COVID-19: Guide and Government Aid Programs - Canadian Credit Union Association

Update as of February 11, 2021:

As of December 4, 2020, CEBA loans for eligible businesses will increase from $40,000 to $60,000.
Applicants who have received the $40,000 CEBA loan may apply for the $20,000 expansion, which provides eligible businesses with an additional $20,000 in financing.
All applicants have until March 31, 2021, to apply for $60,000 CEBA loan or the $20,000 expansion.

Click here to read more about the CEBA program.

This is a $10-billion program to allow the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) and Export Development Canada (EDC) to provide credit. It will be delivered through private sector lenders, likely in many cases through existing arrangements by which BDC and EDC provide private sector loans. This program is largely targeted to small- and medium-sized businesses. Priority sectors for this program include oil and gas, air transportation and tourism. CCUA has been invited to join an advisory group governing the program which is currently meeting every day to ensure the program does not compete directly with private sector lenders. We established a Business Credit Availability Program (BCAP) to provide $65 billion of additional support through the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) and Export Development Canada (EDC).

BDC and EDC are working with private sector lenders to coordinate on credit solutions for individual businesses, including in sectors such as oil and gas, air transportation, exportation and tourism.

This program includes:

Canada Emergency Business Account 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 their revenues have been temporarily reduced. To qualify, these organizations will need to demonstrate they paid between $50,000 to $1 million in total payroll in 2019.

Loan Guarantee for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises EDC is working with financial institutions to issue new operating credit and cash flow term loans of up to $6.25 million to SMEs.

Co-Lending Program for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises BDC is working with financial institutions to co-lend term loans to SMEs for their operational cash flow requirements. Eligible businesses may obtain incremental credit amounts of up to $6.25 million through the program.

These programs will roll out in the three weeks after March 27, and interested businesses should work with their current financial institutions.

BDC is also taking measures to provide relief to Canadian entrepreneurs during these difficult times. These include:

Working capital loans of up to $2 million with flexible terms and payment postponements for up to six months for qualifying businesses;
Postponement of payments for up to six months, free of charge, for existing BDC clients with total BDC loan commitment of $1 million or less;
Reduced rates on new eligible loans;
Additional details regarding Business Credit Availability Program (BCAP) measures, including industry specific support, are to be announced in the coming days.

To read the full press release, click here.

In recent days, we’ve received many questions from partners and clients about how to access BCAP.

Businesses seeking support through BCAP should first contact their financial institutions for an assessment of their situation.
Financial institutions will refer to EDC and BDC their existing members whose needs extend beyond what is available through the private sector alone.
Existing BDC clients should reach out to their account manager for additional information.

Small and Medium Size Enterprise Loan and Guarantee Program

Friday March 27^th 2020, it was announced that BDC & EDC are launching the new Small and Medium-sized Enterprise Loan and Guarantee program that will enable up to $40 billion in additional lending (on top of the previously announced $10 billion Business Credit Availability Program).

The program will operate as follows:

Small and medium-sized businesses can get support through a new Co-Lending Program that will bring the BDC together with financial institutions to co-lend term loans to these businesses for their operational cash flow requirements. Eligible businesses may obtain incremental credit amounts up to $6.25 million, 80 per cent of which would be provided by BDC, with the remaining 20% by a financial institution.
EDC will also provide funding to financial institutions so that they can issue new operating credit and cash flow term loans of up to $6.25 million to small and medium-sized businesses, as a result of a new domestic mandate enhancing EDC’s role in supporting Canadian businesses through COVID-19 crisis. These loans will be 80 per cent guaranteed by EDC, to be repaid within one year.
Eligible companies could obtain up to $12.5 million through these two lending streams.

To access these loans, business owners must contact their primary financial institution which will assess their situation and deploy the financing as appropriate. Financial institutions must be on EDC list of Approved Financial Institutions (available at the bottom of the page here). CCUA is working with EDC to ensure the process of becoming an Approved Financial Institution will be streamlined and efficient for credit unions not currently on the list.

Update of May 12, 2020: Export Development Canada (EDC) has announced four new changes to the Business Credit Availability Program (BCAP). These updates reflect feedback from CCUA and other participating financial institutions on the BCAP council. These amendments are a great win for the credit union system, allowing lenders to extend additional credit to Canadian businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Summaries of the four amendments, provided by EDC, are outlined below:

Extend the EDC BCAP Guarantee maximum duration from two years to five years

This new timeline better supports small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and applies to all BCAP-supported loans.
The tenor of the loan and any associated amortization schedule remains at the discretion of participating institutions.
This change acknowledges that many SMEs can’t generate the required cash flow to remain viable while repaying loans within two years. By extending the guarantee duration, EDC can work together to support more Canadian businesses.

Allow businesses to use BCAP-supported funds for ordinary-course debt payments

EDC will allow the use of BCAP proceeds for normally scheduled interest payments or repayment of temporary advances or borrowing excesses on existing facilities advanced by the Institution to the Obligor since March 1, 2020, as well as to satisfy ordinary course of business lease, equipment or supplier financing payments.
The purpose of BCAP-supported loans hasn’t changed. BCAP-supported loans are designed to finance the obligor’s operations, not to repay or refinance existing debt obligations.
This change provides greater clarity around the use of BCAP-supported loans and improves alignment between the EDC BCAP Guarantee and the BDC Co-Lending Program for SMEs.

Allow greater flexibility to update credit reviews for BCAP-supported borrowers at a time that works with your business cycle

Prior to the guarantee anniversary date each year, FI’s must provide EDC with an updated internal credit review, including an updated obligor risk rating. This extends guarantee coverage for an additional year, up to a maximum of five years of total coverage.
The credit review must be dated within the previous 12 months. EDC’s initial requirement was for a credit review from within the last 3 months.
EDC has extended this “acceptable window” by nine months to provide you with the flexibility to update the borrower’s risk rating at a time that makes sense for participating institutions. Note that the guarantee extension remains at the discretion of participating institutions – as long as EDC receives the updated information and a request to extend coverage, the extension is “automatic” each year, for up to five years of total coverage.

Clarify the definition of ownership by “individuals holding political office” that would make a borrower ineligible for an EDC BCAP Guarantee

EDC is asking applicants to declare that their business doesn’t operate in any category restricted by EDC while completing the EDC eligibility form.
EDC has changed one ineligible category from “Entities owned by individuals holding political office” to “Entities owned by any federal Member of Parliament or Senator.”
This change allows other political officeholders—such as school board trustees—to apply for a BCAP-supported loan.

Tax Filing Deadlines

Individuals:

The deadline for filing personal income tax returns is postponed to June 1, 2020, if the filing deadline would have been April 30, 2020. There is no change to the filing deadline of June 15, 2020 for self-employed individuals.

Businesses:

No announcements were made regarding the filing deadlines of corporate income tax returns, which are still due six months after year end.

Other:

For trusts having a taxation year ending on December 31, 2019, the return filing due date will be deferred until May 1, 2020. Off-calendar year end testamentary trusts do not appear to qualify for the extension.
No announcements were made relating to partnership returns, some of which are still due on March 31, 2020.
GST and HST tax payments on imports will also be deferred until June.

Income Tax Amounts Owing

The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) will allow all taxpayers to defer until September 1, 2020, the payment of any income tax amounts that become owing on or after March 18, 2020. This relief would apply to tax balances due as well as installments. No interest or penalties will accumulate on these amounts during this period.
Taxpayers with taxes already due (for example, three months after a November 30 year-end) will not qualify for a deferral. Installments that should have been paid up until today are also not covered by the deferral relief.
From a provincial perspective, Quebec and Alberta are the only two provinces that collect taxes directly, rather than having collection done federally. Quebec has announced a deferral of taxes owing until July 31, 2020; Alberta has made no announcements to date.

Post Assessment Audits

The CRA will not contact any small or medium businesses to initiate any post assessment GST / HST or income tax audits for the next four weeks. For most businesses, the CRA will temporarily suspend audit interaction with taxpayers and representatives.

Use of Electronic Signatures

As a temporary administrative measure, the federal government will recognize electronic signatures as having met the signature requirements of the Income Tax Act for taxpayers signing Forms T183 and T183Corp only.

Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS)

To support businesses that are facing revenue losses and to help prevent layoffs, the government is providing eligible employers a temporary wage subsidy. The subsidy will cover 75 per cent of each employee’s wages, but only for the first $58,700. That means the maximum amount of subsidy would translate to $847 per week, unless an employer tops up any salary exceeding $58,700 from the business’s own funds. The wage subsidy is available for corporations, non profits and charities whose gross revenues have decreased by at least 15 per cent in March and 30 per cent in April and May compared to the same month last year or an average of their revenue earned in January and February 2020.

An employer’s revenue for this purpose is its revenue in Canada earned from arm’s-length sources. Revenue is calculated using the employer’s normal accounting method, and exclude revenues from extraordinary items and amounts on account of capital. Employers are allowed to calculate their revenues under the accrual method or the cash method, but not a combination of both. Employers select an accounting method when first applying for the CEWS and are required to use that method for the entire duration of the program.

There will be three claiming periods and once an organization has applied, they automatically qualify for the other periods. Applications will be available through a CRA My Business Account in the coming weeks.

More information can be found here.

10% Temporary Wage Subsidy

The 10% wage subsidy is still available for organizations that cannot receive the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy. Originally, the government announced a wage subsidy of 10% for Canadian Controlled Private Corporations (CCPCs), including cooperative corporations, non-profit organizations and charities. The subsidy is only available to a CCPC if its taxable capital employed in Canada for the preceding tax year, calculated on an individual or associated group basis, is less than $15 million.

This subsidy applies from March 18 to June 20, up to a maximum subsidy of $1,375 per employee and $25,000 per employer.

The subsidy must be calculated manually, either by you or whoever is responsible for making your payroll remittances. The CRA will not automatically calculate the allowable subsidy. The calculation is the following: Planed income Tax remittance – 10% subsidy = New Income Tax remittance. You cannot however reduce your remittance of Canada Pension Plan contributions (CPP) or Employment Insurance (EI) premiums.

You do not need to apply for the subsidy. You will continue deducting income tax, Canada Pension Plan (CPP) contributions, and Employment Insurance (EI) premiums from salary, wages, bonuses, or other remuneration paid to your employees, as you currently do.

The subsidy is calculated when you remit these amounts to the CRA. Once you have calculated your subsidy, you can reduce your current payroll remittance of federal, provincial, or territorial income tax that you send to the CRA by the amount of the subsidy.

More information can be found here.

Other Resources:

Earnscliffe wage subsidy program summary

Individuals

Emergency Income Relief for the Self-Employed
This program supports the self-employed who have been significantly affected by COVID-19 to a maximum of $500 per week from March 16-29. To be eligible for this component self-employed individuals must; Have declared business income on their most recent tax return, business income must be their primary source of income, be able to demonstrate direct financial losses resulting from the COVID -19 isolation measures at the time of application, and not be EI eligible or receiving any other income support.

See more information and apply here.

Emergency Relief – Worker Assistance Program
This is a temporary program to provide financial support to employers to assist their employed workers who have had at least an 8-hour reduction in work hours from March 16-29 as a result of COVID-19. The maximum benefit is $250 per week for each employed worker that qualifies.

Employers can apply for the program on behalf of employees here.

Employee Gift Card Program
This is a temporary program put in place 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 between the dates of March 13th-April 15th, 2020.

The program was put in place to assist the employee while they await their EI payments. The application form is to be completed by the employer, who will then distribute the gift card letters to affected employees.

Find out more and employers can apply here.

COVID-19 Income Support Fund
The fund provides financial support to residents of Prince Edward Island to bridge the gap between the loss of their job/lay-off, loss of their primary source of income, Employment Insurance benefits have expired or loss of all revenues through self-employment as a result of COVID-19. This emergency income fund is a one-time lump sum payment of $750 from the Government of Prince Edward Island. This emergency income is taxable.

Eligibility Criteria

an individual who has lost their job/laid off on or after March 13, 2020, due to the public health state of emergency in Prince Edward Island; or
an individual whose Employment Insurance (EI) benefits have expired and they have no job to return to due to the public health state of emergency in Prince Edward Island; or
a self-employed individual who has lost all revenues through self-employment on or after March 13, 2020, due to the public health state of emergency in Prince Edward Island and has not already accessed the Emergency Income Relief for the Self-Employed; and
have applied (or plan to apply) for support through the Federal government (either Employment Insurance Benefits or the Canada Emergency Response Benefit)
earned a minimum of $5,000 (gross) earnings in the last 12 months or in the last calendar year;
lost their primary source of income; is 18 years of age or older; is a resident of Prince Edward Island for tax purposes as of December 31, 2019.

Find out more and apply until April 30 here.

COVID-19 Special Situation Fund for individuals
The fund will provide up to $1,000 to Islanders, between March 16 and June 16, 2020, who have experienced urgent income loss as a result of COVID-19 and are not eligible for other federal and provincial funding support.

Find more information and apply here.

Temporary Rental Assistance Benefit
The benefit will provide $1,000 per household to help cover the cost of rent for three months. Eligible Islanders will receive $500 in the first month they apply and $250 in the next two months.

Islanders are eligible for the benefit if they are currently receiving or applying for Employment Insurance or the Canada Emergency Response Benefit due to COVID-19, are a resident of PEI and are not currently receiving rental support from other government or non-government organizations.

Islanders can apply to the Temporary Rental Assistance Benefit by calling 1-877-368-5770 or by visiting the Department of Social Development and Housing website. https://www.princeedwardisland.ca/en/news/province-announces-covid-19-special-situations-fund.

Supporting Small Business

Broadband Fund for Businesses
The fund provides financial assistance to local Prince Edward Island internet service providers (ISPs), communities and businesses for the installation of infrastructure for enhanced broadband services.

A project may be eligible for PEIBF support where costs will be incurred for a business to gain access to new or upgraded internet services to their business premises. The program will cover 50% of the cost of projects. Full details on the program can be found here.

Commercial Lease Rent Deferral Program
To support small and medium-sized businesses, landlords are encouraged to defer rent payments from their commercial tenants for 3 months, spreading the deferred rent amount over the rest of the lease term. If rent is deferred because the tenant’s business is closed to the public due to the related to the COVID-19, under the Public Health Act, the landlord could be eligible for coverage (up to a maximum of $50,000 per landlord and $15,000 per tenant) if you can’t recover the deferred rent.

To be eligible for the COVID-19 Small Business Rental Deferral Guarantee Program, landlords must register with Finance PEI by April 15, 2020, by emailing financepei@gov.pe.ca.

COVID-19 Business Adaptation Advice Program
This program provides a non-repayable contribution to a maximum of $2 500 toward the cost for a Prince Edward Island businesses, entrepreneurs, not-for-profit, and non-governmental organizations to hire a professional to provide advice and support to adapt to or recover from the impacts of COVID-19.

This assistance will contribute to the costs associated with:

obtain business, human resources and financial planning and advice
obtain advice on transitioning to digital or IT solutions
obtain advice on exporting, marketing, and logistics
obtain other professional services which may be of assistance in adapting or recovering from the impacts of COVID-19 determined in consultation with Innovation PEI

For more information and to apply see here.

COVID-19 Special Situation Fund for businesses and organizations
The COVID-19 Special Situation Fund for businesses and organizations will provide funding to businesses, community groups and non-government organizations that have experienced urgent income loss as a result of COVID-19 and are not eligible for other federal and provincial funding support.

This is a temporary program put in place to support organizations that have been significantly affected by COVID-19, have an urgent need, and are not eligible for federal or provincial financial support.

Apply before April 15 and find out more here.

Emergency Working Capital Financing
This loan program is to assist qualifying companies to maintain normal business operations during these difficult times. 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. Small businesses on PEI will be required to submit an application and supporting documentation to Finance PEI.

For an applicant to be eligible for assistance, the following criteria must be met:

Existing small businesses (startups not eligible) located and operating in the Province of PEI, and have been generating revenue on PEI
Registered to conduct business within the Province of PEI
The applicant has a satisfactory credit rating and must not have any defaulted outstanding debt obligation on file in the Province’s Central Default Registry

Find more information about how to apply here.

Human Resources

Advice for businesses and community groups
The government has outlined steps businesses and employers can take to ensure the safety and health of their employees as well as the general public. This includes, but is not limited to:

Cleaning;
Supporting your employees if they need to stay home;
Safety concerns; and
Leaves, layoffs and other labour questions.

For further details and resources, please visit the “Working during COVID-19” page: https://novascotia.ca/coronavirus/working-during-covid-19/

COVID-19 Employer Assessment Tool
The Employer Assessment Tool helps businesses and non-profits clarify if they may remain open and how they can comply with public health orders and workplace safety requirements. To access this tool: https://covid19-employer-assessment.novascotia.ca/en

Individuals, Families and Seniors

Worker Emergency Bridge Fund
The Worker Emergency Bridge is a one-time payment of $1,000 for Nova Scotians who are laid off or out of work because of COVID-19, who don’t qualify for Employment Insurance, and earn between $5,000 and $34,000.

If you were laid off or out of work on or after 16 March 2020 because of COVID-19 and you aren’t eligible for Employment Insurance, you may be eligible for the Worker Emergency Bridge.

It can be combined with the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB). The payment counts as taxable income and you’ll need to include it on your 2020 tax return.

For further details on eligibility and how to apply, visit: https://novascotia.ca/coronavirus/worker-emergency-bridge-fund/

Income assistance
Every individual and family member on income assistance will receive an additional $50 starting Friday, March 20. People do not need to apply.

The government is also extending the hours of the toll-free line for income assistance supports, including weekends. If you have questions about eligibility for income assistance, call:

Monday to Friday 8:30 am to 4:30 pm – 1-877-424-1177
Monday to Friday 4:30 pm to 7 pm – 1-833-722-1417
Saturday 8:30 am to 4:30 pm
Sunday 10 am to 2 pm

Support & wellness check-ins through the Red Cross
To help people who need additional supports, 211 will launch Saturday, April 11, a new service to connect people needing COVID-19 assistance with the Canadian Red Cross. The Red Cross will act as a navigator to link people to the services they need.

In addition, the Red Cross will offer wellness check-ins for Nova Scotians who are isolated and experiencing loneliness and anxiety.

COVID-19 Investing Info Webpage
The Nova Scotia Securities Commission has launched a new webpage and online video to provide COVID-19 investing information to the public. The webpage compiles all news releases, notices and blanket orders issued to provide relief for a number of individuals or applicants from a regulatory requirement about COVID-19 by the commission, the Canadian Securities Administrators and the North American Securities Administrators Association.

Visit: https://nssc.novascotia.ca/covid19

Feed Nova Scotia and community food banks
$1 million to help Feed Nova Scotia purchase food and hire more staff, and $55,000 to support 12 smaller community food banks.

Cell phones for the most vulnerable
Government is partnering with Telus to provide 100 phones and calling plans to the most vulnerable Department of Community Services clients who have no other means of communication, and who may be self-isolated and alone.

Transition houses
$200,000 to support transition houses and other organizations that serve vulnerable women and children.

Suspending student loan payments
Nova Scotia Student Loan payments are suspended until September 30, 2020. You don’t need to make any payments, and your loans won’t accrue interest. The suspension is automatic – you don’t need to apply.

Support for seniors
Community Links and Seniors’ Safety Programs are programs that respond to the needs of vulnerable older adults across the province. Government is investing $230,000 in these programs to expand their capacity to provide more supports and services like:

Volunteers for delivering groceries;
Technological options for keeping people connected by phone; and
Responding to other social issues as they emerge.

If you need non-emergency, non-medical help, call 211 or visit ns.211.ca. 211 is a toll-free helpline that connects you to community and social services in your area. This toll-free helpline is available 24/7 in over 140 languages.

If you are accepting help from someone you don’t know, please remember to protect your own privacy and safety and follow these tips: https://novascotia.ca/coronavirus/img/Community-Outreach-Post.jpg

Keeping long-term care residents connected
The government is distributing 800 iPads to long-term care homes across the province so residents can connect with family and friends.

Supporting Small Business

Small Business Impact Grant
The grant will be administered by Dalhousie University in Halifax. Eligible small businesses and social enterprises will receive a grant of 15 per cent of their revenue from sales – either from April 2019 or February 2020, up to a maximum of $5,000. This flexible, one-time, upfront grant can be used for any purpose necessary.

Eligibility for the program is not affected by a person or business being enrolled in another provincial program or the federal initiatives.

Apply online here: https://covid19-small-business-impact-grant.nscrc.ca/

The deadline to apply is 25 April. If you have further questions about the program, email SmallBusinessImpactGrant@novascotia.ca.

Commercial leases: rent deferral program
The government of Nova Scotia is encouraging landlords to defer rent payments for their commercial tenants for 3 months, spreading the deferred rent amount over the rest of the lease term.

If you’re deferring rent because your tenant’s business is shut down or significantly restricted by the Health Protection Act order, you could be eligible for coverage (up to a maximum of $50,000 per landlord and $15,000 per tenant) if you can’t recover the deferred rent.

To be eligible for the COVID-19 Small Business Rental Deferral Guarantee Program, landlords must register with the Department of Business by April 3 by emailing NSRentDeferral@novascotia.ca. The rent deferral agreement must be in place by April 1.

For more information see the Rent Deferral Support Program guidelines: https://novascotia.ca/coronavirus/COVID-19-Rent-Deferral-Support-Program-Guidelines.pdf

You can use one of these forms to document the deferral agreement with your tenant:

Rent Deferral Agreement – Gross Lease: https://novascotia.ca/coronavirus/docs/Rent-Deferral-Agreement-Gross-Lease.pdf
Rent Deferral Agreement – Net Lease: https://novascotia.ca/coronavirus/docs/Rent-Deferral-Agreement-Net-Lease.pdf

Payment deferral for all government loans
Government will defer payments until June 30 for all government loans, 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.

The Loan Boards have outlined how payment deferral works, as well as other topics here: https://fishloan.novascotia.ca/covid19

Fee deferral
Government will defer program and service fees until June 30, 2020. This includes workers compensation premiums and licence, permit, registration, renewal and service fees.

For a detailed list, visit: https://novascotia.ca/coronavirus/fees/

Changes to the Small Business Loan Guarantee Program
Administered through credit unions, the government announced the following changes:

Deferring principal and interest payments until June 30;
The Small Business Loan Guarantee Program continues to provide access to credit for eligible businesses up to $500,000. Other changes to this program will be announced soon.

Expedited payment for businesses which do business with the government
Businesses which do business with the government will be paid within five days instead of the standard 30 days.

Incentivizing Internet service providers to accelerate projects
Ensuring more Nova Scotians can access the Internet to work from home, the government will provide $15 million as an incentive to service providers to speed up projects and complete them as soon as possible, under the Internet for Nova Scotia Initiative.

Measures for restaurants
Starting March 30, restaurants can include alcohol purchases with take-out and delivery orders, if the alcohol cost is no more than 3 times the value of food ordered.

Government Tender Notices
Are you a business that can supply products and service in support of Nova Scotia’s response to COVID-19? If so, the provincial government would like to hear from you.

A procurement portal has been developed and includes a list of products and services the provincial government is looking for: https://procurement.novascotia.ca/nova-scotia-together.aspx

Changes made to tax return filing deadlines & remission of interest and penalties

Tax Return Filing Deadlines:
International Fuel Tax Agreement returns for the first quarter of 2020 (January 1 to March 31, 2020) due on April 30, 2020 from interjurisdictional carriers, under section 8 of the Revenue Administration Regulations, are now due and payable on June 1, 2020.

With the exception of tax returns required from interjurisdictional carriers, all other tax returns falling under the purview of the Revenue Administration Act and Regulations, which would otherwise be due March 20, 2020 to May 31, 2020, are now due June 23, 2020. The tax returns applicable to this extension include:

Gasoline Tax
Carbon Tax
Health and Post-Secondary Education Tax
Insurance Companies Tax
Mining and Mineral Rights Tax
Tax on Insurance Premiums
Tobacco Tax

For monthly filers, this means they will have the option to extend the filing and remittance of tax amounts for the February, March and April 2020 reporting periods to June 23, 2020.

To continue to file during the extension period, taxpayers should submit tax returns via email to taxreturn@gov.nl.ca or fax to 709-729-2856. Taxpayers can email taxadmin@gov.nl.ca or call 709-729-6297 (toll free 1-877-729-6376) to set up electronic funds transfer, wire payment, or e-file payment options.

If online options are not possible, please submit your returns via mail or by utilizing the drop-off box. The drop-off box is located in the East Block, Confederation Building in St. John’s, and can be accessed via the Employee Entrance at the back of the building nearest to the daycare.

Remission of Interest and Penalties:
If a taxpayer is prevented from making a payment when due, filing a return on time, or otherwise complying with a tax obligation, they can submit a written request to the Department of Finance, Tax Administration Division, to seek a remission of interest and penalties. Requests should validate how the taxpayer was prevented from complying with these requirements as a result of COVID-19 circumstances. These requests should be submitted by e-mailing to taxadmin@gov.nl.ca. Please include “Remission Request (COVID-19)” as the subject line of the e-mail to help facilitate timely processing. All requests will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

Human Resources

Unpaid Sick Leave
Legislative and regulatory amendments will be introduced to provide job protection for workers who must take a leave of absence due to COVID-19. It will allow an unpaid leave of up to 15 weeks to New Brunswickers who have COVID-19 or are caring for someone with the virus.

WorkSafeNB Premium Deferrals
Work Safe NB is deferring premiums for businesses, financially affected due to COVID-19, for three months. Assessment premiums related to employer payrolls for February, March and April will be deferred for three months without interest charges.

This affects employers who pay their premiums on a monthly basis. No premium payments are due to WorkSafeNB until June. This measure is not a permanent reduction in assessments payable, but a temporary postponement of payment.

For annually-assessed employers who provide an estimate of their yearly payroll to WorkSafeNB, you may submit a revised payroll estimate (representing an increase or decrease) during the year and WorkSafeNB can adjust your account.

To learn more, please contact Assessment Services at 1-800 999-9775 (option 4), or visit the WorkSafeNB website: https://www.worksafenb.ca/about-us/news-andevents/news/2020/as-we-face-the-globalpandemic-of-covid-19-worksafenb-deferspremium-payments-for-three-months-with-qa/

Waiving Late Penalties on Property Taxes
Though 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 for June 1 and July 1 due to undue financial challenges, such as having to close a business due to COVID-19.

For more information, contact the Finance and Treasury Board at 1-800-669-7070 Or visit: https://www2.gnb.ca/content/gnb/en/gatew

Electricity Bill Payment Deferrals and Suspension of Disconnections for NonPayment
NB Power has committed to the suspending disconnections for non-payment. NB Power has committed to the deferral of electricity bill payments for residential and small business customers for up to 90 days. In addition, NB Power will waive interest for past due balances and late payment charges issued after March 19, 2020 for customers impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, and extend existing payment arrangements for impacted customers. For more information, visit the NB Power website: https://www.nbpower.com Or call 1-800-663-6272 for support.

Saint John Energy customers are encouraged to contact the company to discuss payment options. For more information, visit the Saint John Energy website: https://www.sjenergy.com Or call 506-658-5252

The City of Edmundston has put a number of measures in place for water, sewer and energy customers. For more information, visit the City of Edmundston website: Or call the Finance Department at 506-739-2118 https://edmundston.ca/en/renseignements/com muniques/1045-temporary-measures-to-helpwith-electricity-and-water-and-sewer-bills

Individuals

Self-Employed and Worker Emergency Income Benefit
The income benefit will be administered through the Red Cross. It is meant to bridge the time between when New Brunswick workers lose their employment and when they receive their federal benefits. Applications for the New Brunswick Workers Emergency Income Benefit opens at noon, Monday, March 30, 2020.

One-time $900 taxable benefit to eligible persons. An individual must meet all of the following criteria to be eligible:

I am an individual and have lost my job; been laid off on or after March 15th due to the state of emergency in New Brunswick OR I am selfemployed and have lost all revenues through self-employment on or after March 15th due to the state of emergency in New Brunswick;
I have earned a minimum of $5,000 (gross) earnings in the last 12 months or in the last calendar year; I have lost my primary source of income;
I have applied (or plan to apply) for support through the Federal government (either Employment Insurance or the Canada Emergency Response Benefit);
I have no other income; I am a resident of New Brunswick, and I am 18 years of age or older.

Visit: https://www2.gnb.ca/content/gnb/en/depar depart/postsecondary_education_training_and_labour/p prom/nbweib.html

Supporting Small Business

Working Capital Injection New Brunswick employers
Working capital loans will help employers respond to challenges associated with COVID-19. Employers will be able to apply for this assistance directly from Opportunities New Brunswick.

Opportunities NB will provide – upon request – working capital in excess of $100,000 to help manage the impacts of COVID19 on their operations.

Companies considering a request should first (1) speak to their Financial Institution regarding options, (2) look for federal programs (3) and put cash flow projections together for 6 months to assess Working Capital needs.

Existing ONB clients should contact their Business Development Executive. Businesses with questions should contact: nav@navnb.ca or call the Business Navigator line at 1-833-799-7966.

Deferrals of Interest and Principal Payments on Existing GNB Loans
Any New Brunswick business that has an existing loan with the government of New Brunswick can defer loan and interest repayments for up to six months.

This deferral is available, on a case-by-case basis and can be requested by contacting the department that issued the loan.

Visit: https://www2.gnb.ca/content/gnb/en/gatew ays/for_business/covid19.html

Small Business Emergency

Working Capital Program
Small business owners impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic can apply for working capital loans up to $100,000 through the Small Business Emergency Working Capital Program. Businesses will not be required to pay interest for the first six months. Interest payments will be required in months 7-12. Principal and interest payments will begin in month 13. The interest rate after six months is 4% per annum.

Small business owners should first (1) speak to their Financial Institution regarding options, (2) look for federal programs (3) and put cash flow projections together for 6 months to assess Working Capital needs.

Eligibility: For small businesses engaged in commercial enterprises employing 1 to 49 employees, with sales for the most recent fiscal year of less than $10 million. For businesses which have experienced adverse effects on or after March 15, 2020, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and have a reasonable plan or prospect to remain viable after the pandemic.

Applications are completed through your local CBDC here.

Working Capital Loans
Opportunities NB (ONB) is making available working capital loans to assist employers in responding to the challenges associated with COVID-19. Working capital in excess of $100,000, up to a maximum of $1 million is available. Six months of deferred principal and interest payments with interest to be capitalized from date of advance. Interest-only payments from months 7-12. After 12 months, loan balance including capitalized interest from the first 6 months will be amortization over 48 blended principal & interest payments. Max term 5 years.

Eligibility: Company must be New Brunswick-based and have been in business for at least 24 months, and have financial statements to support the viability of the business before the COVID-19 crisis Companies (proprietorships, partners or corporations) with no employees are not eligible. Client must have been in good standing and current with their financial institutions, and government remittances prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, and have no prior history of bankruptcy or default. Publicly traded companies are not eligible.

Approvals will be based on the existing ONB approval process and policies on assessment of viability going forward and ability to repay the loan.

Companies considering a request should first (1) speak to their Financial Institution regarding options, (2) look for federal programs (3) and put cash flow projections together for 6 months to assess Working Capital needs.

To apply existing ONB clients should contact their Business Development Executive or email nav@navnb.ca,or call the Business Navigator line, at 1-833-799-7966.

Human Resources

Amendments to the Labour Standards Act
The amendments provide for a leave of absence without pay and job protection where an employee is unable to work for the following reasons:

The employee has returned from travel and must self-isolate;
The employee is under medical investigation, supervision or treatment for COVID-19;
The employee is in isolation or quarantine due to COVID-19;
The employee is acting in accordance with public health direction;
The employer directs the employee not to work due to COVID-19;
The employee needs to provide care to a person for a reason related to COVID-19 such as a school or day-care closure; or
The employee is directly affected by travel restrictions and cannot reasonably be expected to travel back to the province.

The amendments also make it clear that the employee will not be required to provide a medical note if they take the leave.

Resources for businesses and workplaces
A list of sector-specific resources and general information can be found here: https://www.gov.nl.ca/covid-19/resources-2/

Mental health and wellness resources
A list of resources for children, seniors and the general public can be found here: https://www.gov.nl.ca/covid-19/mental-health-and-wellness/

Individuals, Vulnerable Populations and Community Supports

Resources
A list of resources, best practices and tips can be found here: https://www.gov.nl.ca/covid-19/resources-2/

Info for income support clients re: CERB
While some Income Support clients may qualify for the CERB because they had employment earnings in the last year; others will not qualify. It is important to note, individuals cannot receive both provincial Income Support and the CERB at the same time. Should Income Support clients receive the CERB, they will no longer qualify for Income Support, and benefits will be suspended immediately. An overpayment will be set up on Income Support files where there is an overlap in payments from the CERB.

When Income Support benefits are suspended, individuals will need to apply for prescription drug coverage through Newfoundland and Labrador Prescription Drug Plan (NLPDP) by calling 1-888-859-3535 or going online.

For more information on how CERB income will impact Income Support benefits, or to report CERB income immediately, clients should contact the department by calling toll-free 1-877-729-7888 (Eastern Region) or 1-866-417-4753 (Western Region). Inquiries can also be emailed to aesl@gov.nl.ca.

Changes to defaulted student loan account collections
For individuals with provincial student loans in default and who file income tax returns with the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) from April 9, 2020 to September 30, 2020 which results in a refund, including GST credits, CRA will send refunds, including GST credits, directly to individuals instead of the Provincial Government.

This decision is not retroactive and only applies to defaulted student loan borrowers who file their income tax return with CRA on or after April 9, 2020. For income tax returns filed with CRA prior to April 9, 2020 which resulted in a refund, including GST credits, all or a portion of that refund, including GST credits, will not be returned to the defaulted borrower and will be diverted to the Provincial Government. More information can be found in the backgrounder posted here: https://www.gov.nl.ca/releases/2020/aesl/0409n09/

Other collections activities will continue at a reduced capacity, with recognition that circumstances may require case-by-case assessment. Defaulted borrowers requiring further assistance should contact the Department of Finance at taxadmin@gov.nl.ca.

New toll-free telephone number for Department of Children, Seniors and Social Development
The Department of Children, Seniors and Social Development has implemented a new toll-free telephone number during the COVID-19 public health emergency to ensure individuals and community groups can best connect with the department as needed. Effective today, the new main contact number for the department is 1-833-552-2368.

This new central line will have options for the department’s essential services, including child protection; adult protection; child, youth and family services’ inquiries; and financial payments.

All existing contact information related to these essential services and other areas of the department will still be available; however, the new central line will direct calls accordingly. A complete listing of all departmental contact information can be found on the department’s website.

In addition, child protection and adult protection referrals will continue to be received and assessed 24/7 by calling the department’s new number 1-833-552-2368 or your local police.

Supporting transition aged youth
In Newfoundland and Labrador, youth who were in care are already eligible to receive services voluntarily from the Youth Services Program until the age of 21. As a result of COVID-19, the Department of Children, Seniors and Social Development has made temporary policy enhancements to its Youth Services and Kinship Programs to ensure transition aged youth do not lose access to required supports during the COVID-19 situation.

For youth set to age out of these programs and services over the next few months, the department’s social workers are reaching out to let them know the supports can continue during this time. The social workers will resume or commence transition planning with the youth once it is safe to do so.

Supporting Small Business

Legislative Sitting to Respond to COVID-19
On Thursday March 26, the government held an urgent sitting of the House of Assembly to respond to the COVID-19 global pandemic. The new initiatives being proposed include:

Provide employees with protections from losing their job if they must take time away from work as a result of COVID-19.
Ensure tenants of rental properties cannot be evicted if they have lost income resulting from COVID-19 and not able to pay rent.
Extend interim supply to September 30, 2020, in the event that the House of Assembly is disrupted into June 2020. This ensures that existing government services such as health care can continue.
Introduce $200 million in contingency funding to address the impacts of COVID-19 and reduced oil prices.
Provide long-term borrowing authority of $2 billion. This will allow for ongoing government operations, as well as the ability to respond to current revenue volatility.
Authorize the temporary variation of deadlines and time periods which an activity needs to be done such as annual reports and audit reviews.
Include changes to the Hydro Corporation Act, 2007 to authorize additional borrowing capacity to protect against a potential reduction in revenues as a result of COVID-19.

It’s not clear if the government will offer help to landlords, or property owners, who count on rental payments to pay their mortgage.

Deadline extended for Fuel Tax Exemption Permits
The expiry date for Fuel Tax Exemption Permits, which allows permit holders to purchase tax-exempt marked gasoline and light fuel oil, which was set to expire on March 31, 2020 has been extended to June 30, 2020.

Gasoline and carbon product retailers throughout the province are authorized to accept such permits and continue to sell marked diesel and light fuel oil exempt of gasoline and carbon tax to these permit holders up to and including June 30, 2020.

Extension of the exemption will ensure permit holders (primarily fishers), are not negatively impacted by any inability to apply for a permit extension or processing delays resulting from COVID-19.

Deadline extended for current Aquaculture Licences
The annual validation expiry date is extended for all current existing aquaculture licences in Newfoundland and Labrador from March 31, 2020 to May 31, 2020.

This decision is in consideration of economic impacts on the seafood sector stemming from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

The department will work with industry during the extension period to ensure aquaculture licence renewal requests are processed in a timely manner.

Aquaculture operators with questions about this extension should contact the department’s director of Aquaculture Development by telephone at 709-293 4308 or email StephanieSynard@gov.nl.ca.

Human Resources

Job-protected leave
The Ontario Legislature has passed the Employment Standards Amendment Act (Infectious Disease Emergencies), 2020 to provide job-protected leave to employees 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 day care closures or to care for other relatives. These measures are retroactive to January 25, 2020, the date that the first presumptive COVID-19 case was confirmed in Ontario.

For further information: https://news.ontario.ca/opo/en/2020/03/employment-standards-amendment-act-infectious-disease-emergencies-2020.html

Workplace Safety Expenses Deferral
Working in conjunction with the government of Ontario, the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) will allow employers to defer payments for a period of six months. This will provide employers with $1.9 billion in financial relief.

All employers covered by the WSIB’s workplace insurance are automatically eligible for the financial relief package. Schedule 1 employers with premiums owed to the WSIB will be allowed to defer reporting and payments until August 31, 2020.

The deferral will also apply to Schedule 2 businesses that pay WSIB for the cost related to their workplace injury and illness claims. In addition, no interest will be accrued on outstanding premium payments and no penalties will be charged during this six-month deferral period.

Individuals

Seniors
The Province is providing immediate financial support to vulnerable seniors, by proposing to double the Guaranteed Annual Income System (GAINS) maximum payment for low-income seniors, for six months starting in April 2020. This would increase the maximum payment to $166 per month for individuals and $332 per month for couples.

The government is also working with province-wide organizations including Ontario Community Support Association (OCSA) and Older Adults Centres’ Association of Ontario (OACAO) to identify and mobilize potential volunteer supports and expand the use of innovative technologies in the community to address social isolation and support daily living assistance.

The Government of Ontario is partnering with SPARK Ontario (bilingual volunteer portal) to help seniors and the most vulnerable stay connected and healthy as they self isolate during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Volunteer organizations can visit www.sparkontario.ca to post volunteer opportunities available in their communities. Ontarians interested in volunteering are encouraged to check the website for opportunities to make a difference where they live.

Parents
The government is providing a one-time payment of $200 per child up to 12 years of age, and $250 for those with special needs, including kids enrolled in private schools.

Families can complete a simple online application at Ontario’s Support for Families web page to access this financial support. Parents already receiving Support for Parents payments through direct deposit will be automatically eligible for this financial support and do not need to submit a new application.

Effective April 10, 2020, the government is preventing any child care operator from charging fees where care is not being provided. Moreover, the order also means that parents cannot lose their child care space because they are not paying fees during this period.

Students
Temporarily suspending Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP) loan repayments between March 30, 2020 and September 30, 2020, during which time borrowers will not be required to make any loan or interest payments.

Emergency Assistance Program
Expanding access to the emergency assistance program administered by Ontario Works to provide financial support to people facing economic hardship and help them with basic needs, such as food and rent during this public health emergency. For further information and to apply, visit: https://www.ontario.ca/page/apply-emergency-assistance?_ga=2.15927350.1205154104.1586456993-701691611.1585162533

Residential Relief Fund for Agencies
The Residential Relief Fund will help to address financial and service delivery pressures that agencies are feeling during this time. These funds will help to manage the health and safety of children, youth and adults supported in residential settings, as well as the staff who support them. Agencies also will have the financial flexibility agencies to shift funding within their organization and across program areas to focus on critical services and needs in relation to COVID-19.

Funding will be provided upon request to agencies with residential service programs, and should be requested through a Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services (MCCSS) regional or corporate office.

For questions or additional information, agencies should contact their ministry Program Supervisor/MCCSS Contact.

Indigenous Peoples and Communities
The government is providing supports of $26 million for Indigenous Peoples and communities, including emergency assistance for urban Indigenous People in financial need and costs for health care professionals and critical supplies to reach remote First Nations.

Electricity Relief
Providing direct support to families for their energy bills by expanding eligibility for the Low‑income Energy Assistance Program (LEAP), and by ensuring that their electricity and natural gas services are not disconnected for nonpayment during the COVID‑19 outbreak.

The Province is also setting electricity prices for residential, farm and small business time-of-use customers at the lowest rate, known as the off-peak price, 24 hours a day for 45 days to address concerns about time-of-use metering. This discount will be applied automatically to electricity bills without the need for customers to fill out an application form.

Supporting Small Business

Tax Deferrals
Beginning April 1, 2020, the government is providing a five-month interest and penalty-free period for businesses to make payments for the majority of provincially administered taxes. This will continue for a period of five months, up until August 31, 2020.

For this period, the Province will not apply any penalty or interest on any late-filed returns or incomplete or late tax payments under select provincially administered taxes, such as the Employer Health Tax, Tobacco Tax and Gas Tax.

Employer Health Tax Exemption
The government is cutting taxes by $355 million for about 57,000 employers by proposing a temporary increase to the Employer Health Tax (EHT) exemption from $490,000 to $1 million for 2020. With this plan, more than 90 per cent of private-sector employers would not pay EHT in 2020.

Eligible private-sector employers with annual payrolls up to $5 million would be exempt from EHT on the first $1 million of total Ontario remuneration in 2020. The maximum EHT relief from the exemption would increase by $9,945 to $19,500 for 2020 for eligible employers.

The exemption would return to its current level of $490,000 on January 1, 2021.

Regional Opportunities Investment Tax Credit
To support business investment in regions of the province where employment growth has been significantly below the provincial average, Ontario is proposing a new 10 per cent refundable Corporate Income Tax credit.

The Regional Opportunities Investment Tax Credit would be available to eligible businesses that construct, renovate or acquire qualifying commercial and industrial buildings in designated regions of the province, saving them up to $45,000 in the year.

Education Property Tax Deferrals
The government is working closely with municipalities as they introduce measures to provide property tax relief, for example, by allowing taxpayers to defer property tax payments. To encourage these actions, the government is deferring the property tax payments municipalities make to school boards by 90 days.

In addition to collecting municipal property taxes, municipalities collect and remit education property taxes to school boards on a quarterly basis. Deferring the June 30 quarterly remittance to school boards by 90 days will provide municipalities with the flexibility to, in turn, provide over $1.8 billion in property tax deferrals to residents and businesses.

To ensure this does not have a financial impact on school boards, the Province will adjust payments to school boards to offset the deferral.

Ontario Together Fund
The Fund will support the development of essential equipment and supplies.

Individuals and businesses can submit their proposals through the Ontario Together web portal here: https://www.ontario.ca/page/how-your-organization-can-help-fight-coronavirus?_ga=2.39404579.1205154104.1586456993-701691611.1585162533

Individuals

Employment Standards
Manitoba has introduced a temporary job-protected leave to The Employment Standards Code for employees who are unable to work due to circumstances related to the COVID-19 pandemic. For detailed information, please see the Public Health Emergency Leave fact sheet.

Student Loan
Manitoba Student Aid loans repayments have been suspended effective April 1. Payments will be on hold till September 30^th.

Manitoba Provincial tax deferral
4 month deferral period for individuals and businesses to pay provincial taxes, to August 31. No interest or penalties. The province has indicated it would be willing to extend these deferrals until Oct. 1, should the federal government agree.

Interest and penalty not charged for 6 months
In the event that Manitobans are unable to pay for amounts owing to Manitoba Hydro, Manitoba Public Insurance premiums, Workers’ Compensation premiums, Education Property Taxes. In addition, ordinary MPI policy renewals and collections practices relaxed.

Manitoba Hydro/ Centra Gas
Not to charge interest or penalties on customers unable to pay at this time.

Property Insurance sales tax removal
Accelerating removal of $75M in provincial sales tax from residential and business property, effective July 1, 2020.

Interest on provincial Education Taxes, School Division fees and Municipal Taxes
Province of Manitoba is working with municipal partners to charge no interest on these balances. City of Winnipeg has already agreed to take this step as of April 3.
Learn more

Supporting Small Businesses

Manitoba has announced a new service 24-7 Intouch service to help businesses, not-for-profits and charities facing economic challenges due to COVID-19 to connect with support programs. Details such as call centre phone number and hours of operation will be available in the days ahead.

Tax Filing
Manitoba has extended the April and May tax filing deadlines for the Retails Sales Tax (RST) 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. Please see this bulletin for full details.

Deferring provincial income tax and corporate income tax filing deadlines and payments to coincide with the current revised federal deferral of income tax to Aug. 31 and has indicated it would be willing to extend these deferrals until Oct. 1, should the federal government agree, the premier added.

The new measures are in addition to the recently announced two-month deferral for small businesses that remit up to $10,000 in Manitoba payroll tax or $10,000 in sales tax. This will result in $80 million in deferred remittance to the province.

Education Property Taxes
Not charging interest on education property taxes.

Work Sharing Program
Extension of the maximum duration of an agreement from 38 weeks to 76 weeks.

Mandatory cooling off period waived for employers who have already used the program, so that eligible employers may immediately enter into a new agreement.

Reduced requirement and expanded eligibility for employers affected: accepting businesses who have been in business for only 1 year rather than 2; eliminating the burden of having to provide sales/production figures at the same time.

Check eligibility/Apply here

Critical and Allowable Services

The Government of Saskatchewan released the list of Critical and Allowable Services which includes financial institutions under allowable services. Financial Services are included under the Allowable category. This should provide comfort to some credit unions that were concerned that they would be designated “essential services” as has been done in other provinces. The news release can be found here and all changes are effective March 26, 2020.

Banking and Financial Services

Services include:

Financial services
Insurance services
Payroll services
Accounting services
Financial market services

Human Resources

Amendments to The Saskatchewan Employment Act

The proposed amendments to the Act are:

to remove the requirement of 13 consecutive weeks of employment with the employer prior to accessing sick leave;
to remove the provision requiring a doctor’s note or certificate; and
introduction of a new unpaid public health emergency leave that can be accessed:
- when the World Health Organization has determined that there is a public health emergency and the province’s chief medical health officer has also issued an order that measures be taken to reduce the spread of a disease; or
- the province’s chief medical health officer has independently issued an order that measures be taken provincially to reduce the spread of a disease where it is believed there is sufficient risk of harm to citizens of the province. The orders would also be made public to ensure everyone is aware of the direction.

The amendments to the Act would come into force retroactive to March 6, 2020.

Changes to Employment Standard Regulations
In addition to changes made to changes to The Saskatchewan Employment Act that introduced a new unpaid public health emergency leave and removed the 13-week employment requirement to access sick leave and the requirement for a doctor’s note to access sick leave, The Employment Standard Regulations have been amended to:

Ensure that during a public emergency, businesses will not have to provide notice or pay in lieu of notice when they lay-off staff if it is for a period of 12 weeks or less in a 16-week period.
And if an employer lays off employees periodically for a total of more than 12 weeks in a 16-week period, the employees are considered to be terminated and are entitled to pay instead of notice as outlined in the Act. This will be calculated from the date on which the employee was laid off.

These amendments create a balance for employers and employees where the difficult decision may be made to lay-off employees due to public health emergencies. In this circumstance, employees would have immediate access to new federal employment insurance programs, while keeping employers financially stable to ensure employees have a job to return to.

Measures implemented by the government in consultation with the Chief Medical Health Officer:

Residents are advised to limit any non-essential travel outside of Saskatchewan, with the exception of people who live in border communities and are commuting for work.
Public gatherings of more than 10 people in one room are prohibited except where two metre distancing between people can be maintained; workplace and meeting settings where people are distributed into multiple rooms or buildings; and retail locations (ie. grocery stores, pharmacies, gas stations).

Supporting Individuals

Self-Isolation Support Program
Administered by the Ministry of Finance, the Self-Isolation Support Program will provide $450 per week, for a maximum of two weeks or $900. The Self-Isolation Support Program is targeted at Saskatchewan residents forced to self-isolate that are not covered by recent federally announced employment insurance programs and other supports. The program is designed to ensure that all Saskatchewan residents are covered by either a federal or provincial program to ensure no one is faced with choosing to work instead of protecting their family and community from COVID-19 by self-isolating.

The program is anticipated to cost a total of $10 million and will mostly benefit self-employed residents of Saskatchewan that meet the following eligibility criteria:

• They have contracted COVID-19 or are showing symptoms;
• They have been in contact with an individual infected with COVID-19;
• They have recently returned from international travel and have been required to self-isolate;

And

• If they are not eligible for compensation including sick leave, vacation leave from their employer
• If they do not have private insurance covering such disruptions
• If they are not covered by other programs such as federal employment insurance that has been updated.

A website has also been launched to provide information on support for workers who have had their employment impacted by the current economic situation. Workers can visit www.saskatchewan.ca/covid19-workers for more information.

Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency Launches Toll-Free Line For Non-Health Related Questions
The Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency (SPSA) is launching a dedicated, toll-free phone line for people who have general questions about the COVID-19 pandemic that are not health-specific.

The 1-855-559-5502 (for Regina residents: 306-787-8539) line will be staffed 16 hours a day, from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., by operators who will be able to answer questions or point people to information ranging from government services to travel restrictions.

Supporting Small Businesses

Saskatchewan Small Business Emergency Payment Program
The Saskatchewan Small Business Emergency Payment program provides financial assistance to small businesses in Saskatchewan that have been ordered to temporarily close or significantly curtail operations during the public emergency period due to a public health order to help control transmission of COVID-19.

Financial assistance includes a payment that can be used for any purpose which may include assisting businesses to cover fixed costs or to reopen the business once the pandemic is over.

The program is operated by the Saskatchewan Ministry of Finance.

Benefits

Payments are based on 15% of a business’s monthly sales revenue in either April 2019 or February 2020. Businesses may select either of these months to calculate their payment.

The maximum payment is $5,000 per business.

Payments can be used for any purpose, including paying fixed costs or expenditures related to re-opening the business following the pandemic.

Eligibility

To be eligible, a business must:

Be a person, partnership, corporation, co-operative, or not-for-profit, registered under The Business Names Registration Act, The Business Corporations Act, The Non-profit Corporations Act, 1995, or The Co-operatives Act;

Have a permanent establishment in Saskatchewan;

Have fewer than 500 employees;

Have been carrying on business in Saskatchewan on February 29, 2020;

Apply on or before July 31, 2020;

Have been ordered to temporarily close or significantly curtail operations through a public health order to help control transmission of COVID-19;

Have experienced a loss of sales revenue that affects the applicant’s ability to pay for fixed costs;

Attest to reopen business operations within 90 days following the cancellation of the COVID-19 public health orders; and

Have not received any payments or amounts from any other sources, including insurance, to replace or compensate for the loss of sales revenue other than amounts from other government assistance programs.

To apply for this program businesses should first review all the eligibility criteria, and review the program’s Overview and Application Instructions.

Application information and further details on the program can be found here.

Three Month PST Remittance Deferral and Audit Suspension
Effective immediately, Saskatchewan businesses who are unable to remit their PST due to cashflow concerns will have relief from penalty and interest charges. Over the course of three-months; government estimates a potential deferral of up to $750 million in PST collections. Businesses that are unable to file their provincial tax return(s) by the due date may submit a request for relief from penalty and interest charges on the return(s) affected.

At this time, audit program and compliance activities have been suspended to allow businesses time to focus on the health and safety of their customers and staff, reduce impacts to their business operations, and minimize the spread of the virus through reduced audit travel.

Crown Utility Interest Deferral Programs
Earlier this week, government announced a crown utility interest deferral program waving interest on late bill payments for up to six months. Effective immediately, the crown utility interest deferral program is available to all crown utility customers.

Saskatchewan Business Response Team
The Government of Saskatchewan has launched a Business Response Team to support businesses in the province dealing with the economic challenges resulting from COVID-19.

The Business Response Team, led by the Ministry of Trade and Export Development, will work with businesses to identify program supports available to them both provincially and federally.

An email address and toll-free telephone number have been created to provide businesses a single point of contact to help answer questions. A single window information webpage has also been developed for businesses to access information and receive timely updates on provincial support initiatives. The webpage includes information on both provincial and federal support measures, including the province’s recently announced financial support program.

For more information, businesses can contact the Business Response Team by calling 1-844-800-8688, emailing supportforbusiness@gov.sk.ca or by visiting www.saskatchewan.ca/covid19-businesses.

The Government of Saskatchewan has been contacted by many businesses, individuals and groups who have offered ideas and solutions. As such, the SaskBuilds Single Procurement Service will serve as a central point of contact and co-ordination.

Saskatchewan businesses, innovators, or suppliers and that think you have a solution that can help us fight COVID-19, you may direct your submission to procurement@gov.sk.ca.

Supporting Agriculture Producers

Federal Agriculture and Agri-Food Minister, Marie-Claude Bibeau and Saskatchewan Agriculture Minister David Marit, announced the deadline to apply, reinstate, cancel or make changes to Crop Insurance contracts is extended to April 13, 2020.

Producers interested in Crop Insurance coverage for the 2020 year now have an additional two weeks to finalize their contracts. Extending the Crop Insurance deadline gives producers more time to prepare and make decisions regarding all aspects of their business, including risk management.

Despite new guidelines concerning service delivery, Saskatchewan Crop Insurance Corporation (SCIC) continues to support Saskatchewan producers as we approach the 2020 growing season. Knowledgeable staff are available to assist producers by phone at 1-888-935-0000 or email at customer.service@scic.ca.

Current customers can also use SCIC’s online application, CropConnect, available at www.scic.ca/cropconnect, to enter insurance selections, add or delete crops, change program options and choose coverage levels.

Crop Insurance is a Business Risk Management program supported through the Canadian Agricultural Partnership, a five-year, $3 billion commitment by Canada’s federal, provincial and territorial governments that supports Canada’s agri-food and agri-products sectors.

Under Crop Insurance, premiums for most programs are shared 40 per cent by participating producers, 36 per cent by the Government of Canada and 24 per cent by the Government of Saskatchewan. Administrative expenses are fully funded by governments, 60 per cent by Canada and 40 per cent by Saskatchewan.

Supporting Post-Secondary Students

The Saskatchewan government will make up to $1.5 million in emergency financial aid available to help at-risk post-secondary students impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Ministry of Advanced Education announced today it will help students with limited financial resources and supports whose studies and employment have been disrupted. The amount of emergency funding will depend on each students’ circumstances.

This financial adjustment for publicly-funded post-secondary institutions will support both domestic and international students in need through one-time emergency bursaries. The Ministry of Advanced Education will also work with publicly-funded institutions that do not have existing emergency financial aid programs for students to put emergency bursaries in place.

Emergency bursaries for students will be available from April 1, 2020 to September 30, 2020. Eligibility requirements and application details will be available to students through their post-secondary educational institution within the next week to ten days, after details are finalized.

Adjustments may be made to the program once details of any federal assistance are announced.

Governance

CCUA has been successfully working with CUDGC and FCAA on a blanket extension for credit union AGMs. CCUA is distributing an extension form to Saskatchewan credit union, that have not yet held their AGM or requested for an extension for the meeting to be held no later than September 30, 2020.

Social Services

New Saskatchewan Housing Benefit
The Saskatchewan Housing Corporation will begin accepting applications for the new Saskatchewan Housing Benefit (SHB) on April 1, 2020. The SHB is a federal-provincial program delivered through the National Housing Strategy. It aligns with the strategy’s principles of people, communities, and partnerships. It also aligns with the province’s focus on helping people in greatest housing need.

SHB is a monthly benefit available to eligible households, including seniors, families, couples and singles. It will be available to Saskatchewan renters who:

rent from a community housing provider, such as a non-profit housing provider or co-operative;
pay more than 50 per cent of household income on rent and utilities;
have incomes and assets below the program limits; and
are not receiving another government benefit to help with their housing/shelter costs.

Clients will receive a benefit based on their household composition:

Eligible households that require one bedroom, such as single individuals or couples, will receive $150 per month.
Households that require two bedrooms will receive $200 per month.
Households that require three or more bedrooms will receive $250 per month.

Application forms and additional information will be available on the Saskatchewan Housing Corporation website or by calling toll-free 1-844-787-4177.

Individuals

Utility payment deferral
Residential, farm and small commercial customers can defer electricity and natural gas bill payments for the next 90 days to ensure no one will be cut off, regardless of the service provider.

This program is available to Albertans who are experiencing financial hardship as a direct result of COVID-19. For example, those who have lost their employment or had to leave work to take care of an ill family member.

Individuals are asked to contact their utility providers directly to arrange for deferrals.

Student Loans repayment deferrals
Individual members with outstanding Alberta Student Loans will be given a 6-month interest-free moratorium on their repayment. Any loan payments will be paused until September 2020.

The six-month interest-free moratorium applies only to students who have already graduated and are paying back their student loans after graduation

There is no application process

Supporting Small Businesses

Corporate income tax changes
Alberta corporate income tax balances and installment payments coming due between March 18, 2020 and August 31, 2020 are deferred until August 31, 2020 to increase employers’ access to cash so they can pay employees, address debts and continue operations.

In addition, due dates for the filing of corporate income tax returns due after March 18, 2020 and before June 1, 2020 have been extended to June 1, 2020.

Education Property Tax Freeze/Deferral
Education property taxes for businesses and individuals have been frozen at last year’s level.

Businesses are able to defer payment on their education property tax for 6 months, to be repaid in future tax years. Businesses capable of paying their taxes in full are encouraged to do to so. This will assist the province in supporting Albertans through the pandemic.

Business members should look to their municipalities for education property tax deferral programs.

Commercial landlords are encouraged to pass savings on to their tenants through reduced or deferred payments to help employers pay their employees and stay in business.

WCB premium payment deferral
Small, medium and large private sector employers can defer WCB premium payments until 2021.

For small and medium businesses, the government will cover 50% of the 2020 premium when it is due in 2021 – saving businesses $350 million.

Large employers will have their 2020 WCB premium payments deferred until 2021, at which time their premiums will be due.

Employers who have already paid WCB premiums in 2020 are eligible for a rebate or credit.

Other Provincial Measures and Announcements

14 days of job protected leave for self-isolation
2020 residential education property tax rates frozen at 2019 levels
Expiry dates for driver’s licenses, ID cards, vehicle registrations, other permits extended to May 15
Business Link resources for small businesses affected by COVID-19

Human Resources

Unpaid Sick Leave
On March 23, 2020, a new section of the Employment Standards Act (ESA, s. 52.12) came into effect, which provides job protection for workers who must take a leave of absence due to COVID-19. It will allow for unpaid, job-protected leave for as long as the circumstance that requires them to be away from work applies. The leave will be retroactive to January 27, 2020, the date that the first presumptive COVID-19 case was confirmed in BC.

Below are the circumstances where an employee has the right to unpaid leave:

the employee has been diagnosed with COVID-19 and is acting in accordance with
- instructions or an order of a medical health officer, or
- advice of a medical practitioner, nurse practitioner or registered nurse
the employee is in quarantine or self-isolation in accordance with
an order of the provincial health officer,
an order made under the Quarantine Act (Canada),
guidelines of the British Columbia Centre for Disease Control, or
guidelines of the Public Health Agency of Canada
the employer, due to the employer’s concern about the employee’s exposure to others, has directed the employee not to work
the employee is providing care to an “eligible person”, including because of the closure of a school or daycare or similar facility

An “eligible person” includes:

a child who is under 19 years of age and under the day-to-day care and control of the employee, when the employee is the parent or guardian of that child, or responsible for day-to-day care of the child under an agreement or court order
a child of the employee who is 19 years or older who remains dependent and under the day-to-day care and control of the employee due to illness, disability or other reasons
the employee is outside the province and cannot return to BC because of travel or border restrictions

Once it is no longer needed, this leave will be removed from the Employment Standards Act.

Individuals

BC Emergency benefit for Workers
This will provide a tax-free $1,000 payment to British Columbians whose ability to work has been affected by the outbreak. The benefit will be a one-time payment for British Columbians who receive federal Employment Insurance (EI), or the new Canada Emergency Response 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 childcare centers and schools are closed, and those caring for sick family members, such as an elderly parent. The workers can be EI-eligible and non-EI eligible, such as the self-employed. The benefit will be paid to B.C. residents, in addition to their federal income supports.

Climate Action Tax Credit
Climate Action Tax Credit will provide one-time boost of up to $564 for eligible families of 4 and $218 for eligible individuals in an enhanced payment in July. Children under 18 years old must be registered for the CCB to qualify. No other action is needed; benefit is paid out according to your income tax return.

https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/taxes/income-taxes/personal/credits/climate-action

Emergency Funding supports for students
Assistance is available for students at public post-secondary institutions. Non-repayable funds can be used to help with a broad range of costs, including living expenses, food, travel, portable computers and other supports for students who are not already able to study remotely. Contact your school’s financial aid office to apply. See backgrounder for contact list.

Indigenous Emergency Assistance Fund
Indigenous students at public post-secondary institutions can apply for non-repayable emergency assistance that can be used to help with a broad range of costs, including living expenses, groceries, cell phone bills, childcare, medical, dental, optical, and travel costs for family crisis or community obligations. Contact the Indigenous Student Service Centre on campus. See backgrounder for contact list.

BC Student Loans
BC Student Loans repayments are on pause for six months without penalty, starting April. Repayment will be paused automatically.

Enhanced tax flexibility
The Province is extending tax filing and payment deadlines for the PST, the Employer Health Tax, the municipal and regional district tax, the carbon tax, the motor fuel tax, among others to September 30, 2020.

BC Hydro
You may be eligible for three months of bill credit based on your average consumption (avg credit will be $477). Applications will be accepted until June 30 (no rush to apply). Apply online.

BC Temporary Rental Supplement
Provides up to $500/month towards rent, paid directly to landlords. Applications open mid-April. More info here.

BC Senior’s Supplement
Low-income seniors who receive the B.C. Senior’s Supplement will receive an additional $300/month boost for three months. No application needed. Additional support will be applied to payments automatically. More info available here.

Supporting Small Businesses

Worksafe BC
Payment deadlines are postponed without penalty until June 30, except for employers that report on an annual basis (which do not need to report their 2020 payroll or pay their 2020 premiums until March 2021). Please click here for more information

Deferral of carbon tax increase
The provincial carbon tax increase scheduled for April 1 will be delayed and reviewed by September 30.

Tax relief for Class 4, 5, 6 property classes — school tax on the business properties as well as the light- and major-industry classes will be cut in half for 2020.

Delay of new PST registration requirements
The new PST registration requirements on e-commerce and the implementation of PST on sweetened carbonated drinks will be delayed and their timing will be reviewed by September 30.

This is a $10-billion program to allow the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) and Export Development Canada (EDC) to provide credit. It will be delivered through private sector lenders, likely in many cases through existing arrangements by which BDC and EDC provide private sector loans. This program is largely targeted to small- and medium-sized businesses. Priority sectors for this program include oil and gas, air transportation and tourism. They have also established a Business Credit Availability Program (BCAP) to provide $65 billion of additional support through the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) and Export Development Canada (EDC).

This program includes:

Canada Emergency Business Account 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 their revenues have been temporarily reduced. To qualify, these organizations will need to demonstrate they paid between $50,000 to $1 million in total payroll in 2019.

Loan Guarantee for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises EDC is working with financial institutions to issue new operating credit and cash flow term loans of up to $6.25 million to SMEs.

Co-Lending Program for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises BDC is working with financial institutions to co-lend term loans to SMEs for their operational cash flow requirements. Eligible businesses may obtain incremental credit amounts of up to $6.25 million through the program.

These programs will roll out in the three weeks after March 27, and interested businesses should work with their current financial institutions.

BDC is also taking measures to provide relief to Canadian entrepreneurs during these difficult times. These include:

Working capital loans of up to $2 million with flexible terms and payment postponements for up to six months for qualifying businesses;
Postponement of payments for up to six months, free of charge, for existing BDC clients with total BDC loan commitment of $1 million or less;
Reduced rates on new eligible loans;
Additional details regarding Business Credit Availability Program (BCAP) measures, including industry specific support, are to be announced in the coming days.

To read the full press release, click here.

In recent days, we’ve received many questions from partners and clients about how to access BCAP.

Businesses seeking support through BCAP should first contact their financial institutions for an assessment of their situation.
Financial institutions will refer to EDC and BDC their existing members whose needs extend beyond what is available through the private sector alone.
Existing BDC clients should reach out to their account manager for additional information.

Small and Medium Size Enterprise Loan and Guarantee Program

Friday March 27^th, it was announced that BDC & EDC are launching the new Small and Medium-sized Enterprise Loan and Guarantee program that will enable up to $40 billion in additional lending (on top of the previously announced $10 billion Business Credit Availability Program).

The program will operate as follows:

Small and medium-sized businesses can get support through a new Co-Lending Program that will bring the BDC together with financial institutions to co-lend term loans to these businesses for their operational cash flow requirements. Eligible businesses may obtain incremental credit amounts up to $6.25 million, 80 per cent of which would be provided by BDC, with the remaining 20% by a financial institution.
EDC will also provide funding to financial institutions so that they can issue new operating credit and cash flow term loans of up to $6.25 million to small and medium-sized businesses, as a result of a new domestic mandate enhancing EDC’s role in supporting Canadian businesses through COVID-19 crisis. These loans will be 80 per cent guaranteed by EDC, to be repaid within one year.
Eligible companies could obtain up to $12.5 million through these two lending streams.

To access these loans, business owners must contact their primary financial institution which will assess their situation and deploy the financing as appropriate. Financial institutions must be on EDC list of Approved Financial Institutions (available at the bottom of the page here). CCUA is working with EDC to ensure the process of becoming an Approved Financial Institution will be streamlined and efficient for credit unions not currently on the list.

To read the full press release, click here

Canada Emergency Response Benefit

The Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) was announced this week and combines the two previously announced benefits — the Emergency Care Benefit and the Emergency Support Benefit – into one single benefit. It offers income support of up to $2000 per month ($1800 after tax-deductions) for up to 16 weeks to those who lose pay because of the pandemic.

Eligibility:

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.
The CERB will be available to anyone who is at least 15 years old and who, in 2019 or in the 12-month period before they applied, had a total employment income of at least $5,000.

CERB is a simpler and more accessible program then EI. CERB will replace EI for those who have not applied for EI or whose EI applications have not yet been processed. For those who have already processed an EI application, the application will be automatically processed through CERB, there is no need to reapply through CERB. This will help reduce the volume of applications to process.

CERB will be accessible through a secure web portal starting in early April. Applicants will also be able to apply via an automated telephone line or via a toll-free number. People can expect direct payments within 10 days. CERB payments will be issued every four weeks, and will be available from March 15, 2020, to Oct. 3, 2020. It is recommended that individuals ensure they have created a “My CRA” account and set up direct deposit via “My CRA” to ensure they receive funds without delay.

Employment Insurance

For Canadians without paid sick leave (or similar workplace accommodation) who are sick, quarantined or forced to stay home to care for children, the Government is:

Waiving the one-week waiting period for those individuals in imposed quarantine that claim Employment Insurance (EI) sickness benefits. This temporary measure will be in effect as of March 15, 2020.
Waiving the requirement to provide a medical certificate to access EI sickness benefits

Other measures

In addition to the above, there are a range of measures aimed at individuals, including:

A six-month interest-free moratorium on the repayment Canada student loans (federal portion). Effective March 30, we are placing a six-month interest-free moratorium on the repayment of Canada Student Loans for all student loan borrowers. No payment will be required and interest will not accrue during this time. Students do not need to apply for the repayment pause.
Reducing required minimum withdrawals from Registered Retirement Income Funds (RRIFs) by 25 per cent for 2020.
For over 12 million low- and modest-income families, who may require additional help with their finances, the Government is proposing to provide a one-time special payment by early May 2020 through the Goods and Services Tax credit (GSTC). This will double the maximum annual GSTC payment amounts for the 2019-20 benefit year. The average boost to income for those benefiting from this measure will be close to $400 for single individuals and close to $600 for couples. This measure will inject $5.5 billion into the economy.
For over 3.5 million families with children, who may also require additional support, the Government is proposing to increase the maximum annual Canada Child Benefit (CCB) payment amounts, only for the 2019-20 benefit year, by $300 per child. The overall increase for families receiving CCB will be approximately $550 on average; these families will receive an extra $300 per child as part of their May payment. In total, this measure will deliver almost $2 billion in extra support.

Many of these measures will be implemented leveraging the existing social service system (for example “My CRA” or the National Student Loans Service Centre), meaning that they will flow through an individual’s existing FI.

Insurance

Many insurance companies have made changes to their health, travel, and disability coverages. Individuals should check with their insurance companies to determine any changes to their policies.

Telecom

Many telecom companies are waiving overage charges and roaming fees. They are also working to ensure that the network remains sound and secure with increased use by Canadians.

Utilities

Many utilities are offering financial assistance as well as increased payment flexibility and a moratorium on disconnections. Individuals should check with their local utilities to determine what options may be available to them.

Rent

Many Canadians are facing challenges paying their residential or commercial rent. Some landlords are providing accommodations for those experiencing financial hardship, but not all of these options are interest or penalty free. Individuals experiencing financial difficulty should speak with their landlord about what options may be available to them. In some provinces, a mortarium on evictions has been put in place.

Financial Planning and End of Life Planning

Lawyers have seen a surge in individuals seeking to engage in estate planning, update their wills and powers of attorney.

Childcare

Some provinces have put emergency childcare in place for front line, essential workers such as police, paramedics and medical staff. The CERB is also available to those who are unable to work because their child is not in school or daycare.

Delivery of Items and Personal Outreach

The federal government is contributing $9 million through United Way Canada for local organizations to support practical services to Canadian seniors. These services could include the delivery of groceries, medications, or other needed items, or personal outreach to assess individuals’ needs and connect them to community supports. Seniors and/or other vulnerable individuals should reach out to their local service providers to determine what supports are available. Many retailers are also offering delivery services, though many require the use of online transactions and/or have lengthy wait times.

Canadians have been asked to practice “social distancing” and to work from home for the foreseeable future. Several jurisdictions have indicated school closures will be in effect into May. The Prime Minister indicated that he is unsure how long Canadians will experience disruption and be required to implement social distancing, however he did indicate it could be “weeks or months”. Based on the timelines for some of the measures announced, it appears the government is anticipating that social distancing measures will continue for at least the next four weeks, into May.

The Prime Minister has suggested that he may seek to utilize to the Emergencies Act as a “last resort” if conditions worsen. The Act allows for actions to combat urgent and critical but temporary situations that seriously threaten some aspect of Canadians’ lives, and that cannot be effectively dealt with under any other law of Canada. Provincial emergency legislation that has been invoked in every province, however, the Emergencies Act would supersede provincial laws, placing power almost entirely in the hands of the federal government. In addition to consulting premiers, an explanation of the reasoning for declaring an emergency has to be presented within seven days to both the House and Senate. A good summary of the Emergencies Act is here.

Essential Service Designation

The federal government is still working on the definition of what constitutes an “essential service”. CCUA is advocating for credit unions to be included in the list of essential services should further shutdowns occur. Credit unions have already been designated an essential service in all/most provinces, allowing them to continue to operate. Of note, being designated an essential service will not, in most cases, require credit unions to operate but rather, allow them the option to continue to serve members.

Community Impact Related Measures

The government announced $305 million for a new Indigenous Community Support Fund to address immediate needs in First Nations, Inuit and Métis Nation communities. $50 million in additional funding for women’s shelters and sexual assault centres to help with their capacity to manage or prevent an outbreak in their facilities. This includes funding for facilities in Indigenous communities. The government has also committed to doubling the homeless care program at a cost of $157.5 million.

The government has also committed $7.5 million in funding to Kids Help Phone to provide young people with the mental health support they need during this difficult time and will also provide assistance to seniors. The Government of Canada will contribute $9 million through United Way Canada for local organizations to support practical services to Canadian seniors. These services could include the delivery of groceries, medications, or other needed items, or personal outreach to assess individuals’ needs and connect them to community supports.