Business Resources
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OVERVIEW – SMALL BUSINESS SUPPORT PROGRAMS
- Federal Programs:
https://www.canada.ca/en/department-finance/economic-response-plan.html#businesses
- Provincial Programs:
https://covid-19.ontario.ca/covid-19-help-businesses-ontario#financial-relief
- Private Company Assistance
FEDERAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS:
1. CEBA – CANADA EMERGENCY BUSINESS ACCOUNT
Description: Federal
Type of support: Government funded, interest free loans (if repaid before Dec 31, 2022) with a 25% forgivable portion (up to $10, 000) to help businesses pay their non-deferrable expenses during the COVID-19 period. These loans are government-funded, interest-free (if repaid before Dec 31, 2022) and provided through financial institutions in cooperation with Export Development Canada (EDC).
Once a business has received the CEBA, they can also apply for the CEBA expansion which will allow them to receive an additional $20,000 loan and an additional $10,000 forgivable portion (if repaid before Dec 31, 2022) after self-attesting to having experienced a revenue drop.
Amount:
CEBA: a loan of up to $40,000. If you repay the balance of the loan on or before December 31, 2022, it is interest-free and 25% will be forgivable (up to $10,000).
CEBA expansion: an additional interest-free loan (assuming it is repaid by Dec 31, 2022) of up to $20,000 for businesses who already qualified for the CEBA loan. If repaid within the deadline, up to $10,000 will be forgivable.
ELIGIBILITY/Requirements: The CEBA has two streams of eligibility: the Payroll stream and the Non-Deferrable Expense stream.
GENERAL REQUIREMENT:
- You have an active CRA Business Number (BN) with an effective date of registration on or prior to March 1, 2020.
- You have an active business chequing/operating account with your financial institution. If you currently don’t have a business chequing/operating account, you must create one at your financial institution before applying for CEBA.
- You have not previously used CEBA and will not apply for CEBA at any other financial institution
- You intend to continue to operate your business or to resume operations
- You are willing to participate in post-funding surveys conducted by government or any of its agents
- Payroll stream eligibility
You must have a total employment income paid in the 2019 calendar year between $20,000 and $1.5 million (found on your T4 Sum).
VALIDITY: April 9, 2020 to March 31, 2021
Link: https://www.cfib-fcei.ca/en/canada-emergency-business-account-ceba#faq
Timeline of events: News Release (cfib-fcei.ca)
Pre-screening tool: https://verify-verifier.ceba-cuec.ca/
2. CERS – CANADA EMERGENCY RENT SUBSIDY
Description: Federal
Type of support: Rent and mortgage support: The Canada Emergency Rent Subsidy (CERS) will provide rent and mortgage support to small businesses affected by COVID-19. The subsidy will be administered by the CRA and will provide support directly to tenants.
Amount: 65% with the top-up of up to 90%
VALIDITY: March 13, 2021
Link: https://www.cfib-fcei.ca/en/canada-emergency-rent-subsidy-cers-faq#facts
3. CEWS – CANADA EMERGENCY WAGE SUBSIDY
Description: Federal
Type of support: Wage subsidy program offered until June 2021 to qualifying employers who have seen a drop in revenue due to COVID-19. If you qualify for CEWS, you will receive a percentage of your employees’ pay subsidized based on your revenue loss.
Amount: 75% as of December 20th to March 13, 2021 (next 3 periods). The extra 10% will be added to the Top-up subsidy, meaning you can only get the higher amounts if you have a revenue loss greater than 50% and a revenue loss of 70% or more will get you the 75% wage subsidy.
For a quick estimate of your CEWS you will need to determine your CEWS rate and multiply it by your eligible employee wages to determine the maximum CEWS amount ($) that your business is eligible for.
CEWS rate (%) x (Maximum weekly benefit per employee x Number of employees) = CEWS ($)
ELIGIBILITY/Requirements:
Nearly all businesses are eligible for the wage subsidy. To be eligible, your business must:
-Have a CRA Business Number issued before March 15 or a third-party payroll provider who submits your payroll to CRA;
-Have employees on payroll who receive a T4 slip (includes new hires); and
-Meet the revenue loss requirement for each claim period.
Please see the eligibility requirements below for more details.
https://www.cfib-fcei.ca/en/canada-emergency-wage-subsidy-cews#eligibility
VALIDITY: The later of January 31, 2021 or 180 days after the end of the claim period.
How to apply: Through CRA’s My Business Account, Represent a Client or the web application form.
ONTARIO PROVINCIAL ASSISTANCE:
https://covid-19.ontario.ca/covid-19-help-businesses-ontario#financial-relief
Applications are open for the new Ontario Small Business Support Grant, which helps small businesses that are required to close or significantly restrict services under the Provincewide Shutdown effective December 26, 2020.
4. MAIN STREET RELIEF GRANT FOR PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT (PPE)
Description: Regional grant
Type of support: Reimbursement for protective equipment
Amount: up to $1,000 for PPE costs
Business size: 2 to 9 employees
Type of businesses:
- retail
- accommodation and food services
- repair and maintenance
- personal and laundry services
ELIGIBILITY/Requirements: See above (Type of Businesses, business size)
Document Checklist:
- General business information (e.g. Business Number as provided by Canada Revenue Agency)
- Banking information (e.g. banking institution, account number, branch code)
- Receipts or proof of costs for PPE purchased since March 17, 2020. PPE could include:
- Gloves, gowns, face shields, eye protection, masks, sanitizer, sanitizing wipes, Thermometers, temperature monitors or cameras
- Physical changes, including the installation of hand sanitizer stations and plexiglass dividers
- Signs to guide or inform customers and employees.
VALIDITY: Retroactive Grant: PPE purchases made all the way back until March 17, 2020 can be submitted for reimbursement.
Link: https://obiaa.com/government-of-ontario/main-street-relief-grant-for-ppe/
5. PROPERTY TAX AND ENERGY COST REBATE GRANT
Description: Provincial grant
Provincial application-based grant provides a rebate to eligible businesses in respect of property taxes and energy bills. For businesses that were required to shut down or significantly restrict services due to provincial public health measures (modified Stage 2 restrictions or, going forward, in areas categorized as control or lockdown).
Type of support: Rebate in respect of property taxes and energy bills
Amount: Eligible businesses could get rebates for:
-municipal and education property taxes
-energy costs, including electricity and natural gas (or where natural gas is not available, propane and heating oil)
-Funding will cover the entire length of time that regionally targeted public health restrictions are in place.
ELIGIBILITY/Requirements:
Businesses owned by the federal, provincial, or a municipal government, or by a person holding federal or provincial office, ARE NOT eligible.
Type of businesses:
-Restaurants and bars
-Facilities for indoor sports and recreational fitness activities (including fitness centres and gyms)
-Conference centres and convention centres
-Community centres and multi-purpose facilities
-Museums, galleries, aquariums, zoos, science centres, landmarks, historic sites, botanical gardens and similar attractions
-Performing arts and cinemas
-Personal care services relating to the hair or body (including hair salons and barbershops, manicure and pedicure salons, aesthetician services, piercing services, tanning salons, spas and tattoo studios – note, oxygen bars are excluded)
-Racing venues, casinos, bingo halls and gaming establishments
-Meeting or event space
-In person teaching and instruction
Retail required to close for in-person shopping
-Shopping Malls
-Personal services required to close
-Driving instruction
-Tour and guide services
-Photography services
-Outdoor recreational amenities
-Campgrounds
Document Checklist
-General business information (e.g. Business Number as provided by Canada Revenue Agency)
-Banking information (e.g. banking institution, account number, branch code)
-Property tax bill or proof of costs associated with property taxes pertaining to the modified Stage 2, Control or Lockdown period.
-Electricity bill and natural gas bill (or heating oil/propane bill) pertaining to the modified Stage 2, Control or Lockdown period.
-To apply, you will have to submit proof of costs.
For property tax rebates, this includes your property tax bills (or proof of costs associated with property taxes).
For energy cost rebates, this includes a digital copy of the first energy bill (including electricity, natural gas, propane or other) you received on or after the day Stage 2 restrictions were put in place in your region. You can also submit other energy bills if your business is heated by propane or heating oil.
How to apply:
Fill out an online application to apply for PPE support, property tax rebates or energy cost rebates.
You will be able to complete a single form to apply for any – or all – of these programs.
VALIDITY:
Most businesses can expect to receive their rebate payments within a few weeks of submitting a complete application.
6. DIGITAL MAINSTREET:
Description: Provincial Program
Type of support: Technical tools for managing business: with establishing online presence, building a website, obtaining a domain, tools for advertising, outreach, research etc.