(Updated: September 30, 2020)
BENEFITS FOR INDIVIDUALS/EMPLOYEES
What? | How much? | How long? | Who is eligible? |
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EI Benefits for self-quarantine /illness/child-care reasons (temporary changes effective September 27, 2020) |
Minimum: $500/week | At least 26 weeks of regular benefits | You must:
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EI “regular” benefits if laid off (temporary changes effective September 27, 2020) |
Minimum: $500/week | At least 26 weeks of regular benefits | You must:
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Canada Recovery Benefit (CRB) For workers who are self-employed or are not eligible for EI |
$500/week (pending the passage of legislation) |
Up to 26 weeks. Effective for 1 year after September 27, 2020 |
You must:
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Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit (CSRB) For workers who cannot work because they are sick or must self-isolate for reasons related to COVID-19. |
$500/week (pending the passage of legislation) |
Up to 2 weeks Effective for 1 year after September 27, 2020 |
You must:
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Canada Recovery Caregiving Benefit (CRCB) Per household for eligible workers who cannot work because they must provide care to children or family members due to the closure of schools, day cares or care facilities. |
$500/week (pending the passage of legislation) |
Up to 26 weeks per household Effective for 1 year after September 27, 2020 |
You must:
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Work-Sharing Agreements | This is an agreement between an employee, an employer, and Service Canada. It is intended to help avoid layoffs on account of a temporary reduction in business, due to circumstances beyond the employer’s control.
The employee receives EI benefits from the government, while also receiving a reduced salary from the employer at the same time. The amount of the reduced salary payable by the employer will vary depending on the quantum of the reduced hours. But it will be at least 40% of the regular salary (if the workers hours have been reduced by the maximum of 60%). |
Minimum duration is 6 weeks and maximum duration is 76 weeks.
The mandatory 1-week waiting period is waived. |
Employers across Canada can call toll-free 1-800-367-5693. Employees across Canada can call toll-free: 1-800-206-7218 |
Supplemental Unemployment Benefit Plan (SUBP) | A SUBP is set up by an employer to top up employees' employment insurance (EI) benefits during unemployment.
The maximum under a SUBP (when combined with employee’s regular weekly EI benefit rate) cannot exceed 95% of the employee’s normal weekly earnings. The EI portion of the SUBP is 55%. |
The government regulations do not set a minimum or maximum number of weeks for the payments.
The plan itself is to stipulate the maximum number of weeks for which the SUB payments will be payable |
The SUBP must be approved by Service Canada.
Employer should be registered with Service Canada otherwise top-up payments are deducted from the employee’s EI benefits (as they would be considered EI-insurable income). |
Income Tax Payment Deferral |
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BENEFITS FOR BUSINESSES/EMPLOYERS
What Benefit? | How much? | For How long? | Who qualifies? |
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Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS) | A temporary wage subsidy equivalent to up to 75% of employees’ salaries retroactive to March 15, 2020, to a maximum of $847 per week.
Note: The Government of Canada website now has a calculator to assist employers calculate their subsidy amount. |
12 weeks, from March 15 to June 6, 2020.
Processing of payments to the business will take an estimated 3 to 6 weeks. |
It is available to employers of all sizes and across all sectors across the country, but the employee must show:
Once an employer meets the revenue decline criteria for a qualifying period, the employer is deemed to meet that same condition for the next reference period. However, employers must re-apply for the CEWS each month. When available, the application will be through CRA’s My Business Account portal. The government is also proposing that CEWS-eligible employers also receive a complete refund on certain employer contributions to EI, CPP, as well as the Quebec Pension Plan and the Quebec Parental Insurance Plan paid by employers for employees who are on leave with pay. Note: 1) If the employer does not end up meeting the eligibility requirements, it will have to repay any received amounts. 2) If the employer makes a fraudulent claim or artificially reduces their revenue to in order to qualify, there may be additional penalties. |
Temporary Business Wage Subsidy | 10% Temporary Wage Subsidy, up to $1,375 for each eligible employee to a maximum of $25,000 total per employer.
It will allow eligible employers to reduce the amount of payroll deductions required to be remitted to the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA). |
Maximum of 3 months, from March 18, 2020 to June 19, 2020. | Eligible employers are:
For employers that are eligible for both the CEWS and this subsidy, any benefit from this subsidy reduces the amount available to be claimed under the CEWS in that same period. CEWS does not replace this subsidy. |
Business Credit Availability Program (BCAP) | The federal government has set up the BCAP to provide $40 billion of additional assistance through the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) and Export Development Canada (EDC) for small and medium-sized business.
This BCAP includes a Loan Guarantee program as well as a Co-Lending Program for these businesses. Qualifying businesses would receive incremental credit amounts of up to $6.25 million through the BCAP. |
This available until June 2021. | The Minister of Finance has advised that “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.” Interested businesses should contact their respective bank, credit union, etc. |
Canada Emergency Business Account (CEBA) | CEBA will provide interest-free loans of up to $40,000 to small businesses and not-for-profits, to help cover operating costs during the time period where revenues have been temporarily reduced.
No interest will apply on the amount borrowed until January 1, 2023, at which time, interest will accrue on the balance of the term loan at the rate of 5% per annum, payable monthly on the last day of each month. Depending on the amounts being repaid by a business, it is possible for up to $10,000 of the total amount to be forgiven. |
CEBA rollout has commenced.
It will be funded as a revolving line of credit until December 31, 2020. After that date, any outstanding balance will be converted a non-revolving 5-year term loan to mature on December 31, 2025. On that date, the balance must be paid in full. |
To be eligible to apply, a business must have:
Sole proprietors who do not issue T4 slips do not qualify. Interested businesses should contact their respective bank, credit union, etc. |
Ontario-Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance (OCECRA) | OCECRA will reduce commercial rent for small businesses by 75% through the following:
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Available until September 30, 2020 and would cover rents from April 1 to June 30, 2020.
(Program operational in mid-May, rent alleviation retroactive to April 2020) |
To qualify, the commercial tenant:
This is a Canada-provincial collaboration and will be administered through the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation. Details will be provided as they become available. |
Regional Relief and Recovery Fund (RRRF) | Provides $962 million in “credit” or “loan” support to assist small and medium-sized businesses with fixed operating costs.
Of the $962 million, Southern Ontario is receiving $252.4 million split as follows:
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Applications are open as of May 13, 2020.
There does not appear to be a time limit but rather by when funds are exhausted. |
Those businesses who may require additional help to recover but have not been able to access the other support measures. In Southern Ontario, to qualify, a business must:
Note: Applicants will not receive RRRF assistance through both FedDev Ontario and their local CFDCs. Applicants must determine the most appropriate option for them. Information for Applications for Southern Ontario businesses found HERE and guidelines are found HERE. If there is significant demand, priority will be given to manufacturing, technology, and tourism sectors. |
Income Tax Payment Deferral |
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Sales Tax Remittance Deferral |
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WSIB Payment Deferral |
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