| Resource/Benefit | Description | How & When to Apply |
|---|---|---|
| Canadian Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) | If you have stopped working because of COVID-19, the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) may provide you with temporary income support. The CERB provides $500 a week for up to 16 weeks.
https://www.canada.ca/en/services/benefits/ei/cerb-application.html | Apply starting April 6, 2020
https://www.canada.ca/en/services/benefits/ei/cerb-application.html” |
| BC Hydro COVID-19 Relief Fund | If you own a small business that needed to close due to COVID-19, you may be eligible to have your business’ electricity use charges waived for up to three months. | Application form to open the week of April 13. Once it opens, there is no rush to apply.
The application is not open yet, but we expect it to open the week of April 13. Eligible business customers can apply any time before June 30, 2020 to have their business’ bills waived for April, May and June. |
| Income Tax Deferral | Allowing all businesses to defer, until after August 31, 2020, the payment of any income tax amounts that become owing on or after March 18 and before September 2020. This relief would apply to tax balances due, as well as instalments, under Part I of the Income Tax Act. No interest or penalties will accumulate on these amounts during this period. | Self Employed: Filing date for 2019 tax year is June 15, 2020 and payment date is extended to September 1, 2020.
Corporations: Filing date for current tax year extended to June 1, 2020, and Payment date for current tax year extended to September 1, 2020. |
| Business Credit Availability Program (BCAP) | Providing more than $10 billion of additional support, largely targeted to small and medium-sized businesses, through the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) and Export Development Canada (EDC). | As a first step, businesses in need of credit support should contact their financial institution. |
| Work-Sharing (WS) temporary special measures | Effective March 15, 2020 to March 14, 2021, and not limited to one specific sector or industry, the Government of Canada is introducing temporary special measures including extending the duration to 76 weeks, and other measures that make this program more accessible. | Employers are now requested to submit their applications 10 calendar days prior to the requested start date.
Access the application here: https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/corporate/notices/coronavirus.html#h4.02 |
| 10% Temporary Wage Subsidy for Employers | A three-month measure that will allow eligible employers to reduce the amount of payroll deductions required to be remitted to the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA). | You do not need to apply for the subsidy. The subsidy is calculated when you remit income tax, CPP, & EI premiums (as you normally do) to the CRA. |
| The Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS) | Aims to provide a 75 per cent wage subsidy to eligible employers for up to 12 weeks, retroactive to March 15, 2020. Eligible employers are those who have suffered a drop in gross revenues of at least 15 per cent in March, and 30 per cent in April and May. Any benefit from the 10 per cent wage subsidy for remuneration paid in a specific period would generally reduce the amount available to be claimed under the CEWS in that same period. | Apply via the CRA’s My Business Account portal as well as a web-based application. More details about the application process will be made available shortly. |
| Canada Emergency Business Account Loan Program | The new Canada Emergency Business Account will provide interest-free loans of up to $40,000 to small businesses and not-for-profits, to help cover their operating costs during a period where revenues have been temporarily, yet severely reduced. https://smallbusinessbc.ca/article/canada-emergency-business-account-loan-program-opens-for-applications/ | Apply through your business’ primary financial institution. |
| Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance (CECRA) | The Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance (CECRA) program for small businesses will seek to provide loans and/or forgivable loans to commercial property owners who in turn will lower or forgo the rent of small businesses for the months of April (retroactive), May, and June.
Implementation of the program will require a partnership with provincial and territorial governments who are responsible for property owner-tenant relationships. https://www.canada.ca/en/department-finance/economic-response-plan.html#businesses | More details will be available soon. |
COVID 19 Guidance and Resources for Whistler Businesses (From the Whistler Chamber of Commerce)
Key Points:
- General: Getting your workplace ready; Best Practices Guide
- Financials: COVID-19 Economic Response Plan summary (Canadian Chamber of Commerce)
Canada’s measures to support the economy and the financial sector (Government of Canada)
Support for Entrepreneurs impacted by coronavirus (Business Development Canada)
Pandemic preparedness resources for business (Canadian Chamber of Commerce)
Continuity plan toolkit (Business Development Canada)
Temporary Wage Subsidy for Employers (Government of Canada)
*NEW* The new Canada Emergency Response Benefit (Government of Canada) - HR:Government of Canada takes action on COVID-19 (Government of Canada)
Changes to Employment Insurance (Employment and Social Development Canada)
Keeping your employees safe (Canadian Federation of Independent Business)
Work Sharing Brochure for Employers (Service Canada)
HR advice: Responding to COVID-19 in the Workplace (go2HR)
What Employers Need to Know About Temporary Layoffs (Small Business BC)For Employees:
*NEW* Changes to Employment Insurance (Employment and Social Development Canada)
Applying for Employment Insurance (EI) (Service Canada)
EI – Applying for Sickness (Service Canada)
Service Canada: Community Outreach and Liaison Services information
Working Holiday Visa – MSP EligibilitySelf Employed:
Support for Entrepreneurs impacted by coronavirus (BDC)
Also from the Whistler Chamber: Video COVID 19 Business Support – Ep #1 – HR Resources and Employment Law
Video From the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade: Finance and Cash Flow Management
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