CENTRE WELLINGTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE (CWCC)
COVID-19 UPDATES

At CWCC, our goal is to show value to our members and local business community by informing and helping you understand the information, resources, tools, and economic supports available in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. We’re doing our best to consolidate, simplify, and provide context and interpretation wherever possible and in a timely manner.

• We are communicating in a number of ways, including email blasts, newsletters, website news feed updates, social media, and local media (radio and newspaper). 
• We're working on a new initiative to introduce video/teleconferencing sessions to provide a more interactive way to share information and engage in 2-way conversations with our members. 
• We welcome your ideas and suggestions on specific topics, areas of focus and communication methods that would best benefit your business.  

Please email your suggestions to:

Dana Burdenuk, General Manager at chamber@cwchamber.ca  

FEDERAL UPDATES: Government Delivers What SMEs Need to Protect the Jobs in Their Businesses 

On Friday, March 27, 2020, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau delivered some welcome news for SMEs across the country. That news included the following announcements:

• A 75% wage subsidy for qualifying businesses, for up to three months, retroactive to March 15, 2020. This will help businesses to keep and return workers to the payroll. More details on eligibility criteria will start with the impact of COVID-19 on sales and will be shared before the end of the month.

• Allow businesses, including self-employed individuals, to defer all Goods and Services Tax/Harmonized Sales Tax (GST/HST) payments until June as well as customs duties owed for imports. This measure is the equivalent of providing up to $30 billion in interest-free loans to Canadian businesses. It will help businesses so they can continue to pay their employees and their bills and help ease cash-flow challenges across the country.

• The launch of the new Canada Emergency Business Account. This program will provide up to $25 billion to eligible financial institutions so they can provide interest-free loans to small businesses. These loans – guaranteed and funded by the Government of Canada – will ensure small businesses have access to the capital they need, at a zero per cent interest rate, so they can pay for rent and other important costs over the next number of months.

• The launch of the new Small and Medium-sized Enterprise Loan and Guarantee program that will enable up to $40 billion in lending, supported through Export Development Canada and Business Development Bank, for guaranteed loans when small businesses go to their financial institutions to help weather the impacts of COVID-19. This is intended for small and medium-sized companies that require greater help to meet their operational cash flow requirements.

Read full release here

The Federal Government also established the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB). This taxable benefit will provide $2,000 a month for up to four months for workers who lose their income as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The CERB replaces the previously announced Emergency Care Benefit and Emergency Support Benefit.

• The CERB will 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 who are sick or at home because of school and daycare closures.
• The CERB will apply to wage earners, as well as contract workers and self-employed individuals who would not otherwise be eligible for Employment Insurance (EI).
• Additionally, workers who are still employed, but are not receiving income because of disruptions to their work situation due to COVID-19, will also qualify for the CERB.
• The portal for accessing the CERB will be available in early April.
• The CERB will be paid every four weeks and be available from March 15, 2020 until October 3, 2020; CERB payments will be received within 10 days of application.

More info here

Prime Minister announces support for vulnerable Canadians affected by COVID-19, click here.

PROVINCIAL UPDATES

The Ontario Government's action plan is a first step in its response to COVID-19 and includes $7 billion in additional resources for the health care system and direct support for people and jobs. It also will make available $10 billion in support for people and businesses through tax and other deferrals to improve their cash flow, protecting jobs and household budgets.

Key initiatives in the government's plan to strengthen its response to the COVID-19 outbreak and support workers and employers include:

• Supporting more affordable electricity bills by setting electricity prices for residential, farm and small business time-of-use customers at the lowest rate, known as the off-peak price, 24 hours a day for 45 days to support ratepayers in their increased daytime electricity usage as they respond to the COVID-19 outbreak, addressing concerns about time-of-use metering.
• Cutting taxes by $355 million for about 57,000 employers through a proposed temporary increase to the Employer Health Tax (EHT) exemption.
• Enhancing funding by $148 million for charitable and non-profit social services organizations such as food banks, homeless shelters, churches and emergency services to improve their ability to respond to COVID-19, by providing funding directly to Consolidated Municipal Service Managers and District Social Service Administration Boards who would allocate this funding based on local needs.

Read the full release here

The Ontario Government's plan also includes measures that will make available support for people and businesses through tax and other deferrals to improve their cash flows over the coming months, including:

• Making available $6 billion by providing five months of interest and penalty relief for businesses to file and make payments for the majority of provincially administered taxes.
• Making available $1.9 billion by the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) allowing employers to defer payments for up to six months.

Read the full release here

Ontario Stepping Up Measures to Limit the Spread of COVID-19 on Construction Sites. Read more here

Ontario Prohibits Gatherings of More Than Five People with Strict Exceptions

Read more here

Ontario Protecting Supply Chains To Support COVID-19 Emergency Response:

Province to Buy Urgently Needed Critical Goods and Services and Deploy them to Where They are Needed the Most. Read more here

WANTED: EMERGENCY PRODUCTS, INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS

Any business that could produce – or reconfigure to produce – essential equipment, from ventilators and masks to swabs and eye-protection, is encouraged to visit the Ontario Together webpage.

The Government of Canada also needs products and services

Find out what is needed

NGen (Next Generation Manufacturing Canada) has established a funding program to support companies in launching the production of critical products to fight COVID-19. To learn more, visit: ngen.ca/covid-19-response.

MUNICIPAL UPDATES:

Township of Centre Wellington

Financial Services Update

The Township will waive all penalties and interest on 2020 tax levies and water/sewer payments for 60 days from the due date. Read more here

Building Services Update

In response to COVID-19 and to limit the spread, Building Services has made some operational changes to ensure staff safety. Building inspections will resume on Thursday, March 26 with strict protocols. Read more here