May 1, 2020
Government Support for Individuals
Canada's COVID-19 Economic Response Plan provides direct support for Canadian workers and businesses. For more information on these measures please see https://www.canada.ca/en/department-finance/economic-response-plan.html. The package of measures includes:
- The Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB): A $2000/month benefit available between March 15-October 3, 2020 for up to 24 weeks to Canadians whose jobs have been impacted due to COVID-19 and meeting the following eligibility requirements:
- Live in Canada and are at least 15 years old o stopped working because of COVID-19 or are eligible for EI regular or sickness benefitsHave not voluntarily quit their job
- Had income of at least $5,000 in 2019 or in the 12 months prior to the date of their application.
- For at least 14 days in a row during the 4-week payment period, you do not expect to receive more than $1,000 (before taxes) from employment and self-employment income
- How to Apply for the CERB:
- The application for the CERB was launched on April 6, and requires Canadians to attest that they meet the eligibility requirements.
- Recipients need to re-attest every two weeks to re-confirm their eligibility. o In addition to applying through my CRA Account and My Service Canada, Canadians can also call an automated toll-free phone line (1-800-959-2019) to apply for CERB. Please see the CERB access portal for more details.
- Enhancement of the GST credit for low and modest income families - $400 single adults, $600 for couples [automatic – began April 9th]
- Mortgage payment deferrals for those facing financial difficulties for up to six months for both CHMC insured mortgages and mortgages through the six largest banks [available immediately - please contact your bank plan to access the benefit]
- Income Tax payments deferred from April to September 1, 2020. The deadline is June 1st, but there are no penalties for amounts owing until September 1st
- Mortgage payment deferrals for those facing financial difficulties for up to six months for both CHMC insured mortgages and mortgages through the six largest banks [available immediately - please contact your bank plan to access the benefit]
- Launching the Pandemic Pay Support, providing a $4/hour wage top up for low-income essential workers. The Province of British Columbia, which is cost-sharing for this program, has identified certain workers in health, social and correctional services that will be eligible to automatically receive this benefit.
Support for Seniors
- Old Age Security (OAS) & Guaranteed Income Supplement one time top-ups of $300 for seniors eligible for OAS pension, with an additional $200 for seniors eligible GIS [automatic payments will be delivered the week of July 6]
- Reducing required minimum withdrawals for Registered Retirement Income Funds (RRIFs) by 25% for 2020 to provide flexibility for seniors [available immediately]
Support for Students
- Creating the Canada Emergency Student Benefit (CESB), which provides $1,250 per month from May through August for eligible students, and $2,000 for students with dependents or permanent disabilities. The period covered by the Benefit starts on May 1st. You can apply for the CESB starting on May 15. Before you can apply, you must call 1-800-959-8281 to register your Social Insurance Number (SIN) with the CRA.
- Potential recipients: Students of any age which are:A Canadian citizen, including dual citizens;
- A registered Indian under the Indian Act;
- A permanent resident; or
- A protected person.
- Criteria: available for those that are:Unable to work; or
- Seeking work but are unable to find it; or
- Working but unable to make more than $1,000 (before taxes) over the four-week period for which they are applying.
- Benefit: $1,250 per month or $2,000 for students with dependents or permanent disabilities for the months of May-August 2020
- Application: The application opened on May 15, 2020 through the Canada Revenue Agency. You can apply for the CESB here. CRA is encouraging eligible students to prepare for their application by following these steps:Create a profile with the CRA by calling 1-800-959-8281 (for students who have never filed a tax return)
- Register for a CRA My Account as it is the fastest and easiest way to complete an application
- Enroll in Direct Deposit to have CESB payments deposited directly into their bank accounts. Financial institutions across the country are also allowing Canadians to sign up for CRA Direct Deposit through their bank portals in a few easy steps.
- Creating the Canada Student Service Grant (CSSG), an up to $5,000 for a student’s education in the fall for students who work in national service positions through organizations within their community.
- Potential recipients are:
- 30 years of age or younger,
- A Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or a student with a refugee status, and
- one of the following:
- Enrolled in and attending post-secondary education during the spring, summer, or fall 2020 semesters;
- Recent post-secondary graduates (no earlier than December 2019); or
- Studying abroad and currently residing in Canada
- Benefit: a one-time payment is available at five levels, ranging from $1,000 to $5,000. The amount will vary based on the number of hours each volunteer completes, with $1,000 provided for each 100 hours completed, up to a maximum of $5,000 for 500 hours
- Application:
- Non-profits can register and applicants can access the program through the I Want to Help platform
- Expanding the Canada Service Corps, which provides youth with community service grants of $250-1,500 to serve their communities from 1,800 to 15,000 grants [application available online]
- Doubling the Canada Students Grants Program, broadening the eligibility for Student Financial Assistance, and enhancing the Canada Student Loans Program.
- Increasing support for Indigenous Post-Secondary Education, and extending expiring federal graduate research scholarships and postdoctoral fellowships as well as federal research grants.
- Placing a six-month interest-free moratorium on the repayment of Canada Student Loans for all individuals currently in the process of repaying these loans [automatically available – from March 30-Sepetmber 30, 2020]
- New funding for the Youth Employment and Skills Strategy (YESP):
- $15.8 million to create green jobs and training opportunities for Canadian youth in the fields of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) in the energy, forestry, mining, earth sciences and clean technology sectors. [to apply, visit this page]
- $9.2 million to fund up to 700 new positions for youth in the agriculture sector. Eligible applicants include producers, agri-businesses, industry associations, provincial and territorial governments, Indigenous organizations and research centers. Employers may apply for this funding retroactive to April 1, 2020, with projects to be completed by March 31, 2021. [visit this page to apply]
Support for Parents
- A Canada Child Benefit top up - $300 per child added on top of what is presently received [automatic – May 2020]
Support for Canadian Businesses
Over the last few weeks, the Government of Canada announced several measures to support SMEs that have been impacted by COVID-19. Please see the Canada Business App for information on all federal government support for your business.
- Business Resilience Service – a new program that provides small to medium-sized businesses, not-for-profit organizations and charities direct access to a network of qualified business advisors to support them through the pandemic, providing advice free of charge until July 2nd, including:
- Guidance on program options and eligibility
- Rapidly directing businesses, including enterprises involving Indigenous peoples, women and diverse groups, to the most appropriate support organizations
- Helping organizations make decisions to support recovery plans
- Providing real time insights and feedback to policymakers
- Organizations can access the BRS seven days a week by calling 1-866-989-1080 and through the Canadian Business Resilience Network website.
- Creating the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS). The CEWS is an up to 75% wage subsidy for qualifying employers for up to 3 months.
- Potential recipients: Individuals, taxable corporations, partnerships, non-profit organizations and registered charities are eligible
- Criteria: To be eligible, the employer will need to show a drop in revenues of at least 15% as a result of COVID-19 in the month of March and 30% drop in revenues for the following months.
- Measuring Revenue: To measure revenue loss, all employers will have the flexibility to compare their revenue of March, April and May 2020 to that of the same month of 2019, or to an average of their revenue earned in January and February 2020 by either cash or accrual methods. Non-profits can measure revenue loss by the option of considering government funding or not in their calculations.
- Benefit: The subsidy will compensate up to 75% of an employee’s pre-crisis compensation and 75% of salaries and wages paid to new employees for employers of all sizes and across all sectors. The subsidy will apply at a rate of 75 per cent of the first $58,700 normally earned by employees, a benefit of up to $847 per week, per employee, and will run between March 15 to June 6. Employers are expected to extend this subsidy to current and rehired employees, while also making best efforts to provide the remaining 25% of wages. Employers eligible for the subsidy are also entitled to receive a 100% refund for certain employer-paid contributions to Employment Insurance and the Canada Pension Plan. This refund would apply to the entire amount of employer-paid contributions in respect of remuneration paid to furloughed employees during the period where the employer is eligible for the subsidy.
- Application: Application process is now open and available through the Canada Revenue Agency with the expectation that businesses will receive the subsidy in about 3 business days. First payments are expected on May 7.
- Establishing the Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance (CECRA)
- Eligible Recipients: Qualifying commercial property owners and small businesses, including non-profits and charitable organizations
- Criteria:
- Tenants paying less than $50,000 per month in rent and who have temporarily ceased operations or have experienced at least a 70 per cent drop in pre-COVID-19 revenues. This support will also be available to non-profit and charitable organizations.
- Commercial property owners that agree to lower rent by at least 75% and not to evict their tenant while the agreement is in place.
- Benefit: Forgivable loans to commercial property owners to cover 50 per cent of three monthly rent payments that are payable by eligible tenants who are experiencing financial hardship during April, May (both retroactive), and June. The small business tenant is responsible to cover the remainder of the rent (up to 25 per cent)
- Application: details and information on application process are forthcoming, but will be available by mid-May.
- Canada Emergency Business Account (CEBA)
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- Eligible recipients: businesses and non‑profit organizations, including now sole proprietors receiving income directly from their businesses, businesses that rely on contractors, and family-owned corporations that pay employees through dividends rather than payroll
- Criteria: $20,000-$1,500,000 in payroll in 2019*
- *To qualify under the expanded eligibility criteria, applicants with payroll lower than $20,000 would need:
- a business operating account at a participating financial institution
- a Canada Revenue Agency business number, and to have filed a 2018 or 2019 tax return
- eligible non-deferrable expenses between $40,000 and $1.5 million. Eligible non-deferrable expenses could include costs such as rent, property taxes, utilities, and insurance
- Benefit: up to $40,000 interest free government-guaranteed loan which has a 25% loan forgiveness if repaid by the end of 2022.
- Application: available through your financial institution
- Establishing the Regional Relief and Recovery Fund: COVID-19 to support to small and medium-sized businesses that are unable to access the government’s existing COVID-19 support measures, through Canada’s Regional Development Agencies, including $304.2 million through Western Economic Diversification.
- 1) For SMEs facing financial pressure
- Eligible recipients: businesses that meet the following criteria
- Criteria:
- Incorporated to operate in Canada
- Located in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan or Manitoba
- Not in a location serviced by a Community Futures Office
- Not eligible for the Community Futures Emergency Loan Program
- Fewer than 500 full time employees
- Not eligible for, or have been declined for the CEBA
- Operational as of March 1, 2020
- Less than $20,000 or more than $1,500,000 in 2019 payroll expenses
- Have suffered financially because of the COVID-19 pandemic; and,
- Intend to continue operations in Western Canada.
- Benefit:
- Applications can be submitted for:
- Financial contributions (interest-free repayable contribution) to help support SMEs with operating costs, where business revenues have been negatively affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Fixed costs that will help mitigate impacts of COVID-19 on SME operations, such as but not limited to lease payments for existing equipment and machinery, property taxes and utilities.
- Two funding options are available:
- Option 1: Up to $40,000 conditionally repayable contribution (interest-free repayable contribution with condition for partial repayment of contribution)
- Option 2: Between $40,001 to $500,000 non-conditional repayable contribution (fully repayable interest-free repayable contribution)
- Application: available from Western Economic Diversification RRRF page.
- 2) For rural businesses and communities served by Community Futures
- Eligible recipients: businesses that meet the following criteria
- Criteria:
- Operational as of March 1, 2020
- Viable and not experiencing liquidity or other financial difficulties prior to March 1, 2020
- Have suffered financially because of the COVID-19 pandemic
- Have attempted to access other federal relief supports and were ineligible or rejected; and
- Have not or will not apply for or accept other Government of Canada equivalent support.
- Benefit: Loan of up to $40,000
- Application: Available by contacting Community Futures Sunshine Coast, or Community Futures Howe Sound.
- Establishing the Large Employer Emergency Financing Facility (LEEFF)
- Bridge financing to Canada’s largest employers, whose needs during the pandemic are not being met through conventional financing, in order to keep their operations going
- Qualifying employers will need to sign on to a number of provisions to the protect taxpayers and workers, including respecting collective bargaining agreements and protect workers’ pensions, and also require strict limits to dividends, share buy-backs, and executive pay.
- Recipient companies must publish annual climate-related disclosure reports consistent with the Financial Stability Board’s Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures.
- Further eligibility and application details will be shared in due course.
- Other Credit:
- $10 billion of support to businesses was made available through the Business Credit Availability Program (BCAP) through the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) Business and Export Development Canada (EDC) [available immediately – contact BDC and EDC].
- Expansion of BCAP to mid-sized companies, including loans of $60 million per company and guarantees of up to $80 million.
- EDC will guarantee new operating and cash flow term loans that financial institutions extend to SMEs, providing up to $6.25 million.
- BDC, together with financial institutions, will provide additional liquidity to businesses through a new Co-Lending Program providing up to $6.25 million.
- A deferral of taxes. To support Canadian businesses during these unprecedented economic times, we are deferring the Goods and Services Tax remittances and customs duty payments until June 30, 2020 [available immediately – automatic]
- $675 million to support to small and medium-sized businesses that are unable to access the government’s existing COVID-19 support measures, through Canada’s Regional Development Agencies, including Western Economic Diversification.
- $287 million to support rural businesses and communities, including by providing them with much-needed access to capital through the Community Futures Network, including to Community Futures Sunshine Coast and Community Futures Howe Sound.
- $250 million to assist innovative, early-stage companies that are unable to access existing COVID-19 business support, through the National Research Council of Canada’s Industrial Research Assistance Program.
- $20.1 million in support for Futurpreneur Canada to continue supporting young entrepreneurs across Canada who are facing challenges due to COVID-19. The funding will allow Futurpreneur Canada to provide payment relief for its clients for up to 12 months.
- $306.8 million in funding for short-term, interest-free loans with non-payable contributions through Aboriginal Financial Institutions.
- The Prime Minister also announced additional investments totalling $133 million to support Indigenous businesses, protect jobs, and help communities. $117 million of this funding is destined to help small and community-owned Indigenous businesses get through these tough times. The other $16 million will be there to support Indigenous businesses in the tourism industry, a sector that supports thousands of jobs across the country.
- Canada Summer Jobs: To support Canada Summer Jobs (CSJ) employers and youth, we adjusted the delivery of the program to better support our communities during the COVID-19 crisis. Changes to the program for this year include:
- an increase to the wage subsidy, so that private and public sector employers can also receive up to 100 per cent of the provincial or territorial minimum hourly wage for each employee
- an extension to the end date for employment to February 28, 2021
- allowing employers to adapt their projects and job activities to support essential services
- allowing employers to hire staff on a part-time basis
- The first wave of CSJ employment opportunities are now available through jobbank.gc.ca and the Job Bank app.
Sector Specific Support
- Farmers and agri-food:
- $50 million to help farmers, fish harvesters, and all food production and processing employers, put in place the measures necessary to follow the mandatory 14-day isolation period required of all workers arriving from abroad.
- We announced $20M for the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) to meet the demand for their critical inspection services.
- $5 billion in additional lending capacity through Farm Credit Canada. Farmers and food processors can get more information here. Eligible farmers who have an outstanding Advance Payments Program (APP) loan due on or before April 30 will have an additional six months to repay the loans.
- $125 million in funding to launch a national AgriRecovery initiative to help producers faced with additional costs incurred by COVID-19.
- $77.5 million for the Emergency Processing Fund to help food processors manage new COVID-19 related challenges
- $50 million to establish a first-of-its kind Surplus Food Purchase Program, designed to help redistribute existing and unsold inventories to local food organizations who are serving vulnerable Canadians
- Youth Employment and Skills Program (YESP) – an investment of $9.2 million to enhance (YESP), which will fund up to 700 new positions for youth in the agriculture sector. Eligible applicants include producers, agri-businesses, industry associations, provincial and territorial governments, Indigenous organizations and research centers. Employers may apply for this funding retroactive to April 1, 2020, with projects to be completed by March 31, 2021. Please visit this page to apply.
- COVID-19 Emergency Support Fund for Cultural, Heritage and Sport Organizations
- Potential Recipients: Canadian not-for-profit cultural, heritage and arts organizations, sports organizations, book publishers, film and television production companies, music organizations, among others
- Criteria: organizations that do not qualify for the existing Wage Subsidy due to the irregular nature of their revenues, as well as to cover contract workers o Benefit: $500 million for affected artistic and athletic organizations impacted by COVID-19. The Fund will provide advances on future grants and contributions to help maintain liquidity as well as small subsidies to cover some fixed costs.
- Application: please visit the Department of Canadian Heritage for full details on the application process and this Q&A
- Sustainable Support for Canada’s Energy Sector
- Targeting action to create and protect jobs in a downtrodden sector by cleaning up existing persistent sources of pollution and creating the conditions to avoid them in the future.
- Providing up to $1.72 billion (including $120 million to BC) to clean up orphan and inactive oil and gas wells. This will:
- Create approximately 10,000 jobs
- Eliminate major sources of pollution that are persistently leaking methane and other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere
- Remediate contaminated sites that continue to impact landowners and the general public.
- Involve the Government of Alberta committing to implement strengthened regulation to significantly reduce the future prospect of new orphan wells
- Providing up to $750 million in loans to create a new Emissions Reduction Fund to assist the oil and gas sector to significantly reduce emissions from their operations.
- Support for Fishers & Seafood Sector
- $62.5 million investment for the new Canadian Seafood Stabilization Fund to help Canada’s seafood sector safely and efficiently process, store, package, and distribute healthy, high-quality products, sourced from our fish harvesters and aquaculture operators. Applications are now being accepted as of Monday June 22.
- Fish Harvester Benefit
- $267.6 million to provide income support to eligible self-employed fish harvesters and crew members that cannot access the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy.
- This program will help fishers have lost at least 25% of their income due to COVID-19, up to the maximum equivalent of what is provided under the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy ($847 per week for up to 12 weeks).
- Fish Harvester Grant
- $201.8 million in non-repayable grants for harvesters who cannot access the Canada Emergency Business Account or similar measures
- This program will provide up to $10,000 to self-employed commercial fish harvesters, to help offset fixed costs and business expenses
- Allowing self-employed fish harvesters and sharepersons to establish a claim for EI Fishing Benefits based on their insurable earnings in previous seasons in recognition that harvesters’ earnings in 2020 may not be enough to establish a valid claim for EI.
Support for Non-Profits
- Emergency Community Support Fund
- $350 million to support community organizations helping vulnerable Canadians, such as seniors, people with disabilities, veterans, newcomers, women, children and youth, LGBTQ2 people, Indigenous people and racialized people.
- The Government will disburse funds through national partners, such as the United Way Centraide Canada, the Canadian Red Cross and Community Foundations of Canada
- Community organizations may use the funds to:
- Expand home deliveries of groceries or medication
- Transport seniors or people with disabilities to appointments
- Widen the reach of help lines that give information and link people to services
- Replace in-person, one-on-one contact with contact through phone calls, texts or the Internet; and
- Train volunteers on health and safety so that they can continue to make their invaluable contributions to the COVID-19 response.
- Application now opened as of May 19, 2020 through our national partners
Official Health Information on COVID-19
Be cautious of information you read about the virus online. Stick with reputable sites such as:
Further:
- Call 8-1-1 for Health concerns or if you are sick.
- Call 1-888-268-4139 for COVID-19 related questions.
- Government of Canada COVID-19 mobile app, which provides up-to-date information about the COVID-19 pandemic. Available for Apple iOS and Android platforms.
- Mental Heath and Emotional Supports
- Our Government has invested $240.5 million to develop, expand, and launch virtual care and mental health tools to support Canadians, including through Wellness Together Canada – an online portal to support Canadians dealing with increased mental health challenges and substance use, providing resources, tools, apps and connections to trained volunteers and qualified mental health professionals. These include modules for addressing low mood, worry, substance use, social isolation and relationship issues, among other supports.
Mental Heath and Emotional Supports
Our Government has invested $240.5 million to develop, expand, and launch virtual care and mental health tools to support Canadians, including through Wellness Together Canada – an online portal to support Canadians dealing with increased mental health challenges and substance use, providing resources, tools, apps and connections to trained volunteers and qualified mental health professionals. These include modules for addressing low mood, worry, substance use, social isolation and relationship issues, among other supports.
Travel Advisories, Border Control, & Consular Assistance
Travel advisories and border control directives are issued by the Government of Canada. Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) has temporarily suspended service at 342 small vessel reporting sites and 126 small airports to redirect All returning travellers must present federal and provincial authorities with a credible self-quarantine plan for 14 days. Failure to comply is now an offense under the Quarantine Act. Maximum penalties include a fine of up to $750,000 and/or imprisonment for six months.
Consular services have been working around the clock to repatriate Canadians stuck abroad. Our office will continue to work with affected constituents to assist in repatriation efforts. The $5,000 COVID-19 Emergency Loan is available for Canadians abroad to temporarily cover costs while they work towards their return.
Changes to Travel Restrictions for Immediate Family Members of Canadian Citizens and Permanent Residents
The Canada Border Services Agency is announcing that as of June 9, 2020, foreign nationals who are immediate family members of Canadian citizens and permanent residents, and who do not have COVID-19 or exhibit any signs or symptoms of COVID-19, or who do not have reason to believe they have COVID-19, will be exempt from the prohibition on entry to Canada if entering to be with an immediate family member for a period of at least 15 days. Foreign nationals who are admitted into Canada pursuant to this exemption must quarantine for 14 days.
An immediate family member refers to a person’s:
- a) spouse or common-law partner;
- b) dependent child, as defined in section 2 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations, or a dependent child of the person’s spouse or common-law partner;
- c) dependent child, as defined in section 2 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations, of a dependent child referred to in paragraph (b):
- d) parent or step-parent or the parent or step-parent of the person’s spouse or common-law partner;
- e) guardian or tutor.
All foreign nationals who have COVID-19 or exhibit any signs or symptoms of COVID-19 continue to remain prohibited from entering Canada.
Ferry Regulations
New measures are in effect to reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19 onboard commercial passenger vessels and ferries. Ferries and essential passenger vessel operators are now required to reduce by 50% the maximum number of passengers that may be carried on board (conduct half-load voyages) to support the two-metre physical distancing rule. Transport Canada is also recommending that travelers wear non-medical masks when they cannot maintain physical distance on their journey.
Policies from BC Ferries
BC Ferries is now screening all customers for COVID-19 symptoms and restricting travel to any customer that does not meet the screening requirements for any route longer than 30 minutes.
BC Government Announcements
- Deferral of the payment for the following BC business taxes until after Sept 30: Employer health tax (EHT), provincial sales tax (PST), municipal and regional district tax, tobacco tax, motor fuel tax, carbon tax. Scheduled April 1 increases to provincial carbon tax and PST are delayed [automatic].
- Strengthening CECRA - Eligible businesses whose landlords choose not to apply for the CECRA program will be protected from evictions due to unpaid rent payments through to the end of June 2020.
- 50% cut to the school for business and industry property classes, to be passed onto tenants on triple-net leases [automatic]
- B.C. Emergency Benefit for Workers - a tax-free, one time $1,000 payment for B.C. residents whose ability to work has been affected due to COVID-19. [Application started May 1]
- Allow workers to take unpaid leave if they are unable to work for reasons relating to COVID-19 [retroactive to Jan 27, 2020]
- Allow workers to now have three days of unpaid, job-protected leave each year for people who cannot work due to illness or injury [Permanent Change]
- Extend the temporary layoff period to 16 weeks for COVID-19 related reasons
- Boost to BC Climate Action Tax Credit [automatic - July 2020]
- Provide a rent supplement of $500 to be paid directly to landlords
- Rate reductions from BC Hydro, including:
- The BC Ministry of Children and Family Development is establishing an Emergency Relief Support Fund for children and youth with special needs and their families, providing a direct payment of $225 per month to eligible families over the next three months (to June 30, 2020) Families are encouraged to reach out to their Children and Youth with Special Needs (CYSN) worker to see if they are eligible.
- Virtual mental health services to support seniors, adults, youth and frontline health care workers
Official News Updates for BC
There are regular updates coming from the BC Ministry of Health and Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry, that include advice for the public. Here’s how you can stay up-to-date on the most recent news:
Federal Parks & Sites – Starting June 1, 2020 the Government of Canada will gradually resume some operations at certain national parks, national historic sites, historic waterways, and national marine conservation areas.
BC Parks & Sites – Starting on May 14, 2020, BC Parks began to reopen the majority of provincial parks and protected areas and marine parks.
