COVID-19

Launch of Ontario Together Website

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Ontario Together, a new website that will help businesses and their employees work with the province to meet the challenges of COVID-19.

The website will identify the province's supply challenges and solicit ideas and advice from Ontario's business and manufacturing communities on how the government can work together to meet the need.

Through the portal, companies will be able to submit proposals for the government to procure required goods and services and share creative solutions quickly.

Municipal Emergency Act, 2020 - Supply Chain - Temporary Changes to Municipal Noise By-Laws

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The new legislation ensures that for the near future, the delivery of goods to Ontario's businesses and consumers isn't impacted by municipal noise bylaws.

These temporary changes will allow businesses to transfer goods between their warehouses and retail stores 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Commercial Vehicles - Extension of validation Periods for Driver, Vehicle and Carrier Products

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New regulations include extensions for driver licences, licence plate validation, Ontario Photo Cards, and Commercial Vehicle Operator Registration certificates, among others.

This extension will be in place until such time that, based on the advice of Ontario's Chief Medical Officer of Health and public health officials, the current situation improves.

Ontario is waiving the three-month waiting period for Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP) coverage

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The province will cover the cost of COVID-19 services for uninsured people who do not meet the criteria for OHIP coverage.

Job Protection for Workers during the COVID-19 Pandemic

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The Employment Standards Amendment Act (Infectious Disease Emergencies), 2020, provides job-protected leave for employees unable to work due to COVID-19

The legislation makes it clear that an employee is not be required to provide a medical note if they take the leave. 

Additional Support for Ontario Residents

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The Province is reviewing current access and eligibility to emergency assistance which is available through the Ontario Works (OW) program to support individuals who are impacted by the coronavirus and who are not able to meet their basic living expenses.

The Province has halted new evictions, and postponed enforcement of eviction orders in order to protect Ontario residents affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

NEW WSIB Financial Relief Package

$1.9 Billion

The measure, which will run through the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB), will see premium payments deferred for six months for all businesses in the province.

All employers covered by the WSIB's workplace insurance are automatically eligible for the provisions of the relief package and can defer premium reporting and payments until August 31, 2020. They will not be required to opt in to receive this benefit.

Additionally, the WSIB will cease interest accrual on all outstanding premium payments. They will not charge penalties during this six-month deferral period. There will be no negative consequences for businesses who defer premium reporting and payments. The WSIB will continue to fully cover workers at eligible workplaces.

NEW Provincial Tax Deferrals 

$6 Billion

Providing five months of interest and penalty relief for businesses to file and make payments for the majority of provincially administered taxes.

NEW Various new proposals under Ontario's Action Plan

Various

The government's action plan is a first step in its response to COVID-19 and includes $7 billion in additional resources for the health care system and direct support for people and jobs. It also will make available $10 billion in support for people and businesses through tax and other deferrals to improve their cash flow, protecting jobs and household budgets.

COVID 19 Research and Medical Countermeasures

$275 million

Funding to advance programs already underway at institutions developing potential vaccines.

Nearly $200 million in this program will be allocated to major companies to help them develop COVID 19 countermeasures.

Lending for agribusinesses, producers, and food processors

$5 billion

Farm Credit Canada will receive support from the federal government 

Increased flexibility to farmers and processors who face cashflow issues and are impacted by lost sales.

COVID 19 Economic Aid Package

$82 billion

$27 billion in direct support to workers and businesses.

$55 billion to meet liquidity needs of Canadian businesses (the following programs relate to this)

Deferral of Income Tax

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Allows businesses to defer until after August 31^st, 2020 the payment of any income tax amounts that become owing after March 18^th and before September 2020.

Individual Tax Returns filing date has been extended to June 1^st, 2020. 

No interest or penalties will accumulate for this income.

NEW Small businesses 75% wage subsidy

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A subsidy equal to 75% of remuneration paid back dated to March 15th 2020. Applies to all businesses that can demonstrate a minimum of 30% decline in revnue as a result of the pandemic.

Businesses will be able to benefit immediately from this support by reducing their remittances of income tax withheld on their employees’ remuneration.

Business Credit Availability Program (BCAP)

$10 billion

The government will establish a credit facility to lend money to businesses under stress as a result of the spreading COVID-19 pandemic.

The program will support financing through the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) and Export Development Canada (EDC).

BDC link: https://www.bdc.ca/en/pages/special-support.aspx?specialinitiative=covid19  

EDC link: https://www.edc.ca/en/campaign/coronavirus-covid-19.html   

Changes to the Employment Insurance sickness benefits

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Employment Insurance (EI) sickness benefits provide up to 15 weeks of income replacement and is available to eligible claimants who are unable to work because of illness, injury or quarantine, to allow them time to restore their health and return to work. 

Canada Account Limit

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The government is changing the Canada Account so that the Minister of Finance would now be able to determine the limit of the Canada Account in order to deal with exceptional circumstances. 

The Canada Account is administered by Export Development Canada (EDC) and is used by the government to support exporters when deemed to be in the national interest.

Insured Mortgage Purchase Program

Up to $50 billion

Launch of an Insured Mortgage Purchase Program to purchase up to $50 billion of insured mortgage pools through the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC).

This will provide stable funding to banks and mortgage lenders and support continued lending to Canadian businesses and consumers. 

COVID-19 Supplier Purchasing Program

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In support of the Governments whole-of-government response to Coronavirus disease (COVID-19), the Government is seeking to procure additional goods from suppliers

If you are a supplier which can provide items from the list, or other items not listed, please complete the submission form for Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) products and services.

National Research Council of Canada (NRC) - COVID-19 Challenge Program

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The COVID-19 Challenge Program is composed of teams of government, academic, and private sector partners, seeking to address a range of medium-term needs of the Public Health Agency of Canada and Health Canada.

These medium-term needs include personal protective equipment, sanitization products, diagnostic and testing products, therapeutics, and disease tracking technology. 

The most promising solutions will be selected for procurement, working with Innovative Solutions Canada.

Additional Support for Businesses

Up to $800 billion

The Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions (OSFI) announced it is lowering the Domestic Stability Buffer by 1.25% of risk-weighted assets, effective immediately. This action will allow Canada’s large banks to inject $300 billion of additional lending into the economy.

Credit and liquidity support through financial Crown corporations, Bank of Canada, OSFI, CMHC and commercial lenders (e.g., Domestic Stability Buffer, Insured Mortgage Purchase Program, Banker’s Acceptance Purchase Facility) in the range of $500 Billion

NEW Canada Emergency Business Account

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Loans of up to $40,000 to small and medium-sized businesses that will be interest-free for one year.

$10,000 of the loan will be forgiveable.