McCOR would like to share a list that has been compiled by Miller Thomson of helpful information for our tenants in hopes of easing financial strain that many are attempting to mitigate.
We all can take steps towards helping our businesses endure this untimely global event.
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CANADA-WIDE
BRITISH COLUMBIA
AlBERTA
SASKATCHEWAN
MANITOBA
ONTARIO
QUEBEC
NEW BRUNSWICK
NOVA SCOTIA
NEWFOUNDLAND & LABRADOR
PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND
YUKON
NORTHWEST TERRITORIES
NUNAVUT
| RESOURCES – LAST UPDATED: March 28, 2020 |
Support for Employers
- Introduction of a Temporary Wage Subsidy program for small businesses. Subsequent to its enhancement on March 27, this program will provide a wage subsidy of up to 75% for up to three months, retroactive to March 15. Status: announced The government has indicated that more information be shared before the end of March. Information
- Deferral of payment of income tax amounts that become owing between March 18, 2020, and before September 1, 2020, until after August 31, 2020. Administrative income tax actions required of taxpayers by the CRA that are due on or after March 18, 2020 can be deferred to June 1, 2020. Many filing deadlines have been extended, and audit and collection activities have been suspended. Status: in effect. Information
- Deferral of GST/HST remittances and customs duty payments to June 30, 2020. Status: in effect. Information
- Establishment of a Business Credit Availability Program to provide $10 billion of support targeted mostly to small and medium-sized businesses through the Business Development Bank of Canada and Export Development Canada. Status: in effect. Unclear if usurped by loan guarantee programs below. Information
- Establishment of Canada Emergency Business Account, a $25 billion program to provide interest-free loans of up to $40,000 to small businesses and not-for-profits to help cover their operating costs during the pandemic. Small businesses and not-for-profits should contact their financial institution to apply for these loans. In some conditions, 25% of the loan may be forgiven. Status: in effect. Information
- Providing loan guarantees for small and medium-sized enterprises via Export Development Canada, which will guarantee new operating credit and cash flow term loans that financial institutions extend to SMEs, up to $6.25 million. Status: announced. Information · Creation of a co-lending program for small and medium enterprises to provide additional liquidity support for Canadian businesses through the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) and financial institutions. Eligible businesses may obtain incremental credit amounts up to $6.25 million. BDC’s portion of this program is up to $5 million maximum per loan. Eligible financial institutions will conduct the underwriting and manage the interface with their customers. The potential for lending for this program will be $20 billion. Status: announced. Information
- Creation of a co-lending program for small and medium enterprises to provide additional liquidity support for Canadian businesses through the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) and financial institutions. Eligible businesses may obtain incremental credit amounts up to $6.25 million. BDC’s portion of this program is up to $5 million maximum per loan. Eligible financial institutions will conduct the underwriting and manage the interface with their customers. The potential for lending for this program will be $20 billion. Status: announced. Information
- Changing the Work Sharing program by increasing the duration of a work-sharing period to 76 weeks for businesses affected by the downturn in business due to COVID-19. The waiting period between agreements has been waived, 2020-03-28 and recovery plan requirements have been eased. Status: in effect. Information
- Supporting farmers through Farm Credit Canada by allowing an additional $5 billion in lending capacity to producers, agribusinesses, and food processors. Status: in effect. Information
Support for Workers
- Waiving the one-week waiting period for EI sickness benefits for individuals in imposed quarantine, and waiver of requirement to provide a medical certificate to access EI sickness benefits.Status: in effect. Information
- Creation of the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB), a modified combination of the previously-announced Emergency Care Benefit and Emergency Support Benefit. The CERB will provide support of $2000 a month for up to four months for workers who lose their income as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. It will cover Canadians who have lost their job, are sick, quarantined, or taking care of someone who is sick with COVID-19, as well as working parents who must stay home without pay to care for children who are at home sick or due to school closures. The CERB will apply to wage earners, contract workers, and self-employed individuals who would otherwise not be eligible for EI. Workers who are still employed but who are not receiving income because of disruptions to their work situation will also qualify for the CERB Status: announced. The CERB will be accessible online starting in early April Information
- Deferral of the filing due date for individual tax returns until June 1, 2019. Status: in effect. Information
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| RESOURCES – LAST UPDATED: March 28, 2020 |
Support for Employers
- Deferral of Employer Health Tax payments for businesses with a payroll of over $500,000 until September 30, 2020 Status: in effect Information
- Extension of tax filing and payment deadlines for the provincial sales tax, municipal and regional district tax, tobacco tax, motor fuel tax and carbon tax Status: in effect. Information
- Delaying the provincial carbon tax increase, the new PST registration requirements on e-commerce, and the implementation of PST on sweetened carbonated drinks The timing for implementation of these items will be reviewed by September 30, 2020. Status: in effect. Information
- Reduction by 50% of school taxes for commercial properties (classes 4, 5, 6) Status: in effect. Information
- Directing $1.5 billion towards long-term economic recovery of hard-hit areas of the economy such as tourism, hospitality, and culture Status: announced. Details forthcoming. Information
Support for Workers
- Introduction of a new BC Emergency Benefit for Workers, which will provide a tax-free $1,000 payment to British Columbians whose ability to work has been affected by the outbreak. This one-time payment will be for British Columbians who receive federal Employment Insurance (EI), or the new federal Emergency Care Benefit or Emergency Support Benefit as a result of COVID-19 impacts. This includes workers who have been laid-off, who are sick or quarantined, parents with sick children, parents who stay at home from work while child care centres and schools are closed, and those caring for sick family members. The workers can be EI-eligible and non-EI eligible, such as the self-employed. This benefit will be paid to B.C. residents, in addition to their federal income supports Status: announced. Applications will open in April 2020, with payment in May 2020. Information
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| RESOURCES – LAST UPDATED: March 28, 2020 |
Support for Employers
- Deferral of collection of corporate income tax balances and installment paymentsdue after March 18, 2020, until August 31, 2020Status: in effect Information
- Deferral of utility payments for residential, farm and small commercial customers for 90 days Status: in effect. Information
- Small business customers of ATB Financial can apply for loan, mortgage, and line of credit deferral for up to six months, as well as access to additional working capital. Other business and agriculture customers will be assisted on a one-on-one basisStatus: in effect. Information
- Support for Alberta’s energy industry cby funding the Alberta Energy Regulator industry levy for six months, and extending the term of mineral agreements expiring in 2020 by 1 year to provide increased certainty for industry.Status: in effect. Information
- Tax relief for the tourism industry, allowing hotels and other lodging providers to delay paying the tourism levy until August 31 for amounts that become due on or after March 27. Deferred payments will not be subject to penalties or interestStatus: announced. Information
- Workers’ Compensation Board premium relief deferring 2020 premiums for all private sector employers to 2021. When invoicing resumes, small and medium-sized employers will have 50% of their 2020 premiums waivedStatus: in effect. Information
Support for Workers
- Introduction of Emergency Isolation Support ($50 million) a temporary program for working adult Albertans who must self-isolate because they meet the Government of Alberta’s published criteria for self-isolation, including persons who are the sole caregiver for a dependent who must self-isolate, and who will not have another source of pay or compensation while they are self-isolated. The program is meant to provide a one-time payment of $1,146 to bridge the gap until the federal emergency payments begin in April. Status: announced. Information
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| RESOURCES – LAST UPDATED: March 28, 2020 |
Support for Employers
- PST remittance relief for three months for businesses unable to remit their PST due to cash flow concerns. Audit programs and compliance activities have been suspended. Status: in effect Information
- Bill deferral programs for all Crown utilities, allowing a zero-interest bill deferral for up to six months for Saskatchewan customers whose ability to make bill payments may be impacted by the COVID-19 restrictions Status: announced. Information
Support for Workers
- Creation of the Self-Isolation Support Program, which offers financial assistance for Saskatchewan workers who are in self-isolation to counter the spread of the COVID-19 virus, and who cannot earn all of their work income and who are not eligible for another financial assistance program prior to the Canada Emergency Response Benefit, which comes into effect in April 2020. Status: announced. Information
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| RESOURCES – LAST UPDATED: March 28, 2020 |
Support for Employers
- Extension of April and May tax filing deadlines until June 22, 2020 for small and medium businesses with monthly RST remittances of no more than $10,000. Additionally, businesses that file on a quarterly basis that have a due date of April 20, 2020 have had the due date extended to June 22, 2020. The Finance Minister noted the department will work with businesses regarding flexible repayment options above the $10,000 cap. Status: in effect Information
- Providing Workers’ Compensation Board relief, allowing the deferral of premium payments until the end of May. Late payment penalties will be waived until further notice. The payroll reporting deadline will be extended without penalty until the end of May. Businesses can also submit a revised payroll estimate Status: in effect.
Support for Workers
- No employment-related supports for workers have been announced at this time
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| RESOURCES – LAST UPDATED: March 28, 2020 |
Support for Employers
- Providing electricity rate relief for small businesses and farms paying time-of-use rates (this relief is also provided to residential users). For a 45-day period, the government is working to suspend time-of-use electricity rates, holding electricity prices to the off-peak rate of 10.1 cents-per-kilowatt-hour. This reduced price will be available 24 hours per day, seven days a week to all time-of-use customers Status: in effect Information
- Increasing the Employer Health Tax exemption to $1 million from the previous $490,000, retroactive to January 1, 2020. Only the exemption amount is changing; eligibility for the tax exemption, tax rates and everything else remains the same.Status: in effect. Information
- Introduction of provincial tax interest and penalty relief for businesses who are unable to file or remit select provincial taxes on time, due to the special circumstances caused by COVID-19. Tax filing and remittance deadlines will remain the same. However, beginning April 1, 2020, penalties and interest will not apply to Ontario businesses that miss any filing or remittance deadline under select provincial taxes. This will continue for a period of five months.Status: in effect. Information
- Introduction of a 10% refundable corporate income tax credit called the “Regional Opportunities Investment Tax Credit”; a Canadian-controlled private corporation that makes qualifying investments that become available for use on or after March 25, 2020 in specified regions of Ontario would be eligible for the tax credit. Status: proposed. Information
Support for Workers
- Providing $100 million in funding for skills training programs through Employment Ontario for workers affected by the pandemicStatus: announced. Information
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| RESOURCES – LAST UPDATED: March 28, 2020 |
Support for Employers
- Creation of the Concerted Temporary Action Program for businesses whose liquidity is affected by the repercussions of COVID-19, providing financial support of at least $50,000 in the form of a loan and loan guarantee to make up for cash flow shortages. Eligible businesses are those that find themselves in a precarious situation and temporary difficulty as a result of COVID-19. They must show that their financial structure offers realistic prospects for profitability. A loan guarantee is the preferred form of financing. Financing can also take the form of a loan from Investissement Québec. Investissement Québec aims to work in close cooperation with financial institutions and federal authorities in order to share risks. This measure is designed to shore up the business’s working capital Status: in effect Information
- Tax payment deadline extensions for businesses; the deadline for paying income tax balance installments/balances which would be due in the period beginning March 17 and ending August 31 is deferred to September 1. Partnerships composed entirely of individuals that normally would be required to file the Partnership Information Return (form TP-600-V) for the fiscal period ended in 2019 by March 31 now have until May 1 to file the return. A variety of other modifications to deadlines are being implemented Status: in effect. Information
- Flexibility measures relating to loans and loan guarantees via a three-month moratorium on the repayment (capital and interest) of loans already granted through Local Investment Funds. Interest accrued during this period will be added to the loan balance Status: in effect. Information
- CNESST flexibility measures, including an extension of the deadline for filing the 2019 Wage Statement to June 1, 2020. Employers have until August 31, 2020 to make the payment of their Statement of Account linked to the CNESST contribution. In addition, no penalty or interest will be required during this period. Status: in effect. Information
Support for Workers
- Creation of the Temporary Aid for Workers program which offers financial assistance to meet the needs of workers who, because they are in isolation to counter the propagation of the COVID-19 virus, cannot earn all of their work income and are not eligible for another financial assistance program. The program is offered by the Gouvernement du Québec, in partnership with the Red Cross, and will provide a lump-sum amount of $573 per week for 14 days of isolation (and can potentially be extended to a maximum of 28 days) Status: in effect. Information
- Tax filing and payment deadline extensions for individuals, with filing deferred until June 1, and payment of any balances owing for 2019 deferred until September 1. Status: in effect. Information
- CNESST flexibility measures, including the absence of a penalty for workers who cannot attend their treatments (medical follow-up, physiotherapy, etc.). The CNESST takes into account the recommendations of professional orders and associations. Status: in effect. Information
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| RESOURCES – LAST UPDATED: March 28, 2020 |
Support for Employers
- Deferral of WorksafeNB premium payments for February, March and April until June without interest charges. Status: announced. Information
- Waiving late penalties on property taxes; while business property taxes must be paid by May 31, late penalties will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis to see if the penalty can be waived due to undue financial challenges, such as having to close a business due to COVID-19. Status: in effect. Information
- Deferral of interest and principal payments on provincial loans for up to six months. This assistance is available, on a case-by-case basis, to any business that has a loan with an existing Government of New Brunswick department. The deferral can be requested by contacting the department that issued the loan Status: in effect. Information
- Providing working capital support to small businesses via loans of up to $200,000 Status: announced. Details forthcoming. Information
- Providing working capital to mid-to-large employers via working capital in excess of $200,000. Status: announced. Details forthcoming. Information
Support for Workers
- Income support for workers via a $4.5 million investment for workers who have recently become unemployed. The one-time benefit of $900 per person will help to bridge the gap between when a person lost their job or closed their business after March 15, to when the national benefit takes effect. The objective will be to provide access to the benefit before the end of March. The benefit will end on April 30. Status: announced. Details forthcoming. Information
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| RESOURCES – LAST UPDATED: March 28, 2020 |
Support for Employers
- Deferral of all government loan payments until June 30 including those under the Farm Loan Board, Fisheries and Aquaculture Loan Board, Jobs Fund, Nova Scotia Business Fund, Municipal Finance Corp. and Housing Nova Scotia. Status: in effect. Information
- Deferral of various fees for small businesses until June 30, including business registration renewal fees and workers’ compensation premiums Status: announced. Details forthcoming. Information
- Changes to the Small Business Loan Guarantee Program, administered through credit unions, include deferring principal and interest payments until June 30, enhancing the program to make it easier for businesses to access credit up to $500,000, and for those who might not qualify for a loan, government will guarantee the first $100,000. Status: announced. Details forthcoming. Information
- Encouraging retail and commercial landlords to defer lease payments for three months for businesses that had to close directly due to a public health order. Landlords who participate by granting such businesses a three month deferral and register by April 3 will be able to claim losses of up to $5,000 per month, if the renting business does not continue operating. Landlords are not permitted to change locks or seize property of businesses who cannot pay rent, if the business closed directly because of COVID-19 public health orders. Status: in effect. Information
- More rapid payment for small businesses that do businesses with the provincial government; they will be paid within five days rather than the standard thirty. Status: in effect. Information
Support for Workers
- No employment-related supports for workers have been announced at this time.
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| RESOURCES – LAST UPDATED: March 28, 2020 |
Support for Employers
- Municipal tax deferrals; the City of St. John’s will not charge interest on commercial or residential property taxes, or water meter taxes, until August 30. The Town of Paradise has deferred residential, commercial, and business tax payments until the end of June. Status: in effect. Information: (1,2)
Support for Workers
- Compensation for Workers in Self-Isolation via compensation to private sector employers to ensure continuation of pay for employees affected by this decision. Employees should retain documents regarding their travel to facilitate reimbursement. Only those individuals scheduled to return to work within the self-isolation period will be compensated, and anybody embarking on travel outside of the country after March 14 is not eligible for compensation. Status: announced. Information
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| RESOURCES – LAST UPDATED: March 28, 2020 |
Support for Employers
- Providing emergency working capital financing to small businesses. Eligible applicants can apply to receive a working capital loan of up to $100,000 with a fixed interest rate of 4% per annum to be used to assist with fixed operating costs (including payroll, rent, utilities etc.) with principal & interest payments deferred for a minimum of 12 months. Status: in effect. Information
- Creation of the Emergency Relief Worker Assistance Program to provide financial support to employers to assist their employed workers who have been impacted by reduced hours at work as a result of COVID-19. Employers can receive a maximum of $250 per week for each employed worker that experienced a reduction of at least 8 hours per week during the two week period March 16-29. Applications can be submitted until April 15. Status: in effect. Information
- Deferral of loan payments for clients of Finance PEI, Island Investment Development Inc., and the PEI Century Fund for the next 3 months. Status: in effect. Information
- Access to a Broadband Fund for Businesses to assist with the installation of infrastructure for enhanced broadband services. The Prince Edward Island Broadband Fund (PEIBF) provides a contribution of up to 50% of the eligible costs for a project approved for funding. Applications must be submitted prior to the start of a project; any expenses incurred before the submission of an application are ineligible. Status: in effect. Information
Support for Workers
- Creation of the Emergency Income Relief Fund to support self-employed individuals affected by the pandemic. Eligible individuals can receive up to $500 per week. Status: in effect. Information
- Implementation of an Employee Gift Card Program to offer a $100 Sobeys gift value to any employee, living and working on Prince Edward Island, who has received an ROE as lay-off notice as a direct result of the impacts associated with COVID-19. Status: in effect. Information
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| RESOURCES – LAST UPDATED: March 28, 2020 |
Support for Employers
- Establishing a grant program to address expenses related to cancelled events Status: announced. Information
- Waiving, reimbursing, or delaying government fee collection such as airport landing fees to assist employers in the tourism industry. Status: announced. Information
- A variety of interim supports for the arts and culture sectors; awards of up to $2,500 will be available for individuals and $5,000 for businesses, not-for-profit organizations or collectives for arts-related initiatives. Status: announced. Information
- Workers’ Compensation Health and Safety Board relief measures will allow employers to revise their annual payroll estimates, and to defer their assessment premiums without penalty or interest charges to a date that is appropriate for an employer’s business situation. Status: in effect. Information
Support for Workers
- Creating a “paid sick leave” rebate program to allow Yukon workers or those self-employed who are without sick leave to stay at home if they are sick and required to self-isolate for 14 days and still meet their basic financial needs. All eligible Yukon employers and self-employed individuals may apply. This rebate, paid to employers and self-employed individuals, will cover a maximum of 10 days of wages per employee or 10 days of average daily earnings per self-employed individual to allow for a 14-day self-isolation period. Status: announced. Information
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| RESOURCES – LAST UPDATED: March 28, 2020 |
Support for Employers
- Extension of due date for Workers’ Safety and Compensation Commission assessment payments from April 1 to May 1. Status: in effect. Information
- Providing working capital loans of up to $25,000 (or more if need is clearly addressed) to qualified NWT businesses at a rate of 1.75%. Loans will be amortized for up to five years with options for payment deferment. Status: in effect. Information
- Deferral of loan payments for clients (borrowers) of the Business Development and Investment Corporation for up to three months, without penalty or additional interest charges. Status: in effect. Information
- Removal of airport landing fees, truck permit fees, and Deh Cho Bridge tolls until the end of June. Status: in effect. Information
- Pausing collections efforts and shortening payment terms on government invoices to preserve cash flows for small businesses. Status: in effect. Information
Support for Workers
- No employment-related supports for workers have been announced at this time.
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| RESOURCES – LAST UPDATED: March 28, 2020 |
Support for Employers
- Providing a one-time grant of $5,000 for eligible small businesses through the Small Business Support Program. Status: announced. Information
- Waiving standard 20 and 30-day payment terms to ensure vendors doing business with the territorial government are paid promptly. Collection activities have been paused. Status: in effect. Information
Support for Workers
- No employment-related supports for workers have been announced at this time.
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