RESOURCES: What are our governments doing and how do they compare? COVID-19 federal and provincial support resources

Posted: April 29, 2020

(April 29, 2020)

Click here for printable version of the comprehensive list found below.

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Here is a comprehensive list of Federal and Provincial Support available for individuals who are experiencing income loss due to the COVID-19 pandemic. If you scroll down you will find information and contact information for the supports as they apply to different situations relating to the COVID-19 pandemic such as being laid off, inability to work due to quarantine or daycare, resources for students and seniors and much more.

The most up to date file can be accessed here: https://t.co/m0dXFYIZwk?amp=1

This information is updated frequently by Dr Jennifer Robson to keep it as up to date as possible. Dr Robson is not affiliated with the Ontario Health Coalition but has given her permission to share the information widely.

We have also been compiling federal and provincial support in our COVID-19 Round Up.  It is the most comprehensive information provided by the Ontario News Room and was last updated April 2 2020 and can be accessed underneath this list of resources.

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It is important to note that as of April 6th the application process for Employment Insurance (EI) and the Canadian Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) have been merged and you can assess what support is available to you and apply for support here: https://www.canada.ca/en/services/benefits/ei/cerb-application.html.

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Research and Advocacy Groups

There are some centres and advocacy groups who have been doing a great job monitoring and assessing resources for those who have been affected by the COVID-19 outbreak. Here are some of their amazing resources.

The Broadbent Institute has been compiling Provincial Governments’ responses and support for the COVID-19 outbreak.  It is broken down by types of support available for different COVID-19 expenses such as Childcare, Tuition, Utilities, Support for Seniors and the Emergency Assistance Fund, it then compares what programs each province has put in place to assist people during these difficult times.

Their list can be accessed here: https://www.broadbentinstitute.ca/covid-19#click2

It can also be accessed as a chart here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1eGBF2Bl-dUbHZYZ8l_tTLbYn5hjHc2c1B0IHXgQkvdQ/edit#gid=0

The Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives has also been tracing resources for workers and renters during the COVID-19 Pandemic.  They have a very useful chart that compares regulations impacting renters such as rent control, evictions and renter support organized by province.

Their list can be accessed here: https://www.policyalternatives.ca/workersrenters

They have also provided information about Emergency Leave from Work due to COVID-19, which details what protections and supports you are entitled to if you have to take emergency leave.

It can be accessed here: https://www.mirowskilaw.ca/post/emergency-leave-from-work-relating-to-covid-19

They also have a step by step guide for applying to the CERB which can be accessed here: https://socialinnovation.org/csi-supports-cerb-application-walk-through/?fbclid=IwAR1CIRL_Ewo9YOI1a5MvR8JUfE33IECei2uWlZiXOQl673D8U2M2w36M_3Q

The Income Security Advocacy Centre has an excellent explanation of each program that is available for Ontarians during the COVID-19 pandemic, they also offer criticism of the programs and resources to get involved and try to improve support for those impacted by COVID-19.

Their list can be accessed here: http://incomesecurity.org/public-education/accessing-income-support-in-the-wake-of-covid-19-updated-march-26/

Steps to Justice has put together a list advising of all the changes to rights and legal proceedings made in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.  They offer advice and support for anyone trying to navigate legal issues such as Family Law, Housing Law and guides to navigating the court process during COVID-19 measures.

Their resources can be accessed here: https://stepstojustice.ca/legal-topic/covid-19

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Provincial Health Care Funding & Capacity Announcements

• April 18 2020– Ontario announces $20 million dollars has been allocated to support advanced research that will be beneficial in dealing with the COVID-19, researchers should contact their research facility to apply and get more information or apply directly here.^[1]
• April 12 2020- The province is developing a new health data platform called the Pandemic Threat Response (PANTHR). This new platform will hold secure health data that will allow researchers to better support health system planning and responsiveness, including the immediate need to analyze the current COVID-19 outbreak. Ontario will appoint a PANTHR special advisor and form a roundtable to provide recommendations about the data and policies to support and help overcome barriers while developing this platform. The information gathered in the secure platform will help break down long-standing barriers and allow researchers to help with:

o  Increasing detection of COVID-19;

o  Discovering risk factors for vulnerable populations;

o  Predicting when and where outbreaks may happen;

o  Evaluating how preventative and treatment measures are working; and

o  Identifying where to allocate equipment and other resources.

When launched, PANTHR will provide access to de-identified, integrated data on publicly funded administrative health services records, including:

o  Physician claims submitted to the Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP);

o  Medical drug claims submitted to the Ontario Drug Benefit Program;

o  Discharge summaries of hospital stays and emergency department visits; and

o  Claims for home care and long-term care.

PANTHR will also contain clinical data from special registry collections, such as the Critical Care Information System (CCIS), which reports on critical care capacity in the province, and clinical data extracted from public health, hospital, laboratory and diagnostic imaging information systems. Other supporting data may also be added based on needs of researchers in achieving COVID-19 objectives.[2]

• April 3, 2020– Ontario has launched a new user-friendly online portal for the public to easily access their COVID-19 lab test results (https://covid-19.ontario.ca/?_ga=2.236645057.1585649164.1587995395-1451033412.1585071231).[3]
• April 3, 2020– Ontario is investing $20 million in additional funding to support increased infection control and active screening measures in retirement homes.[4]
• April 2, 2020– The province is providing emergency funding of up to $12 million to immediately expand online and virtual mental health supports and $2.6 million to hire new psychologists and other mental health workers to support Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) personnel. With this investment, mental health agencies will receive emergency funding to hire and train more staff and purchase necessary equipment, appropriate technology and additional licenses. The emergency funding will immediately expand services, based on evidence-informed cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), on a range of platforms.[5]
• March 30, 2020– Ontario has launched a new dedicated web page reporting COVID-19 cases and data from Public Health Ontario would update every day at 10:30 a.m. The new summary provides more provincial and regional data on confirmed cases, including trends of cases since the outbreak began, geography, exposure and severity. The daily summary is based on data recorded by local public health units in the province’s integrated Public Health Information System (iPHIS), as of 4 p.m. the day before the summary is posted. iPHIS is the Ministry of Health’s disease reporting system, where data is regularly updated.[6]
• March 25, 2020– Ministry of Finance announced economic statement.
• March 23, 2020 – Ontario increased the line capacity of Telehealth Ontario to more than 2000 to deal with the influx of COVID-19 calls, says it has also established 58 assessment centres across the province and is looking to increase that number.[7]
• March 17, 2020— Ontario announced a $300 million investment in health care to combat COVID-19.[8] The $300 million will be used to fund a 1000 increase in backfill nurses and personal support workers, 75 new critical care beds, 500 post-acute care beds and 50 emergency physicians for Indigenous, rural, and remote communities.[9]
• March 15, 2020— Ontario requested all hospitals to carefully decrease the number of elective surgeries and other non-emergent activity to preserve capacity for COVID-19 cases.[10]
• March 11, 2020 — Premier Ford announced a $100 million contingency fund to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. This money would go towards medical supplies, additional staff, testing kits, protective gear and anything else deemed necessary.[11] It is not clear if this was re-announced the next week.

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Ontario Government Support and Relief Measures

Funding for Emergency Assistance Programs March 23 2020 – The Provincial government announced $200 million dollars in additional funding for emergency social assistance programs.  $148 million of this funding will go directly to municipal programs such as shelters, food banks, charities and non-profits, and emergency services. [12] They are also changing the requirements for emergency assistance for those who are unable to pay rent or buy food and other essential goods.  This additional funding will be available through any of the previous programs (ODSP or Ontario Works) or can be directly applied for here. They have changed the rules to allow for people to receive the benefits more than once per 6 month time period and to remove the 48 day maximum for coverage without submitting an Ontario Works application.[13] It is unclear at this time how much Emergency funding will go towards emergency supports or how much will be granted per person nor the requirements for qualifying for this emergency fund.

Ontario Freezes Evictions March 18, 2020 – In response to the economic hardships resulting from the Coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic, the Attorney General has been granted an order suspending the enforcement of residential evictions until ordered otherwise by the court. Tribunals Ontario will not issue any new eviction orders until further notice. Sheriff’s offices have been asked to postpone any scheduled enforcement of eviction orders currently set for this week. [14] For clarification there has been no rent payment support or word on what will happen after the suspension is lifted.

OHIP Waiting Period Waived, Uninsured Covered, Expiring Health Cards to be Honoured -Following Trudeau’s call for all Canadians abroad to return home in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, Ontario government announces that OHIP coverage will start immediately when they return. Previously, Canadians who have been out of the province for more than seven months would be required to wait three months before they would be covered by OHIP again.[15] [16] In addition, they expanded OHIP coverage for COVID-19 testing and treatment of those who do not meet the criteria for OHIP coverage.[17] They also announced that people with expiring OHIP cards would continue to be covered. These new regulations include extensions for driver licences, licence plate validation, Ontario Photo Cards, and Commercial Vehicle Operator Registration certificates, among others. The extension will be in place until conditions improve.[18]

Reduced Hydro Rates March 24, 2020 — The Ontario government announced that Hydro rates will be reduced to off peak levels for the next 45 days.[19]

Child Care

• March 22, 2020 – The Ontario government exempted certain child care centres from the mandatory closure orders and announced that child care would be available at these centres for front line medical and emergency staff.[20]
• April 10 2020– An emergency order has been issued, and immediately prevents any child care operator from charging parent fees where care is not being provided. The order also means that parents cannot lose their child care space because they are not paying fees during this period.[21]
• April 17 2020– The criteria for childcare services has been broadened to include more essential service workers including:

○       Staff working in developmental services, victim services, violence against women services, anti-human trafficking services and child welfare services (children’s aid societies) and in children’s residential settings;

○       Additional staff identified by the Ministry of the Solicitor General, including:

○       First Nations constables;

○       Office of the Fire Marshal and Emergency Management fire investigators;

○       Select critical staff in community corrections, such as probation and parole officers;

○       Contractors in institutional corrections services;

○       Frontline staff at the Provincial Forensic Pathology Unit;

○       Critical staff at the Centre of Forensic Sciences; and

○       Critical staff operating the Provincial Emergency Operations Centre.

○       Staff working in shelters (e.g., serving homeless populations);

○       Power workers;

○       Pharmaceutical and medical supplies and device manufacturing workers;

○       Non-municipal water and waste-water employees; and

○       Federally employed staff including Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) officers and Canada Post employees. [22]

Business Support and Action Plan March 26 2020  – Ford government calls on business proposals to provide COVID-19 Support.  Any businesses that are able to provide assistance providing medical supplies (masks, swabs, sanitizer) or are able to provide financial services to people suffering financial difficulties from this pandemic should make a proposal here.[23] The also implemented a rate restructuring of WSIB and allowing businesses to defer their payments for six months and waiving interest on any outstanding payments. [24]

Additional Support for Households

• March 25 2020  – Finance Minister releases an economic action plan to support Ontarians during the COVID-19 pandemic.  This includes $200/250 for kids with special needs, up to the age of 12 to help cover daycare costs.  They have also expanded the LEAP program to offset hydro bills for low income families and deferred OSAP payments and interest for six months.[25]
• April 6 2020  – The new Support for Families initiative offers a one-time payment of $200 per child 0 to 12 years of age, and $250 for those 0 to 21 years of age with special needs. Families can complete a simple online application at Ontario’s Support for Families web page (https://www.ontario.ca/page/get-support-families) 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. Through this initiative the government is providing over $300 million in relief to parents across Ontario as part of Ontario’s Action Plan: Responding to COVID-19.[26]

Support for Postsecondary Institutions March 31 2020- Ontario finalized an agreement with eCampusOntario to make digital learning supports available to postsecondary institutions. These interim digital learning supports, available in both French and English, will help publicly-assisted colleges and universities conduct year-end assessments. The province is also distributing $25 million in additional funding to publicly-assisted colleges, universities and Indigenous Institutes to help address each institution’s most pressing needs in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak such as deep cleaning, purchasing medical supplies or offering mental health supports.[27]

Home Delivery for Seniors March 30 2020  – Ford announced $10 million of funding to help community organizations with the coordination of subsidized deliveries of meals, medicines and other necessities to seniors. [28]

Legal Aid Ontario You can get summary legal advice over the phone from Legal Aid Ontario (LAO) at 1-800-668-8258 or, in Toronto, at 416-979-1446. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, anyone can use this service to get legal advice and information at this time. It doesn’t matter what your income is. LAO’s goal is to have a lawyer respond to every family question it gets within 48 hours or less.

Connecting workers to Agri-Food Jobs April 4 2020- The Government of Ontario launched a new web portal, connecting workers with employers looking to fill positions in the agri-food sector. This new online tool (Ontario.ca/AgFoodJobs) will make it easier to match people to essential jobs and training resources and provides access to information on job opportunities and training resources in all parts of Ontario’s food supply chain – from grocery retailers to bakeries and cheese processing plants to opportunities on farms.[29]

AgriStability 2020 enrollment deadline extended April 17 2020- The AgriStability enrollment deadline for the 2020 program year has been extended without penalty, from April 30th to July 3, 2020. Farmers experiencing losses are encouraged to apply for interim payments under AgriStability for more rapid support. For more information about AgriStability in Ontario please go to: https://www.agricorp.com/en-ca/programs/agristability/Pages/Overview.aspx.[30]

Ontario Together web portal

• March 21 2020- The Province launched the Ontario Together web portal appealing to Ontario’s manufacturers, entrepreneurs and innovators to provide essential supplies and equipment to support front line workers in their fight against the pandemic.[31]
• April 11 2020- To support the development of proposals submitted by businesses and individuals through the Ontario Together web portal and help businesses retool their operations, the government launched the $50 million Ontario Together Fund. All submissions received through the portal are being reviewed and prioritized to focus on solutions that can respond to where the need is greatest and can be implemented quickly.[32]

Property Taxes in Northern Ontario April 6 2020- The Ontario government is deferring $15 million in property taxes for people and businesses in parts of Northern Ontario located outside of municipal boundaries. This tax deferral builds on the $10 billion in cash flow supports made available to people and businesses as part of Ontario’s Action Plan: Responding to COVID-19. Taxpayers in unincorporated areas will have more time to pay each of the four 2020 Provincial Land Tax installments. Taxpayers will have 90 extra days to pay without incurring interest or penalties.[33]

Residential Relief Fund April 4 2020- The province is investing up to $40 million to support organizations that provide residential services for children and youth, people with developmental disabilities and emergency shelters for women and families fleeing domestic violence. The Relief Fund will cover costs such as additional staffing, residential respite for caregivers; personal protective equipment and supplies; initiatives to support physical distancing and transportation to minimize client exposure. The Relief Fund will also help address increased residential costs that emergency shelters for survivors of human trafficking are facing at this time.[34]

Services for Victims of Domestic Violence and Other Violent Crimes April 2 2020- The government of Ontario is providing an emergency payment of more than $2.7 million to support services for victims of domestic violence and other violent crimes during the COVID-19 crisis. This one-time emergency payment will help more than 50 community agencies across Ontario, including victim crisis assistance organizations (VCAOs), Indigenous organizations and those based in rural areas, stay operational and accessible to victims during the public health crisis. Funds will help front-line staff respond to challenges caused by the COVID-19 crisis and enhance access to immediate supports for victims, including extended hotels stays, and transportation and meal vouchers available through the Victim Quick Response Program Plus (VQRP+).[35]

Courts and Tribunals April 2 2020- The government is investing $1.3 million in technology to help courts and tribunals continue the transition to remote operations. Investments include additional laptops, conference lines and doubling the complement of digital recording devices for court use. This funding was announced on March 25th in Ontario’s Action Plan: Responding to COVID-19. [36]

Ontario-Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance Program April 24 2020- The Ontario government is partnering with the federal government to provide urgent relief for small businesses and landlords. The province is committing $241 million through the new Ontario-Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance Program (OCECRA). The OCECRA will provide forgivable loans to eligible commercial property. To receive the loan, property owners will be required to reduce the rental costs of small business tenants for April to June 2020 by at least 75 per cent and commit to a moratorium on evictions for three months. As part of Ontario’s Action Plan: Responding to COVID-19, they also implemented a series of cash flow supports amounting to $10 billion, including:

○        Doubling the Employer Health Tax exemption for 2020, cutting taxes by $355 million, benefiting roughly 57,000 employers;

○        Eliminating penalties and interest to businesses who miss filing or remittance deadlines for various provincially administered taxes for five months starting April 1, 2020, providing up to $6 billion in cashflow for about 100,000 Ontario businesses;

○        Postponing the planned property tax reassessment for 2021, providing stability for Ontario’s property taxpayers;

○        Deferring the upcoming quarterly (June 30) remittance of education property tax to school boards by 90 days, providing municipalities with the flexibility to, in turn, provide property tax deferrals of over $1.8 billion to local residents and businesses;

○        Implementing the new Regional Opportunities Investment Tax Credit for businesses that make eligible capital investments in designated regions of the province where employment growth has significantly lagged behind below the provincial average.[37]

Electricity Rates April 24 2020- Ontario has also suspended time-of-use electricity rates for eligible small businesses, as well as residential and farm time-of-use customers, holding electricity prices to the off-peak rate of 10.1 cents-per-kilowatt-hour, for 24 hours per day, seven days a week for 45 days, for all time-of-use customers, who make up the majority of electricity consumers in the province. By switching to a fixed off-peak rate, time-of-use customers will see rate reductions of over 50 per cent compared to on-peak rates. [38]

Guaranteed Annual Income System April 21 2020  – The Ford government announces $11 million dollars for seniors and persons with disabilities, for funding meal delivery programs and doubling their Guaranteed Annual Income System (GAINS) payments.[39]

Amendments to Insurance Act April 16 2020- The Ministry of Finance has announced amendments to the Insurance Act which will enable auto insurance companies to give rebates to drivers for the 12-month period after the COVID-19 outbreak. [40]

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Federal Government Health Care Funding & Capacity Measures

COVID-19 Response Fund March 11- Canada established a more than $1 billion COVID-19 Response Fund^[41] as follows:

• $500 million (as part of the $1 billion) to provinces and territories for critical health care system needs and to support mitigation efforts as needed. They said that this could include help to support with access to testing, acquisition of equipment, and to enhance surveillance and monitoring.^[42]
• For supplies of personal protective equipment like surgical masks, face shields, and isolation gowns by providing $50 million to the Public Health Agency of Canada to support purchases for provinces and territories.
• $50 million to support initial actions, including border and travel measures and sustained activation of the Health Portfolio Operations Centre and the National Microbiology Laboratory.
• $100 million for federal public health measures such as enhanced surveillance, increased testing at the National Microbiology Laboratory, and ongoing support for preparedness in First Nations and Inuit communities.^[43]

COVID-19 Emergency Response Act March 25 2020- Bill C-13, the COVID-19 Emergency Response Act, was approved. It included:

• One-time funding of $500 million in addition to the $1 billion COVID-19 Response Fund through the Canada Health Transfer for their critical health care system needs and to support mitigation efforts as needed.
• Provided the government with the authority to make regulations to address any future shortages of therapeutic products, including drugs and medical devices. This would include allowing for drug patent overrides in health emergencies in the period up to September 30, 2020, and for the importation of drugs and medical devices not authorized for sale in Canada to address certain shortages, such as for personal protective equipment or drugs required to treat COVID-19.[44]

Communication about Coronavirus There is a Canada.ca/coronavirus website, which includes information resources that Canadians can download on the novel coronavirus, how to be prepared and how to limit the spread of the virus.

• The Government of Canada’s coronavirus information line was established (1-833-784-4397), which is available from 7:00 a.m. to midnight (EST) seven days a week.^[45]
• $50 million (part of the $1 billion COVID-19 Response Fund) was dedicated to the Public Health Agency of Canada’s dedicated communications capacity and public education efforts.^[46]

Research

• March 6 2020– $26.8 million over 2 years was announced to fund coronavirus research in Canada. This investment will support 47 research teams from across Canada that will focus on accelerating the development, testing and implementation of measures to deal with the outbreak.
• March 11 2020– The Government of Canada will invest $275 million (part of the $1 billion COVID-19 Response Fund) in additional funding to enhance research capacity on vaccine and antiviral development and clinical trials, including in Canada.^[47]
• March 19 2020– $25.8 million of the $275 million announced on March 6 will be given to the Canadian Institutes of Health Research to add 49 new projects to the 47 projects previously announced on March 6.^[48] Click here for details on each of the funded projects.

Indigenous Services Canada The First Nations and Inuit Health Branch (FNIHB) provides funding and expertise to First Nations communities for developing and maintaining their all hazard or pandemic plans in all provinces except British Columbia. On-reserve communities who require assistance in updating their plans should contact their ISC regional office.

• Some public health-related emergency eligible expenditures can be submitted, such as Medical Transportation under the Non-Insured Health Benefits program. To submit a request for funding or reimbursement for costs incurred to update and/or activate your pandemic or all-hazard plan beyond your current funding levels, submit a list of planned expenses or keep a list of incurred expenses that includes information related to:

o   cost (if reimbursement, with receipt or invoice)

o   item required or purchased

o   brief description of item and the essential function it provides your community to be able to operationalize your plan; to support your community in reducing the spread of COVID-19; or to respond to cases in your community[49]

Click here for an example of a template.

Click here to learn more about Indigenous Services Canada’s preparedness and response to COVID-19.

Personal Protective Equipment from Indigenous Services Canada

• March 25 2020- Communities who are not able to have orders for Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) filled through regular procurement channels, such as PPE suppliers, or provincial/territorial PPE stockpiles, should contact the regional medical officer in their region at Indigenous Services Canada to let them know (click here).

o   Requests from communities who provide essential primary health care services will be assessed. ISC is currently providing PPE to health facilities and health service providers who provide essential primary health care services. Facilities that offer primary care are being prioritized. Facilities and health providers that do not offer primary care services may be approved to receive gloves and masks for routine use. Once PPE arrives in community, please email sac.pperequests-demandesdeepi.isc@canada.ca (cc to regional office) to confirm that the shipment has been received.[50]

• March 25 2020- Indigenous Services Canada has shipped or delivered 170 personal protective equipment requests with 32 in progress.[51]

The Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety

• March 25 2020– During the pandemic, CCOHS is making selected courses and publications available for free as well as other credible resources available on their Flu and Infectious Disease Outbreak website www.ccohs.ca/outbreaks, and the Pandemics topic page www.ccohs.ca/topics/hazards/health/pandemics/ on the CCOHS website.[52]
• April 16 2020– The CCOHS has developed a series of pandemic guidance tip sheets and made them available for free on their website. These pandemic (COVID-19) tip sheets offer guidance and good practices for specific occupations, industries and services, for both employers and workers. The sheets are intended to be used and customized by businesses and organizations to help protect workers from illness as well as prevent the spread of infection. Among the collection are tip sheets for construction, correctional services, daycares, healthcare, mining, retail, and transportation, to name a few. New tip sheets continue to be added. The tips sheets are available in English and French and can be downloaded from the CCOHS website: www.ccohs.ca/products/publications/covid19/.[53]

Kids Help Phone March 29 2020- The Government of Canada will give $7.5 million in funding to Kids Help Phone to provide young people with additional mental health support.[54]

Wellness Together Canada April 15 2020- The Canadian government launched a new portal dedicated to mental wellness on Canada.ca/coronavirus and the Canada COVID-19 app. Wellness Together Canada will connect Canadians to peer support workers, social workers, psychologists and other professionals for confidential chat sessions or phone calls, and will make it easier to find credible information and help address mental health and substance use issues.[55]

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Federal Government Other Supports & Relief Measures

Initial response March 13 2020– $7.1 million was provided to support the repatriation of Canadians and $2 million was contributed to the World Health Organization to support their efforts to contain the outbreak.^[56]

Assisted departures March 8 2020- The Government of Canada has supported the repatriation of Canadians from high-risk areas, including Wuhan, China, the Diamond Princess cruise ship that was docked in Yokohoma, Japan^[57], and the Grand Princess cruise ship docked in San Francisco, USA.^[58]

Support to other countries March 13 2020- The Government of Canada provided China with approximately 16 tonnes of personal protective equipment—such as clothing, face shields, masks, goggles and gloves—to support China’s response to the outbreak provide an additional $50 million in international assistance to the World Health Organization and other partners for potential bi-lateral support for developing countries in response to COVID-19.^[59]

Employment Insurance sickness benefits^[60]

• March 18 2020– Employment Insurance (EI) sickness benefits provide up to 15 weeks of income replacement and are available to eligible claimants who are unable to work because of illness, injury or quarantine.

You need to demonstrate that:

o   you’re unable to work for medical reasons

o   your regular weekly earnings from work have decreased by more than 40% for at least one week

o   you accumulated 600 insured hours* of work in the 52 weeks before the start of your claim or since the start of your last claim, whichever is shorter

*As an example, 600 hours are equivalent to 20 weeks of work at 30 hours a week.

While you’re receiving sickness benefits, you must remain available for work if it weren’t for your medical condition. Click here for more information on EI Sickness Benefits.

• March 11 2020- The mandatory one-week waiting period for EI sickness benefits has been waived for a minimum of 6 months for workers in imposed quarantine or who have been directed to self-isolate. The requirement for a medical certificate to access EI sickness benefits has also been waived. People who cannot complete their claim for EI sickness benefits due to quarantine may apply later and have their EI claim backdated to cover the period of delay.

o   If you are directly affected by the COVID-19 because you are sick or quarantined and you have not yet applied for EI benefits, they ask that you please submit your application before contacting them.

o   If you have already completed the application for EI sickness benefits whether you are sick or quarantined and would like to have the one-week waiting period waived, call the new toll-free phone number below. It is important to note that no other request will be actioned on this phone line. Telephone: 1-833-381-2725 (toll-free) or (TTY): 1-800-529-3742.

• March 26 2020- In person Service Canada Centres are closed. The best way to apply for benefits is online at: https://www.canada.ca/en/services/benefits/ei.html.[61]

Changes to tax-filing and payment deadlines^[62]

• March 20 2020– For individuals (other than trusts), the return filing due date will be deferred until June 1, 2020. However, the Agency encourages individuals who expect to receive benefits under the GSTC or the Canada Child Benefit not to delay the filing of their return to ensure their entitlements for the 2020-21 benefit year are properly determined. For trusts having a taxation year ending on December 31, 2019, the return filing due date will be deferred until May 1, 2020.

o   The Canada Revenue Agency will allow all taxpayers to defer, until after August 31, 2020, the payment of any income tax amounts that become owing on or after today and before September 2020. This relief would apply to tax balances due, as well as instalments, under Part I of the Income Tax Act. No interest or penalties will accumulate on these amounts during this period.

o   Effective immediately as of Wednesday March 18, the Canada Revenue Agency will recognize electronic signatures as having met the signature requirements of the Income Tax Act, as a temporary administrative measure. This provision applies to authorization forms T183 or T183CORP.

• March 27 2020– The deadlines for partnership and NR4 information returns were also extended to May 1, 2020.[63]

Click here for more information on changes to tax-filing and payment deadlines.

If you’re planning to go to a free tax clinic, please check the directory before you go. Some clinics may have had to close or change their hours due to concerns regarding COVID-19.

Click here for the directory of free tax clinics.

o   March 27 2020– Administrative income tax actions required of taxpayers by the CRA that are due after March 18, 2020 can be deferred to June 1, 2020. These administrative income tax actions include returns, elections, designations and information requests. Payroll deductions payments and all related activities are excluded.

o   Taxpayers who are unable to file a return or make a payment by the tax-filing and payment deadlines because of COVID-19 can request the cancellation of penalty and interest charged to their account. Penalties and interest will not be charged if the new deadlines that the government has announced to tax-filing and payments are met. For more information about taxpayer relief and how to make a request to the CRA to have interest and/or penalties cancelled, please go to Canada.ca/taxpayer-relief. [64]

CRA Outreach^[65]  March 19 2020- The Canada Revenue Agency is adapting its Outreach Program which is to  help  individuals to better understand their tax obligations, benefits or credits. Traditionally available in-person, this service is now available over the phone, and through webinar, where possible by completing a request online. Click here for more information about CRA Outreach, including how to request a session.

The Liaison Officer service to help small businesses be made aware of any tax changes such as filing and payment deadlines, proactive relief measures, etc., will offered over the phone. No number has been provided as of March 23.^[66]

Emergency Loan Program for Canadians Abroad^[67] March 19 2020- The COVID-19 Emergency Loan Program for Canadians Abroad will provide the option of an emergency loan to Canadians in need of immediate financial assistance to return home or to temporarily cover their life-sustaining needs while they work toward their return. Click here for what type of expenses can be covered.

• If you are eligible, you will be able to apply for an emergency repayable loan to the Government of Canada of up to $5,000 to help you return to Canada and to cover your short-term needs while you work toward returning.
• You are eligible if you are a Canadian citizen impacted by COVID-19 who plans to return to Canada and who has no other source of funds. They will consider that you plan to return to Canada if you:

• • Had a return flight booked and your flight was cancelled or delayed
  • Attempted to book a flight, but cannot due to the travel restrictions or exorbitant pricing
  • If you are a Canadian citizen travelling with an immediate family member who is a permanent resident of Canada (PR), you may include eligible expenses for the PR family member in your application. Immediate family is defined as spouse, parents and children
• Eligible Canadians currently outside Canada who need financial assistance can contact the nearest Government of Canada office or Global Affairs Canada’s 24/7 Emergency Watch and Response Centre in Ottawa at +1 613-996-8885 (call collect where available) or CAN.finances.CV19@international.gc.ca.

Farm Credit Canada (FCC)^{[68] [69]} March 20 2020- To ensure producers, agribusinesses and food processors can remain focused on business-critical functions, FCC has increased credit available to farmers and the agri-food sector. Click here for more information.

• In addition, all eligible farmers who have an outstanding Advance Payments Program (APP) loan due on or before April 30 will receive a Stay of Default, allowing them an additional six months to repay the loan.^[70]

Agri-Food Open for E-Business April 24 2020- The governments of Canada and Ontario are investing up to $2.5 million to help the agri-food sector expand online. The funding is being provided through the Canadian Agricultural Partnership (the Partnership). The Agri-Food Open for E-Business initiative is designed to help food producers, farmers markets, retailers, garden centres, greenhouses, nurseries, and agricultural associations develop online business, providing consumers with greater access to a wide variety of food and agriculture products.

This targeted application intake features two funding streams:

• Bring Your Business Online: Eligible organizations and businesses can apply for a grant of up to $5,000 to establish an online e-business and marketing presence. Funding under this stream will be quick and responsive for those needing immediate solutions.
• Develop Online Business Opportunities: Eligible organizations, businesses and collaborations can apply for cost-share funding of up to $75,000 to implement high-impact projects.

The Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) will immediately accept applications and expedite the approval process to help businesses and organizations develop, expand and enhance their current online presence.[71]

Connecting workers to Jobs in the Agri-food Sector April 17 2020- Through the Canadian Agricultural Partnership (the Partnership), the federal and provincial governments are investing up to $1 million in new funding to connect workers with in-demand jobs in the agri-food sector. This program is said to help primary agriculture, food processing companies and grocery retail to recruit and train workers who are important to keeping the essential food supply chain functioning. Through the Partnership’s Place to Grow: Agri-Food Innovation Initiative, the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) will immediately accept applications and will expedite the approval process to help address sector labour concerns quickly. For more information about this targeted application intake or to obtain a program guidebook, email: agpartnership@ontario.ca or call: 1-877-424-1300.[72]

Protecting Workers in The Food Supply Chain April 13 2020- The Government of Canada is announcing $50 million to help farmers, fish harvesters, and all food production and processing employers, put in place the measures necessary to follow the mandatory 14-day isolation period required of all workers arriving from abroad. The federal government will provide support of $1,500 for each temporary foreign worker, to employers or those working with them, conditional on employers not being found in violation of the mandatory 14-day isolation protocols or any other public health order. This program will be available as long as the Quarantine Act is in force and the isolation protocol is followed.

o    The Government of Canada granted an exemption for temporary foreign workers from travel restrictions to Canada, along with other foreigners with student and work visas, provided they adhere to a strict 14-day isolation protocol upon arrival.[73]

Canada’s Regional Development Agencies

• March 14 2020- If you are a tourism operator, a small business or an organization that has received RDA funding and COVID-19 is affecting your operations, you are encouraged to contact your local RDA office. You may be eligible to receive additional funding and/or flexible arrangements. If not, they can also assist you with access to federal funding to help you stay in business, advice, and services to other federal programs and services available.

Canada’s Regional Development Agencies:

o   Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency: 1-800-561-7862

o   Western Economic Diversification Canada: 1-888-338-WEST (9378)

o   FedNor: 1-877-333-6673

o   Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency: 1-855-897-2667

o   FedDevOntario: 1-866-593-5505

o   Canadian Economic Development for Quebec Regions: 1-866-385-64^[74]

• April 21 2020- The government will provide $675 million to support their work, and the businesses and workers they help. This will enable the RDAs to provide equivalent bridge financing support to businesses unable to access the government’s broader support measures.[75]
• April 21 2020- In response to the effect that COVID-19 may have on rural communities and businesses, the government is also providing $287 million for the Community Futures Network, funded through the RDAs, to support rural businesses and communities, including through access to capital. [76]

Parks Canada Commercial Lease Payments March 27 2020- Parks Canada is now contacting all holders of commercial leases and licences of occupation in national parks, historic sites, and marine conservation areas to provide details on the deferral of regular payments without interest until September 1, 2020. Operators will be contacted directly by Parks Canada staff over the coming days. Information will also be made available soon on the Parks Canada website. Please visit pc.gc.ca regularly for updates.[77]

Emergency Care Benefit

• March 25 2020– Bill C-13, the COVID-19 Emergency Response Act, was passed. It replaced this Benefit with the Canada Emergency Response Benefit. See more details below.

Canada Emergency Response Benefit

• March 18 2020– The Emergency Care Benefit will provide up to $900 bi-weekly, for up to 15 weeks. This flat-payment Benefit would provide income support to workers, including the self-employed, who are quarantined, sick with COVID-19, or who are taking care of a family member who is sick with COVID-19 but do not qualify for EI, or parents with children who require care or supervision irrespective of whether they qualify for EI or not. ^[78]
• March 18 2020– The Emergency Support Benefit was proposed for workers who were not eligible for EI and who faced unemployment.
• March 25 2020- The Canada Emergency Response Benefit was implemented. This taxable benefit would provide $2,000 a month for up to four months for workers who lose their income as a result of the pandemic. The CERB would be a combination of the previously announced Emergency Care Benefit and Emergency Support Benefit. The CERB would cover Canadians who have lost their job, are sick, quarantined, or taking care of someone who is sick with COVID-19, as well as working parents who must stay home without pay to care for children. The CERB would apply to wage earners, contract workers and self-employed individuals who would not otherwise be eligible for Employment Insurance (EI), and workers who are still employed, but are not receiving income because of disruptions to their work situation. All Canadians who have ceased working due to COVID-19, whether they are EI-eligible or not, would be able to receive the CERB.

o   The portal for accessing the CERB will be available April 6. Canadians who have lost their job can continue to apply for EI and other EI benefits. Canadians will begin to receive their CERB payments within 10 days of application. The CERB will be paid every four weeks and be available from March 15, 2020 until October 3, 2020.[79]

• April 17 2020- The government is announcing changes to the eligibility rules to:

o   Allow people to earn up to $1,000 per month while collecting the CERB.

o   Extend the CERB to seasonal workers who have exhausted their EI regular benefits and are unable to undertake their regular seasonal work as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak.

o   Extend the CERB to workers who have recently exhausted their EI regular benefits and are unable to find a job or return to work because of COVID-19.

o   Allow artists to receive royalty payments for copyrighted works produced before March 1st while collecting the CERB.[80]

Canada Child Benefit (CCB)

• March 23 2020– As part of the COVID-19 Economic Response Plan, the Government proposed to increase the maximum annual CCB payment amounts, only for the 2019-20 benefit year, by $300 per child as part of their May payment, pending parliamentary approval. If you have previously applied for the CCB, you would not need to re-apply.  For more information on the Canada Child Benefit such as how to apply and eligibility requirements call 1-800-387-1193 or click here.[81]
• March 25 2020- The temporary increase to CCB was approved in parliament, and would amount to almost $2 billion.[82]

Free Resource for Homeschooling March 30, 2020- The National Film Board of Canada (NFB), the country’s leader in audiovisual learning resources, is offering FREE online learning resources that will give Canadian families and teachers new tools to keep young minds engaged. Parents can access a special collection of acclaimed NFB films and learning resources at NFB.ca/education. All teachers across Canada, from now until June 30, 2020, have FREE access to CAMPUS, the NFB’s online media portal.[83]

Goods and Services Tax Credit (GSTC)

• March 23 2020- As part of the COVID-19 Economic Response Plan, the Government proposed a one-time special payment to be provided by early May 2020 through the GSTC. This would double the maximum annual GSTC payment amounts for the 2019-20 benefit year, pending parliamentary approval.^[84]
• March 25 2020– The proposed assistance to individuals and families with low and modest incomes with a special top-up payment under the Goods and Services Tax (GST) credit was approved in parliament, equalling to $5.5 billion in support.[85]

Registered Retirement Income Funds (RRIFs)

• March 23 2020- As part of the COVID-19 Economic Response Plan, the Government proposed targeted help by reducing required minimum withdrawals from Registered Retirement Income Funds (RRIFs) by 25% for 2020, pending parliamentary approval ^[86]
• March 25 2020- The reduced minimum withdrawal amount for RRIFs, aimed to protect seniors’ retirement savings from the impact of volatile market conditions, was approved in parliament.[87]

Federally Regulated Pension Plan Payments April 15 2020- There will be moratorium through the remainder of 2020 on solvency payment requirements for federally regulated, defined benefit pension plans. This is a part of the COVID-19 Economic Response Plan. Normally, the Pension Benefits Standards Regulations, 1985 require sponsors of federally regulated pension plans with funding deficiencies to make solvency special payments to eliminate these deficiencies over a period of five years.[88]

Canada Student Loans and Canada Apprentice Loans

• March 23 2020- The Government of Canada has announced its plan to pause the repayment of Canada Student Loans temporarily. Pending parliamentary approval, starting March 30 2020, all student loan borrowers will automatically have their repayments suspended until September 30, 2020. No payment would be required and interest would not accrue during this time. Students would not need to apply for the repayment pause. This will include pre-authorized debits. Students who are currently studying could continue to apply for Canada Student Loans. There would be no change to the application process. ^[89]
• March 25 2020- A pause on the repayments of Canada Student Loans in the Canada Student Financial Assistance Act, the Canada Student Loans Act, and the Apprenticeship Loans Act was approved in parliament, in order to introduce a 6-month moratorium on the repayment for all borrowers currently in repayment.[90]
• April 22 2020- To address additional financial needs of students caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the government proposes to change the Canada Student Loan Program’s eligibility requirements in 2020-21 to allow more students to qualify for supports and be eligible for greater amounts, including doubling the non-repayable Canada Student Grants for full and part time students, as well as for students with disabilities and students with dependents, in the coming academic year. These measures are expected to expand the reach of the program and benefit more than 760,000 students at an estimated cost of approximately $1.9 billion over two years starting in 2020-21. [91]

Canada Emergency Student Benefit April 22 2020- For post-secondary students and recent graduates who are ineligible for the Canada Emergency Response Benefit or for Employment Insurance, but who are unable to find full-time employment or are unable to work due to COVID-19, the government proposes to introduce the Canada Emergency Student Benefit (CESB). The CESB would provide $1,250 per month for eligible students from May through August 2020, and $1,750 for students with dependents and those with permanent disabilities. This new grant would provide income support to post-secondary students who will experience financial hardship over the Summer due to COVID-19. The CESB will be delivered by CRA and more details will be communicated.[92]

Canada Student Service Grant April 22 2020- To encourage students to participate in the COVID-19 response, the government will launch a new national service initiative and provide support through a new Canada Student Service Grant which will provide up to $5,000 to support student’s post-secondary education costs in the fall.

• More details will be made available on the I Want to Help platform over the coming weeks, including more detailed information about eligibility, the levels of funding available under the grant, how to apply for a national service position, and how applications will be assessed. [93]

Expanded Student and Youth Programming

• April 22 2020- The government aims to create and connect students to meaningful employment and service opportunities, with:

o   The launch of the “I Want to Help” Platform. The new platform will provide information about available service opportunities and ways to get involved and support efforts of young Canadians to pursue service positions.

o   $153.7 million for the Youth Employment and Skills Strategy to help youth develop the skills and gain the experience they need to successfully transition into the labour market in high-demand sectors such as agriculture, technology, health and essential services, creating over 6,000 additional job placements.

o   Changes to the Youth Employment and Skills Strategy’s Canada Summer Jobs program, including increased wage subsidies, expanded eligibility and new flexibilities for employers, to ensure it can continue to support up to 70,000 student job placements in 2020-21. These new measures are being supported by a reallocation of existing resources.

o   $80 million for the Student Work Placement Program to support up to 20,000 post-secondary students across Canada to obtain paid work experience related to their field of study.

o   $15 million for the Supports for Student Learning Program to serve an additional 14,700 youth through support to complete high school and transition to post-secondary education in order to help ensure that vulnerable children and youth do not become further marginalized as a result of COVID-19.

o   Additional support for the Canada Service Corps to expand support for meaningful youth service projects that have positive impacts in communities across Canada, including increasing the number of microgrants from 1,800 to 15,000, and providing stipends to participants.

o   $40 million to Innovation, Science and Economic Development to support Mitacs in order to create 5,000 new job placements. The Business/Higher Education Roundtable (BHER) will also create a further 5,000 to 10,000 new student placements, by reorienting existing federal support and building online tools.

o   $75.2 million to provide additional distinctions-based support to First Nations, Inuit and Métis Nation post-secondary students.

o   $291.6 million to support up to 40,000 student researchers and post-doctoral fellows through the federal granting councils. Funding would support a one-semester extension for eligible students whose research scholarships or fellowships end between March and August 2020 and who intend to continue their studies. It would also provide a 3-month extension in funding for holders of federal research grants to support eligible trainees and staff paid out of these awards. These extensions cannot be combined with other income supports.

o   $7.5 million to support student and post-doctoral research placements within the National Research Council. [94]

International students working in essential services April 22 2020- To help battle the COVID-19 outbreak, starting immediately, the government will remove the restriction that allows international students to work a maximum of 20 hours per week while classes are in session, provided they are working in an essential service or function, such as health care, critical infrastructure, or the supply of food or other critical goods. This measure is temporary.[95]

Temporary Wage Subsidy for Employers

• March 19 2020- The Temporary Wage Subsidy for Employers is a three-month measure that will allow eligible employers to reduce the amount of payroll deductions required to be remitted to the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA). The subsidy is equal to 10% of the remuneration you pay from March 18, 2020 to June 19, 2020, up to $1,375 for each eligible employee and to a maximum of $25,000 total per employer. ^[96] Click here to learn more about the Temporary Wage Subsidy for Employers.
• March 25 2020- The Temporary Wage Subsidy for Employers was approved in parliament, and says that eligible employers include small businesses (including co-operative organizations) eligible for the small business deduction, unincorporated employers, certain partnerships, non-profit organizations, and charities.[97]

Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy

• March 30 2020- It was announced that there would be a subsidy in addition to the Temporary Wage Subsidy for Employers, providing to 75 per cent for qualifying businesses for the first $58,700 of salary, for up to 3 months, retroactive to March 15, 2020. This would mean a maximum of $847 per employee per week. Applicants must have suffered at least a 30 per cent decline in revenue because of the coronavirus pandemic.[98] More details will be shared before the end of the month.[99]
• April 1 2020- The Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy would apply at a rate of 75 per cent of the first $58,700 normally earned by employees – representing a benefit of up to $847 per week. The program will be in place for a 12-week period, from March 15 to June 6, 2020. The CEWS is retroactive to March 15.

o   Eligible employers who suffer a drop in gross revenues of at least 30 per cent in March, April or May, when compared to the same month in 2019, would be able to access the subsidy.

o   Eligible employers would include employers of all sizes and across all sectors of the economy, with the exception of public sector entities.

o   For non-profit organizations and registered charities similarly affected by a loss of revenue, the government will continue to work with the sector to ensure the definition of revenue is appropriate to their circumstances. The government is also considering additional support for non-profits and charities, particularly those involved in the front-line response to COVID-19. Further details will be announced in the near term.

o   An eligible employer’s entitlement to this wage subsidy will be based entirely on the salary or wages actually paid to employees. All employers would be expected to at least make best efforts to top up salaries to 100% of the maximum wages covered.[100]

• April 11 2020– Bill C-14 introduced today receives Royal Assent. It includes the following improvements to the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy:

o   To measure their revenue loss, it is proposed that employers compare their revenue of March, April and May 2020 to that of the same month of 2019 or to an average of their revenue earned in January and February 2020.

o   For March, the government is reducing the 30% benchmark to 15%, because many businesses did not begin to be affected by the crisis until partway through the month.

o   Once an employer is found eligible for a specific period, they would automatically qualify for the next period of the program.

o   To recognize the challenges in measuring revenues of non-profit organizations and registered charities, it is proposed that they be allowed to choose whether or not to include government assistance in revenues for the purpose of applying the revenue decline test.

o   Employers be allowed to measure revenues either on the basis of accrual accounting (as they are earned) or cash accounting (as they are received).

o   CEWS to provide an additional amount to compensate employers for their contributions to the Canada Pension Plan and Employment Insurance paid in respect of eligible employees who are on leave with pay due to COVID-19.

o   The employer would be required to repay amounts paid under the CEWS if they do not meet the eligibility requirements. The government is also proposing a penalty of 25% of the CEWS received by an employer if the employer has engaged in transactions that artificially reduce the employer’s revenue in order to qualify for the subsidy.[101]

• April 27 2020- The application process for the CEWS was launched. As of April 27, employers can apply for the CEWS through My Business Account or through the CRA’s online application portal, and their representatives can apply through Represent a Client.

o   All claims that are approved through the CRA’s automated verification process will be sent for payment on May 5, so that payments being made through direct deposit should begin to appear in employers’ accounts as of May 7.  Some applications will require a secondary verification, done manually, and in these cases the CRA may contact employers to verify information.  It is expected that these secondary verifications will take no more than 72 hours in the vast majority of cases.

o   Employers can register business payroll accounts for direct deposit with the CRA through their bank portals. Signing up for direct deposit will enable employers whose applications are approved to receive their CEWS payments quickly and securely.  Employers can sign up for direct deposit with their financial institutions even after applying for the CEWS.[102]

o   CEWS and the 10% Temporary Wage Subsidy for Employers are intended to provide total support of up to 75% for payroll, not 75% + 10%. If you did not reduce the source deductions you remitted to the CRA, but you were entitled to the 10% Temporary Wage Subsidy for Employers, the CRA will treat you as having over-remitted your employee source deductions (so that normally you will be entitled to a refund).[103]

o   For more information about the Canadian Wage Subsidy and who is an eligible employer, how to determine eligible employees, how to calculate the subsidy amount, how to apply, and what to do after you apply, go to: https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/subsidy/emergency-wage-subsidy/cews-how-apply.html.[104]

Work-Sharing (WS) March 18 2020- Work-Sharing (WS) is an adjustment program designed to help employers and employees avoid layoffs when there is a temporary reduction in the normal level of business activity that is beyond the control of the employer. The measure provides income support to employees eligible for Employment Insurance benefits who work a temporarily reduced work week while their employer recovers. ^[105] The Government of Canada introduced temporary special measures that extend the maximum duration of Work-Sharing agreements from 38 weeks to 76 weeks across Canada for those businesses affected by the downturn in business due to COVID-19 and for the forestry and steel and aluminum sector. Temporary special measures are effective March 15, 2020 to March 14, 2021.  Click here for the Work-Sharing temporary special measures page to find out if you are eligible for temporary special measures.

Click here for the Work-Sharing page to learn more about the program and its requirements.

Indigenous Community Support Fund March 18 2020- $305 million for a new distinctions-based Indigenous Community Support Fund to address immediate needs in First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Nation communities. ^[106]

March 26 2020- The $305 million Indigenous Community Support Fund will be distributed as follows:

• $215 million for First Nations: allocated to each First Nation based on population, remoteness and community well-being;
• $45 million for Inuit, which will flow to each of the four land claims organizations through an allocation determined by the Inuit Tapiriit, Kanatami, and regional Inuit land claims organizations;
• $30 million for Métis Nation communities, which will flow through each of the Governing Members;
• $15 million for regional and urban Indigenous organizations supporting their members living away from their communities, and to regional organizations such as Friendship Centres and the Métis Settlements General Council of Alberta.[107]

The funds allotted to Ontario is broken down as follows: First Nations will receive $37,580,000, and Métis will receive $3,625,000. Communities identified jointly by Indigenous Services Canada, the National Indigenous Organizations and other Indigenous leaders, based on emergency needs, do not need to apply. Funding will be transferred to these communities and band councils from ISC regional offices through existing agreements.[108]

Click here for more details on the Indigenous Community Support Fund.

Regional, urban and off-reserve Indigenous organizations need to apply through a call for proposals. This call will be opened soon and available on the web page linked above.

Indigenous Services Canada March 26 2020- In addition to public health related emergency supports, First Nation communities on reserve may be able to have expenses covered by the Emergency Management Assistance Program (EMAP). EMAP provides funding to First Nations communities so they can build resiliency, prepare for natural hazards and respond to them.  At this time, Emergency Management Assistance Program assistance is dedicated to ensure the immediate health and safety response of First Nations related to COVID-19. Funding will not be used to support capacity building activities, nor to supplement other programs such as Band Support Funding. Eligible expenses will still be funded in cases of fire, flood or other natural disasters that pose an imminent threat to communities that would typically be supported by the Emergency Management Assistance Program.[109]

Click here to learn more about EMAP.

Reaching Home Initiative^[110] March 18 2020- Providing the Reaching Home initiative with $157.5 million for people experiencing homelessness during the COVID-19 outbreak. The government says the funding could be used for a range of needs such as purchasing beds and physical barriers for social distancing and securing accommodation to reduce overcrowding in shelters.

Women’s Shelters and Sexual Assault Centres ^[111] March 18 2020- Providing up to $50 million to 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.

Mortgage Default Management^[112] March 18 2020- The government is launching a revised Insured Mortgage Purchase Program (IMPP), a market liquidity tool that was used in the Global Financial Crisis. Under this program, the federal government will purchase up to $50 billion of insured mortgage pools through Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC).^[113] CMHC will permit lenders to allow payment deferral for homeowners beginning immediately. Details of the terms of the purchase operations will be provided to lenders by CMHC later this week.^[114]

Business Credit Availability Program^[115]  March 13 2020- The government announced the establishment of a Business Credit Availability Program (BCAP) to help Canadian businesses obtain financing during the “current period of significant uncertainty.” Participating private sector lenders have committed to working with BDC/EDC to find solutions for creditworthy business clients who would otherwise have insufficient access to credit, and ensuring that the extension of credit by BDC/EDC is incremental for Canadian businesses and does not displace or substitute for private credit in aggregate.

All credit-worthy businesses with viable business models whose activities fall within the mandate of either BDC and/or EDC are eligible to benefit from BCAP.  Businesses interested in accessing the BCAP should directly contact their financial institution, which will contact BDC and/or EDC where appropriate. BCAP is currently available.

Canada Deposit Insurance Corporation March 25 2020- Bill C-1, the COVID-19 Emergency Response Act, was approved. This Act supports the protection of Canadians’ savings by providing the Minister of Finance with the flexibility to increase the Canada Deposit Insurance Corporation’s deposit insurance limit beyond its current level of $100,000. [116]

Goods and Services Tax/Harmonized Sales Tax Remittance Deferral March 27 2020- The Government is deferring Goods and Services Tax/Harmonized Sales Tax (GST/HST) remittances and customs duty payments to June 30, 2020. This measure could provide up to $30 billion in cash flow or liquidity assistance for Canadian businesses and self-employed individuals over the next three months.

To support Canadian businesses, the Minister of National Revenue will extend until June 30, 2020 the time that:

• Monthly filers have to remit amounts collected for the February, March and April 2020 reporting periods;
• Quarterly filers have to remit amounts collected for the January 1, 2020 through March 31, 2020 reporting period; and
• Annual filers, whose GST/HST return or instalment are due in March, April or May 2020, have to remit amounts collected and owing for their previous fiscal year and instalments of GST/HST in respect of the filer’s current fiscal year.

Businesses in need of information about their particular obligations may contact the Canada Revenue Agency or refer to its website.[117]

Deferral of Customs Duty and Sales Tax for Importers March 27 2020- Payment deadlines for statements of accounts owing for customs duties for applicable consumer goods and the GST (5%) on imports for March, April, and May are being deferred to June 30, 2020. Businesses in need of information about their particular accounting and payment obligations on imported goods may contact the Canada Border Services Agency for more details.[118]

Loan Programs for Businesses March 27 2020- The following new programs were announced:

• Canada Emergency Business Account: The new Canada Emergency Business Account was launched, which will be implemented by eligible financial institutions in cooperation with Export Development Canada (EDC). This $25 billion program 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, due to the economic impacts of the COVID-19 virus. Small businesses and not-for-profits should contact their financial institution to apply for these loans.

o   To qualify, these organizations will need to demonstrate they paid between $50,000 to $1 million in total payroll in 2019. Repaying the balance of the loan on or before December 31, 2022 will result in loan forgiveness of 25 percent (up to $10,000).

• Loan Guarantee for Small and Medium Enterprises: The Government announced that the Export Development Canada (EDC) would guarantee new operating credit and cash flow term loans that financial institutions extend to SMEs, up to $6.25 million. The program cap for this new loan program will $20 billion total for export sector and domestic companies.
• Co-Lending Program for Small and Medium Enterprises: To provide additional liquidity support for Canadian businesses, the Co-Lending Program was launched to bring the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) together with financial institutions to co-lend term loans to SMEs for their operational cash flow requirements.

o   Eligible businesses may obtain incremental credit amounts up to $6.25 million; BDC’s portion of this program is up to $5 million maximum per loan. Eligible financial institutions will conduct the underwriting and manage the interface with their customers. The potential for lending for this program will be $20 billion.[119]

Canada Book Fund and Canada Periodical Fund March 25 2020- Canadian Heritage is working to establish a simplified process for submitting and processing 2020-21 funding requests for the Canada Book Fund and Canada Periodical Fund. The process will significantly reduce the time it takes to process files. Eligible beneficiaries will be able to access financial assistance much more quickly than usual. The beneficiaries of these programs will be contacted in the coming days to better explain the simplified approach for 2020-21.[120]

Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission March 30 2020- The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) will not issue letters requesting payment for Part I licence fees by broadcasters for the 2020–21 fiscal year. The government will transfer necessary funds to the CRTC to support its operations. Waiving these regulatory charges for broadcasters provides immediate financial relief for the broadcasting industry, freeing up more than $30 million in cash.[121]

Air Transportation Sector Support March 30 2020- The government is waiving ground lease rents from March 2020 through to December 2020 for the 21 airport authorities that pay rent to the federal government. The government will also provide comparable treatment for PortsToronto, which operates Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport and pays a charge to the federal government. This support will help airports reduce cost pressures and preserve their cash flow as they deal with the effects of COVID-19 on their revenue streams. This will provide relief up to $331.4 million, reflecting payments in the same period of 2018.[122]

Canadian Food Inspection Agency April 14 2020- The Government of Canada is providing $20 million to the CFIA to support critical food inspection that help to ensure that Canadians will have continued access to safe, high-quality food to feed their families. The funding will also support the CFIA in developing flexible ways to carry out inspections. This increase in competencies will ensure that the CFIA can remain agile and responsive despite the challenges posed by COVID-19.[123]

United Way Canada March 29 2020- 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. [124]

New Horizons for Seniors Program April 6 2020- The Government of Canada announced flexibility for organizations under the New Horizons for Seniors Program (NHSP) to use funding previously received through the community-based stream to provide immediate and essential services to seniors impacted by COVID-19. Regardless of the nature of the previously approved project, organizations with approved projects in 2019-2020 can now use their funding to provide support for seniors’ needs due to COVID-19.

Activities can start immediately and can include:

o   supporting seniors in staying connected with their community and family by providing electronic devices, virtual activities and remote tutorials;

o   supporting the delivery of food and medication to self-isolated seniors at home;

o   assisting seniors to undertake essential activities, such as visits to the doctor;

o   hiring staff to replace a loss of a senior volunteer due to the outbreak;

o   providing information to seniors regarding how to care for themselves during the pandemic.

In addition, NHSP recipients who will not or cannot provide programs or services in response to the COVID-19 pandemic will be given more time to conclude their approved projects. Instead of the usual 12-month period, organizations will now have up to two years to finish their projects.[125]

COVID-19 Emergency Support Fund for Cultural, Heritage and Sport Organizations April 21 2020-The COVID-19 Emergency Support Fund for Cultural, Heritage and Sport Organizations will provide $500 million to help address the financial needs of affected organizations within these sectors so they can continue to support artists and athletes. The Fund will be administered by Canadian Heritage with the support of its partners. Support will be provided in a manner consistent with other COVID-19 supports such as the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy and the Canada Emergency Business Account (CEBA). [126]

Futurpreneur Canada April 21 2020- Futurpreneur Canada is the only national non-profit organization that provides financing, mentoring and support tools to entrepreneurs aged 18-39. To support ongoing lending to young entrepreneurs, the government is also injecting $20.1 million through Futurpreneur Canada. [127]

Industrial Research Assistance Program April 21 2020- The Industrial Research Assistance Program (IRAP) provides advice, connections, and funding to help Canadian small and medium-sized businesses increase their innovation capacity and take ideas to market. To help support these firms, the government is investing $250 million through IRAP. [128]

Canada’s Energy Sector April 21 2020- To support Canadians working in the energy sector through these challenges the Canadian government will take new targeted actions totalling more than $2 billion to create and protect jobs and important environmental benefits, as well as make available new tailored credit solutions for small and medium-sized companies in the sector. The targeted actions are expected to retain and create approximately 10,000 well-paying jobs in the sector. [129]

Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions in the Oil and Gas Sector April 21 2020- $750 million is allocated to Natural Resources Canada over two years, starting in 2020-21, to create a new repayable loan program to work with conventional and offshore oil and gas companies to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. Of this amount, $75 million will be allocated to investments in the offshore sector. A portion of these loans will be convertible to grants.[130]

Wage Boost For Essential Workers

• April 17 2020- The Government of Canada will work with provinces and territories through a new transfer to cost-share a temporary top up to the salaries of low-income essential workers. The Government of Canada will cover a portion of the cost of providing temporary financial support to these low-income workers, thereby helping to support employers in keeping their workers on staff. Through this new transfer, provinces and territories will be able to provide their low-income essential workers (those who earn less than $2,500 per month), with a top up. [131]

COVID-19 Disability Advisory Group April 10 2020- The Government of Canada is establishing the COVID-19 Disability Advisory Group, comprised of experts in disability inclusion. This Group will provide advice on the real-time lived experiences of persons with disabilities during this crisis; disability-specific issues, challenges and systemic gaps; and strategies, measures and steps to be taken.  Areas of particular focus will be equality of access to health care and supports; access to information and communications, mental health and social isolation; and employment and income supports. They aim to put a disability lens on decision-making and have been consulting national disability organizations and other stakeholders. To learn about who the members appointed to this Advisory Group, please go to: https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/news/2020/04/backgrounder–covid-19-disability-advisory-group.html.[132]

Digital Citizen Initiative’s Digital Citizen Contribution Program April 7 2020- the Government of Canada is investing $3 million in several organizations through the Digital Citizen Initiative’s Digital Citizen Contribution Program. This funding will help combat false and misleading COVID-19 information as well as the racism and stigmatization that are often the result. This support will help fund activities, such as public awareness tools and online workshops, to help Canadians become more resilient and think critically about COVID-19 disinformation. Funded projects will reach Canadians on a national and local scale, online and offline, in minority communities, in both official languages and in Indigenous communities. To learn about the projects that have been chosen so far for funding go to: https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/news/2020/04/supporting-canadians-to-think-critically-about-online-health-information.html.[133]

Residents Driving U.S.-Plated Vehicles April 6 2020- The CBSA will facilitate entry for residents driving U.S.-plated vehicles by permitting the temporary import of U.S. vehicles without paying duties and taxes for up to 60 days from the date of importation in accordance with the Temporary Importation of Conveyances by Residents of Canada.

o   Following the mandatory 14-day isolation period, residents may use a temporarily imported U.S.-plated vehicle in Canada for essential purposes such as obtaining groceries or medical supplies. This is only permitted if residents do not have access to a Canadian-registered vehicle.  Using the U.S.- plated vehicle in Canada for non-essential purposes, such as touring or for other leisure activities, would result in the vehicle being subject to the payment of duties and taxes.[134]

——–

^[1] Ontario Investing $20 Million to Advance Medical Research

. Ontario News Room. April 18 2020. https://news.ontario.ca/opo/en/2020/04/province-calls-for-innovative-solutions-to-combat-covid-19.html

[2] Province Developing New Health Data Platform to Help Defeat COVID-19. Government of Ontario. April 12 2020. https://news.ontario.ca/mohltc/en/2020/04/province-developing-new-health-data-platform-to-help-defeat-covid-19.html

[3] Ontario Increasing Public Health Units’ Capacity to Stop COVID-19. Government of Ontario. April 3 2020. https://news.ontario.ca/mohltc/en/2020/04/ontario-increasing-public-health-units-capacity-to-stop-covid-19.html

[4] Ontario Protecting Seniors in Retirement Homes During COVID-19 Outbreak. Ontario Newsroom. April 3 2020. https://news.ontario.ca/oss/en/2020/04/ontario-protecting-seniors-in-retirement-homes-during-covid-19-outbreak.html

[5] Ontario Increasing Mental Health Support During COVID-19. Ontario Newsroom. April 2 2020. https://news.ontario.ca/opo/en/2020/04/ontario-increasing-mental-health-support-during-covid-19.html

[6] Ontario Enhancing Public Reporting about COVID-19. Ontario Newsroom. March 30 2020. https://news.ontario.ca/mohltc/en/2020/03/ontario-enhancing-public-reporting-about-covid-19.html

[7] Ministry of Health. Ontario Significantly Enhancing COVID-19 Screening Measures and Supports. Ontario Newsroom. March 23 2020. https://news.ontario.ca/mohltc/en/2020/03/ontario-significantly-enhancing-covid-19-screening-measures-and-supports.html

[8] Office of the premier. Ontario enacts declaration of emergency to protect the public. Ontario Newsroom. March 17 2020. https://news.ontario.ca/opo/en/2020/03/ontario-enacts-declaration-of-emergency-to-protect-the-public.html

[9] Paling, Emma. Doug Ford delivers coronavirus speech to near-empty legislature. Huffington Post. March 19 2020. https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/entry/doug-ford-coronavirus-empty-legislature_ca_5e73d9cac5b63c3b648d2f75

[10] Ministry of Health. Ontario hospitals asked to take a planned approach to ramping down elective surgeries. Ontario Newsroom. March 15 2020. https://news.ontario.ca/mohltc/en/2020/03/ontario-hospitals-asked-to-take-a-planned-approach-to-ramping-down-elective-surgeries.html

[11] Ferguson, Rob. We have ‘a plan for every scenario’ Ford says, as Ontario sets aside $100 million to fight COVID-19. Toronto Star. March 11 2020. https://www.thestar.com/politics/provincial/2020/03/11/we-have-a-plan-for-every-scenario-ford-says-as-ontario-sets-aside-100-million-to-fight-covid-19.html

[12] CBC News. Health officials give update, as Ontario closes all non-essential businesses amid COVID-19 outbreak. CBC News. March 23 2020. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/covid-19-coronavirus-ontario-monday1.5506445?__vfz=medium%3Dsharebar&fbclid=IwAR3pI1ZU9DkBqZUJiIW4kJsC92ir63ifHM5XRR3x5bk_ZQT-06aFkGMqm00

[13] Office of the Premier. Changes to Ontario’s Emergency Assistance Program in Response to COVID-19.  Ontario News Room. March 23 2020. https://news.ontario.ca/opo/en/2020/03/changes-to-ontarios-emergency-assistance-program-in-response-to-covid-19.html

[14] Ministry of the Ontario General. Ontario Protecting Critical Front-Line Justice Services in Response to COVID-19. March 23 2020. https://news.ontario.ca/mag/en/2020/03/ontario-taking-action-to-protect-critical-front-line-justice-services-in-response-to-covid-19.html

[15] D’Melo, Colin. Ontario to waive three-month OHIP waiting period for returning Canadians. CTV News. March 19 2020. https://toronto.ctvnews.ca/ontario-to-waive-three-month-ohip-waiting-period-for-returning-canadians-1.4858781

[16] Ministry of Health. Ontario Expands Coverage for Care. Ontario News Room. March 20, 2020. https://news.ontario.ca/mohltc/en/2020/03/ontario-expands-coverage-for-care.html

[17] https://settlement.org/news/ontario/ontario-expands-ohip-coverage/

[18] Ontario Ministry of Transportation. Ontario Extending Validation Periods for Driver, Vehicle and Carrier Products, Services and Health Cards. Ontario News Room. March 19, 2020. https://news.ontario.ca/mto/en/2020/03/ontario-extending-validation-periods-for-driver-vehicle-and-carrier-products-services-and-health-car.html

[19] Office of the Premier. Ontario Providing Electricity Relief to Families, Small Businesses and Farms During COVID-19. News Room. March 24, 2020. https://news.ontario.ca/opo/en/2020/03/ontario-providing-electricity-relief-to-families-small-businesses-and-farms-during-covid-19.html

[20] Ministry of Education. Province Takes Steps to Ensure Frontline Workers Can Continue to Work. News Room. March 22, 2020.

[21] Ontario Ministry of Transportation. Ontario Protects Parents during COVID-19. Ontario News Room. April 10, 2020. https://news.ontario.ca/edu/en/2020/04/ontario-taking-action-to-support-parents-during-covid-19.html

[22] Office of the Premier. Ontario Offers Emergency Child Care to More Frontline Staff

Ontario News Room. April 17, 2020. https://news.ontario.ca/opo/en/2020/04/ontario-offers-emergency-child-care-to-more-frontline-staff.htmll

[23] Office of the Premier. Ontario Urges Business to Join the Fight Against COVID-19. Ontario Newsroom. March 21 2020. https://news.ontario.ca/opo/en/2020/03/ontario-urges-business-to-join-the-fight-against-covid-19.html

[24] Ministry of Labour, Training and Development. UPDATED: Ontario Enabling Financial Relief for Businesses. Ontario Newsroom. March 26 2020. https://news.ontario.ca/mol/en/2020/03/ontario-enabling-financial-relief-for-businesses-1.html

[25] Ministry of Finance. Ontario’s Action Plan: Responding to COVID-19. Ontario Newsroom. March 25 2020. https://news.ontario.ca/mof/en/2020/03/ontarios-action-plan-responding-to-covid-19.html

[26] Ontario Government Supports Families in Response to COVID-19. Ontario Newsroom. April 6 2020. https://news.ontario.ca/opo/en/2020/04/ontario-government-supports-families-in-response-to-covid-19.html

[27] Province Supports Postsecondary Students During COVID-19. Ontario Newsroom. March 31 2020. https://news.ontario.ca/maesd/en/2020/03/province-supports-postsecondary-students-during-covid-19.html

[28] Office of the Premier. Province Investing $10 Million to Mobilize Businesses and Volunteers to Support the Most Vulnerable. Ontario Newsroom. March 30 2020. https://news.ontario.ca/opo/en/2020/03/ontario-protecting-seniors-during-the-covid-19-outbreak.html

[29] Ontario Takes Steps to Keep Food on the Table during COVID-19. Ontario Newsroom. April 4 2020. https://news.ontario.ca/omafra/en/2020/04/ontario-takes-steps-to-keep-food-on-the-table-during-covid-19.html

[30] Info Bulletin  – AgriStability 2020 enrollment deadline extended. Government of Ontario. April 17 2020. https://www.canada.ca/en/agriculture-agri-food/news/2020/04/info-bulletin—agristability-2020-enrollment-deadline-extended.html

[31] Ontario Businesses Stepping Up to Fight COVID-19. Ontario Newsroom.. April 11 2020. https://news.ontario.ca/opo/en/2020/04/ontario-businesses-stepping-up-to-fight-covid-19.html

[32] Ontario Businesses Stepping Up to Fight COVID-19. Ontario Newsroom.. April 11 2020. https://news.ontario.ca/opo/en/2020/04/ontario-businesses-stepping-up-to-fight-covid-19.html

[33] Ontario Providing Relief for Remote Northern Property Taxpayers During COVID-19.  Ontario Newsroom. April 6  2020. https://news.ontario.ca/mof/en/2020/04/ontario-providing-relief-for-remote-northern-property-taxpayers-during-covid-19.html

[34] Ontario Protecting Vulnerable Ontarians During COVID-19 Outbreak.  Ontario Newsroom.  April 4  2020. https://news.ontario.ca/mcys/en/2020/04/ontario-protecting-vulnerable-ontarians-during-covid-19-outbreak.html

[35] Ontario Strengthening Victim Services in Response to COVID-19. Ontario Newsroom. April 2 2020. https://news.ontario.ca/mag/en/2020/04/ontario-strengthening-victims-services-in-response-to-covid-19.html

[36] Ontario Strengthening Victim Services in Response to COVID-19. Ontario Newsroom. April 2 2020. https://news.ontario.ca/mag/en/2020/04/ontario-strengthening-victims-services-in-response-to-covid-19.html

[37] Ontario Provides Urgent Relief for Small Businesses and Landlords. Ontario Newsroom. April 24 2020. https://news.ontario.ca/opo/en/2020/04/ontario-provides-urgent-relief-for-small-businesses-and-landlords.html

[38] Ontario Provides Urgent Relief for Small Businesses and Landlords. Ontario Newsroom. April 24 2020. https://news.ontario.ca/opo/en/2020/04/ontario-provides-urgent-relief-for-small-businesses-and-landlords.html

[39] Office of the Premier. Funding and services will help seniors and people with disabilities during the COVID-19 outbreak. Ontario Newsroom. April 21 2020. https://news.ontario.ca/opo/en/2020/04/ontario-providing-additional-relief-to-the-provinces-most-vulnerable.html

[40] Ontario Enables Auto Insurance Companies to Provide Driver Rebates During COVID-19

. Government of Ontario. April 16 2020. https://news.ontario.ca/mof/en/2020/04/ontario-enables-auto-insurance-companies-to-provide-driver-rebates-during-covid-19.html

^[41] Prime Minister outlines Canada’s COVID-19 response. JUSTIN TRUDEAU, PRIME MINISTER OF CANADA. March 11 2020. https://pm.gc.ca/en/news/news-releases/2020/03/11/prime-minister-outlines-canadas-covid-19-response

^[42] Government of Canada takes action on COVID-19.  Government of Canada. March 13 2020. https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/2019-novel-coronavirus-infection/canadas-reponse/government-canada-takes-action-covid-19.html

^[43] Prime Minister outlines Canada’s COVID-19 response. JUSTIN TRUDEAU, PRIME MINISTER OF CANADA. March 11 2020. https://pm.gc.ca/en/news/news-releases/2020/03/11/prime-minister-outlines-canadas-covid-19-response

[44] The COVID-19 Emergency Response Act Receives Royal Assent.  Government of Canada. March 25 2020. https://www.canada.ca/en/department-finance/news/2020/03/the-covid-19-emergency-response-act-receives-royal-assent0.html

^[45] Government of Canada takes action on COVID-19.  Government of Canada. March 13 2020. https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/2019-novel-coronavirus-infection/canadas-reponse/government-canada-takes-action-covid-19.html

^[46] Prime Minister outlines Canada’s COVID-19 response. JUSTIN TRUDEAU, PRIME MINISTER OF CANADA. March 11 2020. https://pm.gc.ca/en/news/news-releases/2020/03/11/prime-minister-outlines-canadas-covid-19-response

^[47] Prime Minister outlines Canada’s COVID-19 response. JUSTIN TRUDEAU, PRIME MINISTER OF CANADA. March 11 2020. https://pm.gc.ca/en/news/news-releases/2020/03/11/prime-minister-outlines-canadas-covid-19-response

^[48] Government of Canada funds 49 additional COVID-19 research projects. Government of Canada. March 19 2020. https://www.canada.ca/en/institutes-health-research/news/2020/03/government-of-canada-funds-49-additional-covid-19-research-projects.html

[49] COVID-19: First Nations Community Guide on Accessing Additional Supports. Government of Canada. March 26 2020. https://www.sac-isc.gc.ca/eng/1584819394157/1584819418553#g

[50] COVID-19: First Nations Community Guide on Accessing Additional Supports. Government of Canada. March 26 2020. https://www.sac-isc.gc.ca/eng/1584819394157/1584819418553#g

[51] Indigenous Community Support Fund. Government of Canada. March 26 2020. https://www.sac-isc.gc.ca/eng/1585189335380/1585189357198

[52] CCOHS Makes Courses and Publications Available to Help Workplaces During COVID-19 Pandemic. Government of Canada. March 25 2020. https://www.canada.ca/en/centre-occupational-health-safety/news/2020/03/ccohs-makes-courses-and-publications-available-to-help-workplaces-during-covid-19-pandemic.html

[53] COVID-19 Guidance for High-Risk and Essential Workplaces. Government of Canada. April 16 2020. https://www.canada.ca/en/centre-occupational-health-safety/news/2020/04/covid-19-guidance-for-high-risk-and-essential-workplaces.html

[54] Prime Minister announces support for vulnerable Canadians affected by COVID‑19. JUSTIN TRUDEAU, PRIME MINISTER OF CANADA. March COVID-19 Guidance for High-Risk and Essential Workplaces 29 2020. https://pm.gc.ca/en/news/news-releases/2020/03/29/prime-minister-announces-support-vulnerable-canadians-affected-covid

[55] Government of Canada connects Canadians with mental wellness supports during COVID-19. Government of Canada. April 15 2020. https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/news/2020/04/government-of-canada-connects-canadians-with-mental-wellness-supports-during-covid-190.html

^[56] Government of Canada takes action on COVID-19.  Government of Canada. March 13 2020. https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/2019-novel-coronavirus-infection/canadas-reponse/government-canada-takes-action-covid-19.html

^[57] Government of Canada evacuating Canadians on board Diamond Princess cruise ship. Government of Canada. February 15 2020. https://www.canada.ca/en/global-affairs/news/2020/02/government-of-canada-evacuating-canadians-on-board-diamond-princess-cruise-ship.html

^[58] Government of Canada evacuating Canadians on board Grand Princess cruise ship. Government of Canada. March 8 2020. https://www.canada.ca/en/global-affairs/news/2020/03/government-of-canada-evacuating-canadians-on-board-grand-princess-cruise-ship.html

^[59] Government of Canada takes action on COVID-19.  Government of Canada. March 13 2020. https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/2019-novel-coronavirus-infection/canadas-reponse/government-canada-takes-action-covid-19.html

^[60]Income Support for Individuals Who Need It Most Government of Canada. March 18 2020. https://www.canada.ca/en/department-finance/news/2020/03/canadas-covid-19-economic-response-plan-support-for-canadians-and-businesses.html#Income_Support_for

[61] COVID-19: In person Service Canada Centres to be closed. Government of Canada. March 26 2020. https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/news/2020/03/covid-19-in-person-service-canada-centres-to-be-closed.html

^[62] Important changes to tax-filing and payment deadlines. Government of Canada. March 20 2020. https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/campaigns/covid-19-update.html#individuals

[63] Additional Support for Canadian Businesses from the Economic Impact of COVID-19. Government of Canada. March 27 2020. https://www.canada.ca/en/department-finance/news/2020/03/additional-support-for-canadian-businesses-from-the-economic-impact-of-covid-19.html

[64] Additional Support for Canadian Businesses from the Economic Impact of COVID-19. Government of Canada. March 27 2020. https://www.canada.ca/en/department-finance/news/2020/03/additional-support-for-canadian-businesses-from-the-economic-impact-of-covid-19.html

^[65] Coronavirus disease (COVID-19): Outreach and Liaison Officer services. Government of Canada. March 19 2020. https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/campaigns/covid-19-update/covid-19-outreach-liaison-officer-services.html

^[66] Coronavirus disease (COVID-19): Outreach and Liaison Officer services. Government of Canada. March 19 2020. https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/campaigns/covid-19-update/covid-19-outreach-liaison-officer-services.html

^[67] Frequently asked questions – COVID-19 Emergency Loan Program for Canadians Abroad. Government of Canada. March 19 2020. https://travel.gc.ca/assistance/emergency-info/financial-assistance/covid-19-financial-help-faqs#3

^[68] Resources for Canadian Businesses. Government of Canada. March 20 2020. https://www.canada.ca/en/services/business/maintaingrowimprovebusiness/resources-for-canadian-businesses.html

^[69] Our response to COVID-19. Canada Farm Credit. March 20 2020. https://www.fcc-fac.ca/en/covid-19.html

^[70] Prime Minister announces support for farmers and agri-food businesses under Canada’s response to COVID-19. JUSTIN TRUDEAU, PRIME MINISTER OF CANADA. March 23 2020. https://pm.gc.ca/en/news/news-releases/2020/03/23/prime-minister-announces-support-farmers-and-agri-food-businesses

[71] Governments Invest $2.5 Million to Grow Agri-food e-Business During COVID-19. Government of Canada. April 24 2020. https://www.canada.ca/en/agriculture-agri-food/news/2020/04/governments-invest-25-million-to-grow-agri-food-e-business-during-covid-19.html

[72] Canada and Ontario Supporting Agri-food Sector Supply Chain During COVID-19. Government of Canada. April 17 2020. https://www.canada.ca/en/agriculture-agri-food/news/2020/04/canada-and-ontario-supporting-agri-food-sector-supply-chain-during-covid-19.html

[73] Keeping Canadians and workers in the food supply chain safe. Government of Canada. April 13 2020. https://www.canada.ca/en/agriculture-agri-food/news/2020/04/keeping-canadians-and-workers-in-the-food-supply-chain-safe.html

^[74] Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada: Coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Government of Canada. March 14 2020. http://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/icgc.nsf/eng/07677.html

[75] Canada’s COVID-19 Economic Response Plan: New Support to Protect Canadian Jobs. Government of Canada. April 21 2020. https://www.canada.ca/en/department-finance/news/2020/04/canadas-covid-19-economic-response-plan-new-support-to-protect-canadian-jobs.html

[76] Canada’s COVID-19 Economic Response Plan: New Support to Protect Canadian Jobs. Government of Canada. April 21 2020. https://www.canada.ca/en/department-finance/news/2020/04/canadas-covid-19-economic-response-plan-new-support-to-protect-canadian-jobs.html

[77] Parks Canada helps tourism businesses in national parks and historic sites deal with the impacts of COVID-19 by deferring commercial lease payments without interest until September 2020. Government of Canada. March 27 2020. https://www.canada.ca/en/parks-canada/news/2020/03/parks-canada-helps-tourism-businesses-in-national-parks-and-historic-sites-deal-with-the-impacts-of-covid-19-by-deferring-commercial-lease-payments.html

^[78] Canada Revenue Agency: Helping Canadians with the economic impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic. Government of Canada. March 18 2020. https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/campaigns/covid-19-update.html#individuals

[79] Government introduces Canada Emergency Response Benefit to help workers and businesses. Government of Canada. March 25 2020. https://www.canada.ca/en/department-finance/news/2020/03/introduces-canada-emergency-response-benefit-to-help-workers-and-businesses.html

[80] Expanding access to the Canada Emergency Response Benefit and proposing a new wage boost for essential workers. Government of Canada. April 17 2020. https://www.canada.ca/en/department-finance/news/2020/04/expanding-access-to-the-canada-emergency-response-benefit-and-proposing-a-new-wage-boost-for-essential-workers.html

[81] ESDC Corporate information: Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) – Notices- Benefits and services. Government of Canada. March 23 2020. https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/corporate/notices/coronavirus.html#h2.5

[82] The COVID-19 Emergency Response Act Receives Royal Assent.  Government of Canada. March 25 2020. https://www.canada.ca/en/department-finance/news/2020/03/the-covid-19-emergency-response-act-receives-royal-assent0.html

[83] With kids home from school. National Film Board of Canada offers free online learning resources for parents and teachers. March 30 2020. https://www.canada.ca/en/national-film-board/news/2020/03/with-kids-home-from-school-national-film-board-of-canada-offers-free-online-learning-resources-for-parents-and-teachers.html

^[84] Canada’s COVID-19 Economic Response Plan: Support for Canadians and Businesses Government of Canada. March 23 2020. https://www.canada.ca/en/department-finance/news/2020/03/canadas-covid-19-economic-response-plan-support-for-canadians-and-businesses.html#Income_Support_for

[85] The COVID-19 Emergency Response Act Receives Royal Assent.  Government of Canada. March 25 2020. https://www.canada.ca/en/department-finance/news/2020/03/the-covid-19-emergency-response-act-receives-royal-assent0.html

^[86] Canada’s COVID-19 Economic Response Plan: Support for Canadians and Businesses. Government of Canada. March 23 2020. https://www.canada.ca/en/department-finance/news/2020/03/canadas-covid-19-economic-response-plan-support-for-canadians-and-businesses.html#Income_Support_for

[87] The COVID-19 Emergency Response Act Receives Royal Assent.  Government of Canada. March 25 2020. https://www.canada.ca/en/department-finance/news/2020/03/the-covid-19-emergency-response-act-receives-royal-assent0.html

[88] Government announces relief for federally regulated pension plan sponsors. Government of Canada. April 15 2020. https://www.canada.ca/en/department-finance/news/2020/04/government-announces-relief-for-federally-regulated-pension-plan-sponsors.html

^[89] ESDC Corporate information: Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) – Notices- Benefits and services. Government of Canada. March 23 2020. https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/corporate/notices/coronavirus.html#h2.5

[90] The COVID-19 Emergency Response Act Receives Royal Assent. Government of Canada. March 25 2020. https://www.canada.ca/en/department-finance/news/2020/03/the-covid-19-emergency-response-act-receives-royal-assent0.html

[91] Support for Students and Recent Graduates Impacted by COVID-19. Government of Canada. April 22 2020. https://www.canada.ca/en/department-finance/news/2020/04/support-for-students-and-recent-graduates-impacted-by-covid-19.html

[92] Support for Students and Recent Graduates Impacted by COVID-19. Government of Canada. April 22 2020. https://www.canada.ca/en/department-finance/news/2020/04/support-for-students-and-recent-graduates-impacted-by-covid-19.html

[93] Support for Students and Recent Graduates Impacted by COVID-19. Government of Canada. April 22 2020. https://www.canada.ca/en/department-finance/news/2020/04/support-for-students-and-recent-graduates-impacted-by-covid-19.html

[94] Support for Students and Recent Graduates Impacted by COVID-19. Government of Canada. April 22 2020. https://www.canada.ca/en/department-finance/news/2020/04/support-for-students-and-recent-graduates-impacted-by-covid-19.html

[95] Removing barriers for international students working in essential services to fight COVID-19.  Government of Canada. April 22 2020. https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/news/2020/04/removing-barriers-for-international-students-working-in-essential-services-to-fight-covid-19.html

^[96] Frequently Asked Questions – Temporary Wage Subsidy for Employers. Government of Canada. March 20 2020. https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/campaigns/covid-19-update/frequently-asked-questions-wage-subsidy-small-businesses.html

[97] The COVID-19 Emergency Response Act Receives Royal Assent.  Government of Canada. March 25 2020. https://www.canada.ca/en/department-finance/news/2020/03/the-covid-19-emergency-response-act-receives-royal-assent0.html

[98] Connolly, Amanda. Here’s who’s eligible and how to apply for Canada’s coronavirus wage subsidy. Global News. March 30 2020. https://globalnews.ca/news/6750050/justin-trudeau-coronavirus-wage-subsidy/

[99] Support to Businesses.  Government of Canada. March 30 2020. https://www.canada.ca/en/department-finance/economic-response-plan/covid19-businesses.html

[100] Government Announces Details of the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy to Help Businesses Keep Canadians in their jobs.  Government of Canada. April 1 2020. https://www.canada.ca/en/department-finance/news/2020/04/government-announces-details-of-the-canada-emergency-wage-subsidy-to-help-businesses-keep-canadians-in-their-jobs.html

[101] Government Introduces COVID-19 Emergency Response Act, No. 2 to Help Businesses Keep Canadians in their Jobs. Government of Canada. April 11 2020. https://www.canada.ca/en/department-finance/news/2020/04/government-introduces-covid-19-emergency-response-act-no-2-to-help-businesses-keep-canadians-in-their-jobs.html

[102] Government of Canada launches applications for the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy. Government of Canada. April 27 2020. https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/news/2020/04/government-of-canada-launches-applications-for-the-canada-emergency-wage-subsidy.html

[103] Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy – Application. Government of Canada. April 27 2020. https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/news/2020/04/canada-emergency-wage-subsidy-application.html

[104] Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS). Government of Canada. April 27 2020. https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/subsidy/emergency-wage-subsidy/cews-how-apply.html

^[105] Work-Sharing Program – Temporary special measures for the downturn in business due to COVID-19 and for the forestry and steel and aluminum sector. Government of Canada. March 19 2020. https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/services/work-sharing/temporary-measures-forestry-sector.html

^[106] Canada’s COVID-19 Economic Response Plan: Support for Canadians and Businesses Government of Canada. March 18 2020. https://www.canada.ca/en/department-finance/news/2020/03/canadas-covid-19-economic-response-plan-support-for-canadians-and-businesses.html

[107]  Addressing urgent needs in Indigenous communities related to COVID-19. Government of Canada. March 26 2020. https://www.canada.ca/en/indigenous-services-canada/news/2020/03/addressing-urgent-needs-in-indigenous-communities-related-to-covid-19.html

[108] Indigenous Community Support Fund. Government of Canada. March 26 2020. https://www.sac-isc.gc.ca/eng/1585189335380/1585189357198

[109] COVID-19: First Nations Community Guide on Accessing Additional Supports. Government of Canada. March 26 2020. https://www.sac-isc.gc.ca/eng/1584819394157/1584819418553#g

^[110] Canada’s COVID-19 Economic Response Plan: Support for Canadians and Businesses. Government of Canada. March 18 2020. https://www.canada.ca/en/department-finance/news/2020/03/canadas-covid-19-economic-response-plan-support-for-canadians-and-businesses.html

^[111] Canada’s COVID-19 Economic Response Plan: Support for Canadians and Businesses. Government of Canada. March 18 2020. https://www.canada.ca/en/department-finance/news/2020/03/canadas-covid-19-economic-response-plan-support-for-canadians-and-businesses.html

^[112] Canada’s COVID-19 Economic Response Plan: Support for Canadians and Businesses. Government of Canada. March 18 2020. https://www.canada.ca/en/department-finance/news/2020/03/canadas-covid-19-economic-response-plan-support-for-canadians-and-businesses.html#Mortgage_Default_Management

^[113] A Message from our President to our Clients (COVID-19). Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation. March 17 2020. https://www.cmhc-schl.gc.ca/en/media-newsroom/notices/2020/message-from-president-to-clients-covid-19

^[114] Government of Canada Announces Further Measures to Support Continued Lending to Canadian Consumers and Businesses. Canada Mortgage and Housing Company. March 16 2020. https://www.cmhc-schl.gc.ca/en/media-newsroom/news-releases/2020/measures-support-continued-lending-canadian-consumers-businesses

^[115] Business Credit Availability Program (BCAP). Government of Canada. March 20 2020. https://www.canada.ca/en/department-finance/programs/financial-sector-policy/business-credit-availability-program.html

[116] The COVID-19 Emergency Response Act Receives Royal Assent.  Government of Canada. March 25 2020. https://www.canada.ca/en/department-finance/news/2020/03/the-covid-19-emergency-response-act-receives-royal-assent0.html

[117] Additional Support for Canadian Businesses from the Economic Impact of COVID-19. Government of Canada. March 27 2020. https://www.canada.ca/en/department-finance/news/2020/03/additional-support-for-canadian-businesses-from-the-economic-impact-of-covid-19.html

[118] Additional Support for Canadian Businesses from the Economic Impact of COVID-19. Government of Canada. March 27 2020. https://www.canada.ca/en/department-finance/news/2020/03/additional-support-for-canadian-businesses-from-the-economic-impact-of-covid-19.html

[119] Additional Support for Canadian Businesses from the Economic Impact of COVID-19. Government of Canada. March 27 2020. https://www.canada.ca/en/department-finance/news/2020/03/additional-support-for-canadian-businesses-from-the-economic-impact-of-covid-19.html

[120] COVID-19: The Government of Canada is taking action to support the publishing and news sectors. Government of Canada. March 25 2020. https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/news/2020/03/covid-19-the-government-of-canada-is-taking-action-to-support-the-publishing-and-news-sectors.html

[121] COVID-19: the Government of Canada Provides Relief to the Broadcasting Sector. Government of Canada. March 30 2020. https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/news/2020/03/covid-19-the-government-of-canada-provides-relief-to-the-broadcasting-sector.html

[122] Government announces support for air transportation sector during COVID-19 pandemic. Government of Canada. March 30 2020. https://www.canada.ca/en/department-finance/news/2020/03/government-announces-support-for-air-transportation-sector-during-covid-19-pandemic.html

[123] Government of Canada provides $20 million to safeguard Canada’s food supply by supporting critical food inspection services. Government of Canada. April 14 2020. https://www.canada.ca/en/food-inspection-agency/news/2020/04/government-of-canada-provides-20million-to-safeguard-canadas-food-supply-by-supporting-critical-food-inspection-services.html

[124] Prime Minister announces support for vulnerable Canadians affected by COVID‑19. JUSTIN TRUDEAU, PRIME MINISTER OF CANADA. March 29 2020. https://pm.gc.ca/en/news/news-releases/2020/03/29/prime-minister-announces-support-vulnerable-canadians-affected-covid

[125] New Horizons for Seniors Program projects can now be used for COVID-19 support. Government of Canada. April 6 2020. https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/news/2020/04/new-horizons-for-seniors-program-projects-can-now-be-used-for-covid-19-support.html

[126] Canada’s COVID-19 Economic Response Plan: New Support to Protect Canadian Jobs. Government of Canada. April 21 2020. https://www.canada.ca/en/department-finance/news/2020/04/canadas-covid-19-economic-response-plan-new-support-to-protect-canadian-jobs.html

[127] Canada’s COVID-19 Economic Response Plan: New Support to Protect Canadian Jobs. Government of Canada. April 21 2020. https://www.canada.ca/en/department-finance/news/2020/04/canadas-covid-19-economic-response-plan-new-support-to-protect-canadian-jobs.html

[128] Canada’s COVID-19 Economic Response Plan: New Support to Protect Canadian Jobs. Government of Canada. April 21 2020. https://www.canada.ca/en/department-finance/news/2020/04/canadas-covid-19-economic-response-plan-new-support-to-protect-canadian-jobs.html

[129] Canada’s COVID-19 Economic Response Plan: New Support to Protect Canadian Jobs. Government of Canada. April 21 2020. https://www.canada.ca/en/department-finance/news/2020/04/canadas-covid-19-economic-response-plan-new-support-to-protect-canadian-jobs.html

[130] Canada’s COVID-19 Economic Response Plan: New Support to Protect Canadian Jobs. Government of Canada. April 21 2020. https://www.canada.ca/en/department-finance/news/2020/04/canadas-covid-19-economic-response-plan-new-support-to-protect-canadian-jobs.html

[131] Expanding access to the Canada Emergency Response Benefit and proposing a new wage boost for essential workers. Government of Canada. April 17 2020. https://www.canada.ca/en/department-finance/news/2020/04/expanding-access-to-the-canada-emergency-response-benefit-and-proposing-a-new-wage-boost-for-essential-workers.html

[132] Statement by Minister Qualtrough on Canada’s Disability-Inclusive approach to its COVID-19 pandemic response. Government of Canada. April 10 2020. https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/news/2020/04/statement-by-minister-qualtrough-on-canadas-disability-inclusive-approach-to-its-covid-19-pandemic-response.html

[133] Supporting Canadians to Think Critically About Online Health Information. Government of Canada. April 7 2020. https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/news/2020/04/supporting-canadians-to-think-critically-about-online-health-information.html

[134] Updated – CBSA is helping Canadians get home. Government of Canada. April 6 2020. https://www.canada.ca/en/border-services-agency/news/2020/04/updated—cbsa-is-helping-canadians-get-home.html