horse and car racing tracks
• indoor museums, galleries, aquariums, zoos, science centres, landmarks, historic sites, botanical gardens and similar attractions
• indoor clubhouses at outdoor recreational amenities
• indoor business associated with tour and guide services
• steam rooms and saunas
• oxygen bars
• bathhouses and sex clubs
• indoor teaching and instruction centres
• indoor driving instruction centres
• day camps and overnight camps for children
• before- and after-school programs
• pet and veterinary services

Further details can be found in the program guide (PDF).

How to apply

Online applications for this program are now open. Apply now here.

Businesses will be required to submit proof of costs associated with property tax and energy bills as part of the application process.

If you have questions about the Ontario Business Costs Rebate Program, call ServiceOntario at 1-855-216-3090.

https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/wage-rent-subsidies/covid-wage-hiring-support-businesses.html

COVID-19 wage and hiring support for businesses

Proposed regulatory changes to temporarily expand access to lockdown program

The government has announced new proposed regulatory changes to temporarily expand eligibility for wage and commercial rent support for businesses and other organizations under the Local Lockdown Program. These changes would:

• apply to claim periods 24 and 25 (December 19, 2021, to February 12, 2022)
• allow those entities to qualify if they are subject to a capacity-limiting public health restriction of 50 per cent or more
• reduce the current-month revenue decline threshold requirement to 25 per cent for those entities

As an employer in Canada who has seen a drop in revenue during the COVID-19 pandemic, you may be eligible for a subsidy to cover part of the wages you pay employees. This subsidy will enable you to re-hire workers, help prevent further job losses, and ease your business back into normal operations.

For each applicable claim period, eligible employers can claim one of the following, whichever gives the highest amount:

• Tourism and Hospitality Recovery Program (THRP) – Wage
  Effective: October 24, 2021, to May 7, 2022
• Hardest-Hit Business Recovery Program (HHBRP) – Wage
  Effective: October 24, 2021, to May 7, 2022
• Canada Recovery Hiring Program (CRHP)
  Effective: June 6, 2021, to May 7, 2022
• Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS)
  Effective: March 15, 2020, to October 23, 2021

Many of the eligibility and calculation rules for the wage subsidy under the THRP and the HHBRP are the same as they were for the CEWS.

https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/wage-rent-subsidies/covid-rent-property-support-businesses.html

COVID-19 rent and property expense support for businesses

Proposed regulatory changes to temporarily expand access to lockdown program

The government has announced new proposed regulatory changes to temporarily expand eligibility for wage and commercial rent support for businesses and other organizations under the Local Lockdown Program. These changes would:

• apply to claim periods 24 and 25 (December 19, 2021, to February 12, 2022)
• allow those entities to qualify if they are subject to a capacity-limiting public health restriction of 50 per cent or more
• reduce the current-month revenue decline threshold requirement to 25 per cent for those entities

As a business, non-profit organization, or charity in Canada who has seen a drop in revenue during the COVID-19 pandemic, you may be eligible for a subsidy to cover part of your commercial rent or property expenses.

Depending on the period you are applying for, you may be eligible to claim your commercial rent or property expenses through one of the following:

• Tourism and Hospitality Recovery Program (THRP) – Rent
  Effective: October 24, 2021, to May 7, 2022
• Hardest-Hit Business Recovery Program (HHBRP) – Rent
  Effective: October 24, 2021, to May 7, 2022
• Canada Emergency Rent Subsidy (CERS)
  Effective: September 27, 2020, to October 23, 2021

Many of the eligibility and calculation rules for the rent subsidy under the THRP and the HHBRP are the same as they were for the CERS.

If you are eligible for a base rent subsidy, you may also be eligible for a top-up if your business location is significantly affected by a public health restriction for a week or more.

https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/benefits/worker-lockdown-benefit.html

Canada Worker Lockdown Benefit (CWLB)

The Canada Worker Lockdown Benefit (CWLB) gives temporary income support to employed and self-employed people who cannot work due to a COVID-19 lockdown.

The CWLB is only available when a COVID-19 lockdown order is designated for your region.

If you are eligible for the CWLB, you can receive $300 ($270 after taxes withheld) for each 1-week period. You may apply for any weeks your region is eligible between October 24, 2021 and May 7, 2022.

The CWLB is administered by the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA).

https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/benefits/recovery-sickness-benefit.html

Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit (CRSB)

The Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit (CRSB) gives income support to employed and self-employed individuals who are unable to work because they are sick or need to self-isolate due to COVID-19, or have an underlying health condition that puts them at greater risk of getting COVID-19. The CRSB is administered by the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA).

If you are eligible for the CRSB, you can receive $500 ($450 after taxes withheld) for a 1-week period.

If your situation continues, you will need to apply again. You may apply for up to a total of 6 weeks between September 27, 2020 and May 7, 2022.

https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/benefits/recovery-caregiving-benefit.html

Open for application

The Canada Recovery Caregiving Benefit (CRCB) gives income support to employed and self-employed individuals who are unable to work because they must care for their child under 12 years old or a family member who needs supervised care. This applies if their school, regular program or facility is closed or unavailable to them due to COVID-19, or because they are sick, self-isolating, or at risk of serious health complications due to COVID-19. The CRCB is administered by the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA).

If you are eligible for the CRCB, your household can receive $500 ($450 after taxes withheld) for each 1-week period.

If your situation continues past 1 week, you will need to apply again. You may apply up to a total of 26 weeks between September 27, 2020 and September 25, 2021.

Sections

• Who can apply: Canada Recovery Caregiving Benefit (CRCB)Eligibility criteria for the CRCB
• How much you can get: Canada Recovery Caregiving Benefit (CRCB)Payment amounts, impact on taxes
• Weeks you can apply for: Canada Recovery Caregiving Benefit (CRCB)How the periods work, when each period starts and ends
• How to apply: Canada Recovery Caregiving Benefit (CRCB)When and how to apply for the CRCB
• Keep getting your payments: Canada Recovery Caregiving Benefit (CRCB)When to re-apply, when to expect your payment
• Return a payment: Canada Recovery Caregiving Benefit (CRCB)How to return or repay the CRCB
• Contact us about CRCB: Canada Recovery Caregiving Benefit (CRCB)If you have questions about the CRCB