FEDERAL GOVERNMENT PROGRAMS
Canada Summer Jobs (CSJ) Application Period Extended to January 29, 2021; Temporary Flexibilities also Extended for 2021
For CSJ 2020, the Department introduced temporary flexibilities to respond to the needs of employers and youth in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. The following temporary flexibilities will continue to be in place for CSJ 2021:
For CSJ 2020, the Department introduced temporary flexibilities to respond to the needs of employers and youth in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. The following temporary flexibilities will continue to be in place for CSJ 2021:
- Wage subsidies: Funded public and private sector employers will be eligible to receive a wage subsidy reimbursement of up to 75% of the provincial or territorial minimum hourly wage. Under regular rules, private and public sector employers are only eligible to receive up to 50% of the provincial or territorial minimum wage.
- Part-time employment: All funded employers may offer part-time placements (for example, fewer than 30 hours per week). Under regular rules, all CSJ-funded employment has to be full time (a minimum of 30 hours per week).
- Employment period: All funded employers may offer job placements between April 26, 2021 and February 26, 2022. Under regular rules, all CSJ-funded positions have to be completed during the summer months.
- Changes to project and job activities: All funded employers may amend project and job activities if the proposed project is impacted by COVID-19 restrictions after an agreement is signed. In such cases, the employer should contact Service Canada to discuss potential amendments. All changes must be approved by Service Canada.
Highlights of Speech from the Throne - September 23, 2020
Government will:
Government will:
- Extend the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS) through to summer 2021
- Create one million jobs to return employment to pre-COVID levels
- Use a range of tools including direct investments in the social sector and infrastructure, immediate training to quickly skill up workers, and incentives for employers to hire and retain workers
- Scale up the Youth Employment and Skills Strategy, to provide more paid work experiences next year for young Canadians
- Expand the Canada Emergency Business Account to help businesses with fixed costs
- Improve the Business Credit Availability Program;
- Introduce further support for industries that have been the hardest hit, including travel and tourism, hospitality, and cultural industries like the performing arts
- Create an Action Plan for Women in the Economy to help more women get back into the workforce
Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS) Update
- The program will now allow businesses to use either accrual or cash accounting methods.
- Employer paid Employment Insurance (EI), Canada Pension Plan (CPP), Quebec Pension Plan (QPP) and Quebec Parental Insurance Plan premiums will be reimbursed.
- Registered charities and not-for-profit organizations are eligible employers to apply for the wage subsidy. They also have the choice of whether or not to include government funding in their revenue calculations.
Federal Government adds $600M to Regional Relief and Recovery Fund
- Canada’s Regional Development Agencies (RDAs) will deliver the RRRF in their regions; working closely with Community Futures organizations, businesses and innovators in their communities.
Regional Relief and Recovery Fund Details Released
$1 billion in funding being provided to the Regional Development Agencies ($675 million) and the national network of Community Futures Development Corporations ($287 million).
Applications are now being accepted under two streams:
Regional Economy:
Community Futures:
Learn more
$1 billion in funding being provided to the Regional Development Agencies ($675 million) and the national network of Community Futures Development Corporations ($287 million).
Applications are now being accepted under two streams:
Regional Economy:
- This stream supports provides $213 million in support to southern Ontario SMEs that do not qualify for, or have been declined for, current Government of Canada COVID-19 relief measures.
- Apply: FedDev Ontario website
Community Futures:
- This stream supports businesses in rural and smaller communities through additional funding for the existing Community Futures Program (CFP).
- In order to provide targeted assistance to the small towns and communities they serve, CFDCs, who will deliver this stream of funding, will focus on assisting “main street” businesses, such as retail shops, restaurants and corner stores, etc., and businesses of strategic importance to their communities, with loans up to $40,000.
- Apply: Community Futures Peterborough
Learn more
Canada Emergency Business Account Learn more
The new CEBA 2019 payroll limits and eligibility (adjusted May and June 19, 2020) are:
The Canada Emergency Business Account details are as follows:
The new CEBA 2019 payroll limits and eligibility (adjusted May and June 19, 2020) are:
- A lower limit of $20,000
- An upper limit of $1.5 million
- Sole operators/proprietors
- Businesses that employ contractors
- Businesses that pay through dividends
The Canada Emergency Business Account details are as follows:
- It’s a $40,000 government‑guaranteed loan to help eligible businesses pay for operating expenses, payroll and other non-deferrable expenses which are critical to sustain business continuity.
- Until December 31, 2020, the Canada Emergency Business Account will be funded as a revolving line of credit for $40,000.
- After December 31, 2020, any outstanding balance on the revolving $40,000 line of credit will be converted into a non-revolving 5‑year term loan maturing on December 31, 2025, at which time the balance must be paid in full.
- No interest applies until January 1, 2023.
- Commencing on January 1, 2023, interest accrues on the balance of the term loan at the rate of 5% per annum, payable monthly on the last day of each month.
- If you pay 75% of the balance of the term loan (as at January 1, 2021), on or before December 31, 2022, the remaining balance of your term loan will be forgiven. For example, if your balance is $40,000 on January 1, 2021 and you repay $30,000 on or before December 31, 2022, the remaining $10,000 will be forgiven.
- If you do not repay 75% of the balance of the term loan (as at January 1, 2021) on or before December 31, 2022, the full loan balance and all accrued and unpaid interest will be due and payable on December 31, 2025.
Ontario-Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance (OCERCA) UPDATE
Apply Now
The federal government has reached an agreement in principle with all provinces and territories to implement the Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance (CECRA) for small businesses.
The government is also providing further details on the program:
More details
Apply Now
The federal government has reached an agreement in principle with all provinces and territories to implement the Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance (CECRA) for small businesses.
- This program will lower rent by 75 per cent for small businesses that have been affected by COVID-19
- It will be administered by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC)
The government is also providing further details on the program:
- The program will provide forgivable loans to qualifying commercial property owners to cover 50 per cent of three monthly rent payments that are payable by eligible small business tenants who are experiencing financial hardship during April, May, and June.
- The loans will be forgiven if the mortgaged property owner agrees to reduce the eligible small business tenants’ rent by at least 75 per cent for the three corresponding months under a rent forgiveness agreement, which will include a term not to evict the tenant while the agreement is in place. The small business tenant would cover the remainder, up to 25 per cent of the rent.
- Impacted small business tenants are businesses 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.
More details
Large Employer Emergency Financing Facility (LEEFF)
The Government of Canada today announced its intention to create the Large Employer Emergency Financing Facility (LEEFF) to provide 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. This support will not be used to resolve insolvencies or restructure firms, nor will it provide financing to companies that otherwise have the capacity to manage through the crisis. The additional liquidity provided through LEEFF will allow Canada’s largest businesses and their suppliers to remain active during this difficult time and position them for a rapid economic recovery.
Business Credit Availability Program (BCAP)
This program to mid-sized companies with larger financing needs, including loans of up to $60 million per company and guarantees of up to $80 million.
Learn more on these announcements
The Government of Canada today announced its intention to create the Large Employer Emergency Financing Facility (LEEFF) to provide 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. This support will not be used to resolve insolvencies or restructure firms, nor will it provide financing to companies that otherwise have the capacity to manage through the crisis. The additional liquidity provided through LEEFF will allow Canada’s largest businesses and their suppliers to remain active during this difficult time and position them for a rapid economic recovery.
Business Credit Availability Program (BCAP)
This program to mid-sized companies with larger financing needs, including loans of up to $60 million per company and guarantees of up to $80 million.
Learn more on these announcements
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Chambers host Town Hall with Ministers Joly and Monsef About a dozen questions were asked and answered during this 45 minute session on Monday evening. Peterborough and Kawartha Chamber members submitted questions on rent relief, bringing back workers, tourism, and programs available to small business. Watch the video |
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Federal Government announces relief for Agriculture Sector
- $252 Million in total relief
- $77 Million for food processors to help adjust manufacturing spaces and implement safety protocols
- $125 Million for pork and cattle producers
- $50 Million for a surplus food program that will see the federal government buy surplus and redistribute the product to groups helping food to those who need it
Arts, Culture, Sports
- $500 million to Heritage Canada to help artists, athletes and organizations receive support
Canada Emergency Community Support Fund
- $350 million to help support agencies in communities helping the vulnerable
- Distributed through organizations such as the United Way and Community Foundations
Canada Emergency Student Benefit
- Requires legislative approval
- $1,250/month from May to August
Canada Summer Jobs Program
The Canada Summer Jobs program provides opportunities for youth to develop and improve their skills within the not-for-profit, small business, and public sectors, and supports the delivery of key community services.
The government is making temporary changes to the Canada Summer Jobs program to allow employers to:
The Canada Summer Jobs program provides opportunities for youth to develop and improve their skills within the not-for-profit, small business, and public sectors, and supports the delivery of key community services.
The government is making temporary changes to the Canada Summer Jobs program to allow employers to:
- receive an increased 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;
- extend the end date for employment to February 28, 2021;
- adapt their projects and job activities;
- hire staff on a part-time basis.
Canada Emergency Response Benefit Apply Now
Program updated April 15, 2020:
In addition to previously announced criteria, you may now qualify for CERB if you are:
Program updated April 15, 2020:
In addition to previously announced criteria, you may now qualify for CERB if you are:
- A part-time employee (earning up to $1,000 per month)
- Seasonal worker
- Your EI has recently run out
Original program details:
- If you have already applied for EI you will be moved over automatically to CERB
- If you have not applied for EI; apply for CERB
- If you are receiving the Temporary Wage Subsidy through your employer you cannot also receive CERB
- Choosing direct deposit will get the money in your hands in 3-5 days
- People accessing CERB will have to check-in with CRA each month.
- workers who must stop working due to COVID19 and do not have access to paid leave or other income support.
- workers who are sick, quarantined, or taking care of someone who is sick with COVID-19.
- working parents who must stay home without pay to care for children that are sick or need additional care because of school and daycare closures.
- workers who still have their employment but are not being paid because there is currently not sufficient work and their employer has asked them not to come to work.
- wage earners and self-employed individuals, including contract workers, who would not otherwise be eligible for Employment Insurance.
Understanding EI & CERB
GST and HST Remittance and Customs Duty Payments
- Business, including self-employed individuals, allowed to defer payments of the GST/HST from March 27 to May 31 until June 30, 2020
- GST and customs duty payments for imported goods, deferral will include amounts owing for March, April, and May
Indigenous Businesses
Up to $306.8 million in funding to help small and medium-sized Indigenous businesses, and to support Aboriginal Financial Institutions that offer financing to these businesses.
The funding will allow for short-term, interest-free loans and non-repayable contributions through Aboriginal Financial Institutions, which offer financing and business support services to First Nations, Inuit, and Métis businesses.
Up to $306.8 million in funding to help small and medium-sized Indigenous businesses, and to support Aboriginal Financial Institutions that offer financing to these businesses.
The funding will allow for short-term, interest-free loans and non-repayable contributions through Aboriginal Financial Institutions, which offer financing and business support services to First Nations, Inuit, and Métis businesses.
Additional Support for Indigenous Peoples Living in Urban Centres and Off Reserve
$75 million in funding for Indigenous organizations providing services to Indigenous peoples in urban centres and off reserve. This additional funding will support more community-based projects that address the critical needs of Indigenous populations during this crisis, including food security, mental health support services and sanitation and protective equipment.
Learn more
$75 million in funding for Indigenous organizations providing services to Indigenous peoples in urban centres and off reserve. This additional funding will support more community-based projects that address the critical needs of Indigenous populations during this crisis, including food security, mental health support services and sanitation and protective equipment.
Learn more
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Tips from Federal Minister of Small Business
Other Headlines of Interest:
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