The Province of Ontario has declared a state of emergency ordering all
businesses, excluding
those that have been deemed to be essential businesses, to close by 11:59
p.m. on Tuesday, March 24th. The list of businesses ordered to close includes:
bars, restaurants (excluding take-out and delivery), theatres, childcare
centres, recreation centres, and private schools. The Province has also
prohibited organized public events over 50 people. In addition, the City of
Toronto has announced that City Parks have been closed in an effort to limit
the spread of COVID-19.
– More
information, Province of Ontario
– List
of essential businesses, Province of Ontario
–
Park closures, City of Toronto
– Resources for Waterfront BIA
businesses
– Waterfront
Businesses offering take out and delivery
COVID-19 Information and Resources for Businesses
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the municipal, provincial and federal governments have put measures in place to protect the public. The Baby Point Gates BIA will be providing information for its member businesses through this webpage and by email as necessary. We encourage members to rely on government sources to ensure that information is up-to-date and correct.
Primary Government Sources
- Federal Government Website – General Information on COVID-19 Response
- Provincial Government Website – General Information on COVID-19 Response
- Municipal Government Website – General Information on COVID-19 Response
Below the Baby Point Gates BIA has put together a list of active and announced government programs and resources to support businesses and their workers during the COVID-19 pandemic response. We will work to keep this list up to date and relevant. We encourage members to let us know if they come across additional resources that could be helpful to our business community during this difficult time. Please contact our BIA Coordinator Patricia Tucci, if you have any questions or comments that we can assist you with at this time. Contact Patricia at (416) 953-2716 –coordinator@babypoint.ca.
Note: Many of these programs are awaiting approvals at different levels of government. We will be updating our website accordingly.
Last Updated: 2020-03-3o at 10:15 am
UPDATED 27/03/2020 Temporary 75% Wage Subsidy: A subsidy equal to 75% of employee remuneration paid for qualifying small and medium-sized businesses for up to 3 months. These subsidies will be retroactive to Saturday, March 15, 2020
More information to follow
Status: Coming Soon
Provided by: Canada Revenue Agency
Beneficial to: Businesses
Updated 2020/03/26 Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB): The benefit will provide $2000 / month for the next four months for workers who are not getting a paycheque because of COVID-19. This includes:
- Persons who have lost their job due to COVID-19
- Persons who are contract workers who can no longer work due to COVID-19
- Persons who are Self-employed who can no longer work due to COVID-19 (such as independent small business owners)
- Persons who are sick or in quarantine and not receiving a salary due to COVID-19
- Persons who are looking after someone who is ill due to COVID-19
- Persons who are looking after children due to school & daycare closers caused by COVID-19
- Persons who are employed but are not receiving an income due to COVID-19 disruptions (Such as employees of non-essential businesses)
Note 1. Early indications suggest that CERB will be an extremely flexible program to assist small businesses in maintaining their staffing – allowing employees to continue working while receiving the CERB benefit, with the opportunity for employers to top-up their workers’ compensation beyond the $2,000 that is provided to them by CERB. We will provide updates on this program as they become available. **
Note 2: Application portals are expected to be launched on April 6, 2020 through CRA MyAccount secure portal; My Service Canada Account, or by calling a toll free number equipped with an automated application process. Applicants will receive funding within 10-days of applying. The applications will be CERB payments will be issued every four weeks and will be available from March 15, 2020 to Oct. 3, 2020. **
Note 3: Employees who have been laid off and have applied for Employment Insurance (EI) will automatically be move over to receive the CERB benefit first.**
Primary Government Source: https://www.canada.ca/en/department-finance/news/2020/03/introduces-canada-emergency-response-benefit-to-help-workers-and-businesses.html
Secondary Source: https://cupe.ca/canada-emergency-response-benefit-qa **
Status: Expected For April 6, 2020
Provided by: Federal Government
Beneficial to: Workers, Business Owners
** denotes information from trusted, non-official sources
NEW! 27/03/2020 Canada Emergency Business Account: loans of $40,000 guaranteed by the government for qualifying small businesses and not-for-profits to help cover their operating costs. These loans will be interest-free for the first year and will be offered through qualified major Canadian Banks. Businesses that repay the balance of the loan on or before December 31, 2022 will result in loan forgiveness of 25 percent (up to $10,000).
To qualify for the Canadian Emergency Business Account, businesses and not-for-profits will need to demonstrate that they have paid between $50,000 to $1 million in total payroll in 2019.
Small businesses and not-for-profits should contact their financial institution to apply for these loans.
More information to follow
Status: Coming Soon
Provided by: Provided by: Federal Government via the Bank of Canada, Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions, Major Canadian Banks.
Beneficial to: Businesses
NEW! 27/03/2020 SME Loan Guarantee Programs: For small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) that need additional support can apply for guaranteed loans through their financial institutions to help them weather the impacts of COVID-19. These loans, which will be supported through the Export Development Canada (EDC) and Business Development Bank (BDC) are intended for small and medium-sized companies that require greater help to meet their operational cash flow requirements. These two programs are outlined below:
A. BDC Co-Lending Program for Small and Medium Enterprises: The Business Development Bank of Canada, together with major financial institutions, will co-lend term loans to SMEs for their operational cash flow requirements. 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.
B. EDC Loan Guarantees. Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) can apply through their financial institutions to get operating credit and cash flow term loans up to $6.25 million, which will be guaranteed by the Export Development Canada (EDC). The program cap for this new loan program will be a total of $20 billion for export sector and domestic companies.
Status: Coming Soon
Provided by: Provided by: Federal Government via the Export Development Canada and the Business Development Bank of Canada
Beneficial to: Businesses
NEW! 27/03/2020 Deferral of Sales Tax Remittance (HST and GST): The Federal Government will be deferring the Goods and Services Tax / Harmonized Sales Tax (GST/HST) remittances and customs duty payments to June 30,2020.
- Monthly filers have to remit amounts collected for the February, March and April 2020 reporting periods;
- Quarterly filers have to remit amounts collected for the January 1, 2020 through March 31, 2020 reporting period; and
- Annual filers, whose GST/HST return or instalment are due in March, April or May 2020, have to remit amounts collected and owing for their previous fiscal year and instalments of GST/HST in respect of the filer’s current fiscal year.
More information to follow
Status: Available immediately
Provided by: Provided by: Federal Government via the Canadian Revenue Agency
Beneficial to: Businesses
Small Business Tax Deferral: The CRA will allow all businesses to defer, until after August 31, 2020, the payment of any income tax amounts that become owing on or after March 19, 2020 and before September 2020.
Status: Available
Provided by: Federal Government via Canada Revenue Agency
Beneficial to: Businesses
NEW! 2020/03/25 Deferral of Business Education Tax Payments (commercial property tax) The province announced that it will defer the quarterly municipal remittance of the business education property tax to school boards by 90 days. This will allow municipalities to also provide property tax deferrals to businesses while ensuring school boards continue to receive their funding.
https://news.ontario.ca/mof/en/2020/03/ontarios-action-plan-responding-to-covid-19.html
Status: Announced
Provided by: Provincial
Beneficial to: Businesses
NEW! 2020/03/25 Provincial Tax Relief: The province announced that it will provide five months of interest and penalty relief for businesses to file and make payments for the majority of provincially administered taxes.
https://news.ontario.ca/mof/en/2020/03/ontarios-action-plan-responding-to-covid-19.html
Status: Announced
Provided by: Provincial
Beneficial to: Businesses
Grace Period for Municipal Property Taxes: The City of Toronto will provide a grace period for property tax payments and payment penalties for businesses for 60 days, starting March 16, 2020:
- For businesses on the three-instalment payment plan: the April 1 tax due date is extended to June 1, 2020;
- For property owners on the 11-instalment pre-authorized payment plan, the 2020 due dates will be extended by 60 days;
- Late payment penalties are waived for 60 days (as of March 16, 2020).
Status: Available
Provided by: Municipal Government
Beneficial to: Businesses, Property Owners
Grace Period for Municipal Utility Bills: (Water/Sewer Service and Solid Waste Management charges where applicable): The City is extending the due date for all utility bills issued to businesses by an additional 60 days in addition to the current 21 days to give utility customers an additional 60 days to make payment to take advantage of the early payment discount.
Status: Available
Provided by: Municipal Government
Beneficial to: Businesses, Property Owners
24-hour Retail Delivery Noise Exemption: All retail businesses are noise exempt from the City’s Noise Bylaw to facilitate after-hour deliveries. Retailers can receive deliveries 24 / 7 to ensure goods remain in stock.
Status: Available
Provided by: Provincial, Municipal Government
Beneficial to: Businesses
Employer obligations for workers infected with COVID-19: Currently under the Occupational Health and Safety Act, if an employer is advised that a worker is ill resulting from an exposure at work (including COVID-19), or a claim has been filed with the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) with respect to COVID-19 exposure at work, the employer must notify the Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development in writing within four days. The employer must also notify the workplace joint health and safety committee or a health and safety representative and trade union, if any.
Status: Available
Provided by: Provincial, Municipal Government
Beneficial to: Businesses
The Employment Standards Amendment Act 2020: Provides job-protected leave for employees who are in isolation or quarantine due to COVID-19, or those who need to be away from work to care for children because of school or daycare closures or to care for other relatives. Retroactive to January 25, 2020, and employees cannot be required to show sick notes.
Status: Available Retroactive to January 25, 2020
Provided by: Provincial Government
Beneficial to: Workers
Employment Insurance Work Sharing Program: This EI program benefits to workers who agree to reduce their normal working hours as a result of developments beyond the control of their employers, splitting the work between two or more employees. These measures make it easier for businesses and employees to apply for a work share agreement by extending the eligibility of such agreements to 76 weeks, easing eligibility requirements, and streamlining the application process.
Status: Available
Provided by: Federal Government via Employment Insurance
Beneficial to: Businesses, Workers
Banking Solutions: The Bank of Canada has cut the interest rate to 0.75%, and the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions announced the release of an additional $300 billion in lending capacity by the major banks with the expectation that they will support Canadian businesses and households.
In turn, the big six Canadian banks: Bank of Montreal, CIBC, National Bank of Canada, RBC Royal Bank, Scotiabank and TD Bank have made a commitment to work with personal and small business banking customers on a case-by-case basis to provide flexible solutions to help them manage through challenges such as pay disruption due to COVID-19; childcare disruption due to school closures; or those facing illness from COVID-19.
Status: Available, Case by Case
Provided by: Federal Government via the Bank of Canada, Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions, Major Canadian Banks.
Beneficial to: Businesses, Property Owners, Workers
Business Development Bank Financing: Small business loans up to $100,000 that can be obtained in as little as 48 hours, working capital loans, and purchase order financing loans.
Note 1: Businesses are encouraged to seek commercially available financing first as were enabled through the measures put in place through Banking Solutions. Businesses should reference this Government of Canada flowchart prior to applying for BDC financing. http://www.waterfrontbia.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Business-Flowchart-EN.pdf
Note 2: Some businesses such as pubs/ bars/ clubs and marijuana companies, and non-Canadian companies are not eligible to apply.
Status: Available, Existing Program
Provided by: Federal Government via Business Development Bank of Canada
Beneficial to: Businesses
Business Credit Availability Program: Working capital loans of up to $2 million with flexible terms and payment postponements for up to 6 months for qualifying businesses.
Status: Coming Soon
Provided by: Federal Government via Business Development Bank of Canada
Beneficial to: Businesses
Employment Insurance (EI) – Regular Benefits: Employees who lose their job through no fault of their own, and have been without work and pay for at least seven consecutive days, and have worked for the required number of insurable hours in the last 52 weeks since their last claim.
Employees who have applied for EI due to COVID-19 related layoffs will be automatically enrolled into recently announced the Canadian Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) program, which they will receive prior to their EI benefits.
Note: individuals should apply for EI as soon as soon as they lose their job, even if their Record of Employment (ROE) is not yet available.
https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/corporate/notices/coronavirus.html
Status: Available immediately, Existing Program
Provided by: Federal Government via Employment Insurance
Beneficial to: Workers
Enhanced Canada Child
Benefit: An increase to the Canada Child Benefit (CCB) for the
2019-20 benefit year, by $300 per child.
NOTE:
persons who expect to receive the Enhanced Canada Child Benefit are encouraged not to delay the filing
of their taxes due to the personal tax filing deferral in order to
ensure that their entitlements are properly determined for 2020-21.
Status: Early May
Provided by: Federal Government via the Canada Revenue Agency
Beneficial to: Workers
Enhanced GST Credit for low & modest income families: A one-time special payment to families with low to modest incomes in early May through the Goods and Services Tax Credit (GSTC) providing families with close to $400 for single individuals, and close to $600 for couples.
NOTE: persons who expect to receive the Enhanced GST Credit are encouraged not to delay the filing of their taxes due to the personal tax filing deferral in order to ensure that their entitlements are properly determined for 2020-21.
Status: Available
Provided by: Federal Government via the Canada Revenue Agency
Beneficial to: Workers
Digital Main Street one-on-one support for getting businesses online: Digital Main Street is a program provided by the City of Toronto and the Toronto Association of BIA’s to help businesses develop their online footprint.
Status: Available
Provided by: Municipal Government via the Toronto Association of BIA’s
Beneficial to: Businesses
Ontario Providing Electricity Relief to Small Businesses: The provincial government has suspended time-of-use hydro rates for a period of 45-days, holding electricity prices to the off-peak rate of 10.1 cents-per-kilowatt-hour. This discount will be applied automatically for all customers.
Status: Available
Provided by: Provincial Government via the Ontario Energy Board
Beneficial to: Businesses, Workers, Property Owners
NEW! 2020/03/26 – Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario allows for licensees to now sell liquor for takeout or delivery along with food. The AGCO will now allow bar and restaurant licensees to temporarily sell beer, wine and spirits as part of a food order for takeout or delivery. These changes are effective immediately and last until December 31, 2020.
Status: Available
Provided by: Provincial Government via the AGCO
Beneficial to: Businesses
As a reminder – businesses are advised to check their insurance policies to see if and how they are covered by Business Disruption Insurance.
Additional Resources &
Guides
- Government Of Canada, Resources for Canadian Businesses: https://www.canada.ca/en/services/business/maintaingrowimprovebusiness/resources-for-canadian-businesses.html
- NEW! Province of Ontario Business Information Phone Line: 1-888-444-3659 https://news.ontario.ca/opo/en/2020/03/stop-the-spread-business-information-line-now-open-at-1-888-444-3659.html
- NEW! COVID-19 and Commercial Leases: crowdsourced advice for small businesses and landlords – Councillor Brad Bradford. http://www.waterfrontbia.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/COVID_Commercial_Lease_Guide_PUBLIC.pdf
- City of Toronto, COVID-19: Economic Support & Recovery: https://www.toronto.ca/home/covid-19/economic-support-recovery/
- Guidance from the Toronto Police Service on securing your business during temporary closures (infographic): https://pbs.twimg.com/media/ETfarkZWoAIC20t?format=jpg&name=900×900
- Canadian Chamber of Commerce Pandemic Preparedness Guide: http://www.chamber.ca/resources/pandemic-preparedness/BusinessPrepGuidePanPrep2020
- Institute for Catastrophic loss Reduction Small Business Guides: https://www.iclr.org/small-business/
- Business Development Bank of Canada: Business continuity plan and templates for entrepreneurs: https://www.bdc.ca/en/articles-tools/entrepreneur-toolkit/templates-business-guides/pages/business-continuity-guide-templates-entrepreneurs.aspx
- Business Development Bank of Canada Pre-Recorded Webinar: “How to cope with the impacts of COVID-19 on your business” March 24, 2020: https://youtu.be/ZWtYS2XwovM
- April 02, 2020 – Digital Main Street Webinar: eCommerce 101: What, why, and how. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ecommerce-101-what-why-and-how-tickets-101248663478?fbclid=IwAR369Lg2Oo6ob6WWLCk3MKPidFQa7piP9J3y63Nsw0bWTzOngfJnqQi-2lQ
Business Surveys and Advocacy Efforts.
NEW! 27/03/2020 City of Toronto COVID-19 Business Survey https://s.cotsurvey.chkmkt.com/?e=192083&d=e&h=C10B481F4DB6030&l=en
*Credit to the Waterfront BIA for compiling this list!