Whether you are a business owner or an individual dealing with the strain of an unprecedented economic situation, we know that it can be difficult to make sense of all of the options for financial relief available to you.
This page will help you break down and understand the full range of programs from the Government of Canada and responses from our insurance carriers designed to help you with the economic difficulties of the pandemic.
If you still have questions after reviewing this information, we invite you to use one of the forms to request assistance. We are happy to provide you with further guidance to make sure you know how to access the resources that are right for you.
This page will be continuously updated as new information becomes available so be sure to check back regularly.
Click here to view our blog about Mitigating Your Business's COVID-19 Liability Risk.
Scroll left and right to view entire table.
Program | Last Updated | Description | Period | Requirements | Open To | Other Matters | Applications | Access to Funding |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) | 4/16/2020 | $2,000 payment per month for individuals currently earning $1000 or less a month. | Paid every 4 weeks for up to 4 months | Must be at least 15 years old; stopped work because of COVID-19. Had at least $5,000 employment or self- employed or regular dividend income in last 12 months prior to application. OR Currently working but earning $1000 or less a month. |
Individuals earning $1000 or less a month, are out of work, or have exhausted EI benefits. | Individuals on EI should not apply. Recipients eligible for BC Emergency Benefit of $1,000 if they qualify for CERB. |
Apply online through My Service Canada account https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/services/my-account/gckey.html | CERB will be paid out by Service Canada. |
Mortgage Support | 4/13/2020 | Individuals affected by COVID-19 can apply for mortgage relief. | 6 months | Must be in good standing. | Speak with your financial advisor. |
Member of Provincial Parliament (Ontario), Greg Rickford - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
PDF Copy of Resort Advocacy Letter sent to Greg Rickford
Minister of Finance (Ontario), Rod Phillips - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
PDF Copy of Resort Advocacy Letter sent to Rod Phillips
Minister of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries (Ontario), Lisa MacLeod - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
PDF Copy of Resort Advocacy Letter sent to Lisa MacLeod
Member of Parliament, Eric Melillo - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
PDF Copy of Resort Advocacy Letter sent to Eric Melillo
Minister of Finance, Bill Morneau - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
PDF Copy of Resort Adocacy Letter sent to Bill Morneau
Minister of Economic Development, Melanie Joly - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
PDF Copy of Resort Advocacy Letter sent to Melanie Joly
Click here to find your Member of Parliament by Postal Code.
Click here to find your Member of Provincial Parliament (Ontario) by Postal Code
In the form below, you can request a copy of a letter than you can forward to your local Member of Provincial Parliament and Member of Parliament.
Our insurance carriers are working with us to offer flexible payment options to customers experiencing financial difficulty on a case by case basis. Customers on payment plans may request a deferral of their payment without penalty and carriers are offering more leniency with waiving NSF fees.
Reducing Premiums
There are various policy changes that may be considered to reduce premiums such as:
• Auto Fleet Adjustments – if your fleet of vehicles is parked we can consider coverage suspensions for the parked vehicles or coverage adjustments.
• Stock & Equipment Limits – reducing limits on stock & equipment may be appropriate should your business be closed or operating at a reduced capacity.
• Reduction in Revenue, Receipts, Payroll – if your business is greatly impacted by the crisis and revenues, receipts, and/or payroll are expected to be substantially reduced, providing the projected figures to the insurance carrier may reduce premiums.
Renewal Rate Strategy
Some carriers have adjusted rating strategies to temper rate increases on renewal. Certain customers are already facing dramatic downturns in their business; we continue to advocate to insurers on behalf of our clients to reduce or eliminate rate increases for most affected segments of business.
Please contact your broker to discuss any of the above measures – we are here to help you and your business during this very difficult time.
Scroll left and right to view entire table
Program | Last Updated | Description | Period | Requirements | Open To | Other Matters | Applications | Access to Funding |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS) | 8/12/2020 | Eligible employers who had any drop in revenue can qualify for a wage subsidy starting with the periods that began on July 5. |
(1-4) March 15 to July 4, 2020 (5-9) July 5 to November 21, 2020 |
For Periods 1-4 revenues in current year month must have decreased by at least 30% from the same month in the preceding year. For Periods 5-9 you can still qualify if your revenue drop was less than 30%. Subsidy rate will vary depending on percentage of revenue drop. |
All employers of all sizes except public sector employers. | Employers to make best effort to top up salary to 100%. |
Calculate your subsity amount with the CRA's Online Calculator Use the calculation that maximizes your subsidy amount. |
Subsidy will be paid by CRA. |
Temporary Wage Subsidy for Employers (TWS) | 4/13/2020 | 10% of wages $1,375 per employee to a maximum of 25,000 per employer. | March 18 to June 19 |
Have existing payroll account on March 18. Must pay salaries during this period. |
Eligible employers including individuals, partnerships, NPO, Charity or CCPCs (eligible for SBD) | No application required. | Reduce current remittance of Federal and Provincial Income Tax from RP Payments by amount of the subsidy. | |
Business Credit Availability Program (BCAP) | 4/13/2020 | Access to funding for Canadian Businesses through BDC and EDC loans; from $100,000 to $2 million. | Businesses | Interest rate of 3.3%; repayment terms over 30 months. Interest only payment first 12 months. | Speak with your financial advisor. | |||
Canadian Emergency Business Account (CEBA) | 8/17/2020 | Loans up to $60,000; zero interest. $20,000 is forgivable. |
Must have paid between $20,000 and $1.5 million in payroll in 2019. |
Businesses and not for profits | Interest free Until Jan 1, 2023, then 5% If loan repaid by Dec 31, 2022, 25% of the debt will be forgiven. Loan is intended to be used for operating costs. |
Apply online through your financial institution. | ||
Regional Relief and Recovery Fund (RRRF) | 5/19/2020 | Supports vulnerable businesses and eligible not-for-profit organizations that are impacted by the economic disruption associated with the COVID-19 pandemic across the regions of Canada. The RRRF will provide repayable and conditionally repayable contributions to eligible small and medium-sized enterprises, up a maximum of $250,000. Support to eligible not-for-profit organizations will be non-repayable. | Applicants are eligible to receive up to 100 percent of total eligible bridge support costs, covering up to a six (6) month period | Applicant has confirmed and attested that it is not eligible for other assistance programs; • Demonstrated need; • Priority Sector Alignment: • Agri-Food • Forestry • Health and Life Sciences (Private Sector only, excluding professional services) • Mining Supply and Services • Manufacturing • Tourism • Information and Communication Technology • Not-for-Profit Sector: Chambers of Commerce • Not-for-Profit Sector: Industry or Sector Association • Not-for-Profit Sector: Tourism organizations • Other sector or applicant of significant importance to a community, region or supply chain. Positive financial position pre-pandemic and viability post-recovery; Degree of COVID-19 impacts; Job maintenance impacts; Equity and Diversity; and, Regional and/or Community context |
• Businesses such as Incorporated companies, corporations or co-operatives, or Indigenous organizations such as Indigenous/First Nation/Métis Settlement owned businesses, that: • Are located or operating in Northern Ontario; • Do not qualify or have been rejected from, current Government of Canada COVID-19 relief supports or demonstrate the need for incremental support; • Employ between 1 and 499 individuals on a full-time basis in Canada; and • Are negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. • Not-for profit organizations, such as Chambers of Commerce, Industry or Sector Associations, and Tourism organizations: • Based in Northern Ontario and/or offer support to businesses located in Northern Ontario; and • Carry out commercial activities, and that are positioned to support SMEs regarding COVID-19 |
The application for financial assistance package, including required forms, is available at http://fednor.gc.ca/eic/site/fednor-fednor.nsf/eng/h_fn04594.html. | FedNor | |
Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance (CECRA) | 8/17/2020 | A forgivable loan worth 50% of the value of you rent each month if you are a landlord for a commercial property with small business tenants. The loans will cover up to 50% of the monthly gross rent owed by impacted tenants during the 3-month period of April, May and June 2020. Example: For a small business tenant paying $10,000 per month: CECRA will cover 50% of the rent ($5,000), the tenant will pay up to 25% of the rent ($2,500) and you forgive 25% of the rent ($2,500). |
Applications open May 25, 2020. Funding is to assist with rent from April, May, and June 2020. Property owners may still apply once the 3-month period has ended if they can prove they were eligible during those months. The end date for applications is August 31, 2020. |
Property owners must offer a minimum of 75% rent reduction for the months of April, May and June 2020. To support an application, property owners must include signed Attestations from themselves and their tenants attesting their eligibility with the program requirements. Property owners must also enter a legally binding Rent Reduction Agreement and Forgivable Loan Agreement. Sample PDFs of the documents can be found here: https://www.cmhc-schl.gc.ca/en/finance-and-investing/covid19-cecra-small-business?guide=What%20you%20need%20to%20apply |
Commercial property owners who have small business tenants struggling to pay rent on time due to the pandemic. | For the loans to be forgiven, owners MUST comply with all applicable terms and conditions. They must NOT recover forgiven rent amounts from tenants when the program is over. Property owners must refund any amounts in excess of 25% paid by the small business tenant for the period of April, May, and June 2020 OR apply any excess of 25% to future rent owing at the tenant’s discretion |
The application portal is opening on May 25,2020. A link will be posted here when it becomes available. |