FAQs

Visit the federal government’s COVID-19 Economic Response Plan website for information about Federal programs for business and employees. Support for businesses include:

• Avoiding layoffs and re-hiring
• Taxes and tariffs
• Financial support, loans and access to credit
• Support for self-employed individuals
• Indigenous businesses
• Quick answer tool, to get a personalized list of support

The Federal Government has also introduced programs for specific industries including:

• Agriculture and agri-food
• Aquaculture and fisheries
• Culture, heritage and sport
• Air transportation
• Tourism
• Energy
• Academic and research
• Infrastructure
• Mining 

The Business Credit Availability Package is available and includes the following 3 programs: 

• The Canada Emergency Business Account program that can provide interest-free loans of up to $40,000 to small businesses and not-for-profits 
• The Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) Co-Lending Facility 
• The Export Development Canada (EDC) Loan Guarantee for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises 

Federal Programs

For avoiding layoffs, rehiring employees, and creating new jobs

• Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS) – covers 75% of an employee’s wages for eligible employers. CEWS has been extended up to June 2021.
• Work-Sharing (WS) program has been extended from 38 weeks to a maximum of 76 weeks for employers affected by COVID-19. WS helps employers and employees avoid layoffs when there is a temporary decrease in business activity.

Financial support and access to credit

• Canada Emergency Business Account (CEBA) - interest-free, partially forgivable, loans of up to $60,000, to small businesses and not-for-profits, that have experienced diminished revenues due to COVID-19 but face ongoing non-deferrable costs.
• Canada Emergency Rent Subsidy (CERS) - provides a direct and easy-to-access rent and mortgage subsidy of up to 65% of eligible expenses to qualifying businesses, charities and non-profits.
• Regional Relief and Recovery Fund (RRRF) – RRRF is specifically for those unable to access other support measures and provides over $1.5 billion to businesses and organizations in sectors such as manufacturing, technology, tourism and others.
• Canada United Small Business Relief Fund (CUSBRF) – provides relief grants of up to $5000 to small businesses for purchasing PPE, renovating physical spaces, or adopting digital technologies.
• Large Employer Emergency Financing Facility (LEEFF) – financial support to Canada’s largest employers whose financial needs are not met through conventional financing during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Provincial Programs

Major Provincial Relief Programs for businesses

• Ontario Small Business Support Grant– enables small businesses to recover some of their expected lost revenue due to January 2021 Provincewide Shutdown with a one-time grant ranging from $10,000 to $20,000.
• Ontario’s Main Street Relief Grant: PPE Support – provides one-time grants of up to $1,000 to small businesses in retail, accommodation & food services, repair & maintenance, personal & laundry services, and gyms & yoga studios.
• Property Tax and Energy Cost rebates are available for businesses affected by the Provincewide Shutdown in Covid-19 response framework, as well for those affected by “modified stage 2” restrictions in the previous framework.
• COVID-19 Energy Assistance Program for Small Business (CEAP-SB) – provides one time, on bill, credit to eligible small businesses and registered charity customers to help them with energy bills. Note that the CEAP-SB funding is limited, and a completed application does not guarantee the funding approval.

There will not be an extension of the relief that was announced by the CRA on March 27, 2020 which allowed all businesses to defer, until June 30, 2020, any GST/HST payments or remittances that became owing on or after March 27, 2020, and before July 2020.

Businesses must therefore make these payments and remittances and file these returns by June 30, 2020. Interest will begin to apply to outstanding remittances and payments, and penalties will begin to apply to outstanding returns, effective July 1, 2020.

Businesses that are continuing to experience difficulty in making a GST/HST remittance or payment or filing a GST/HST return can contact the CRA to make a request for the cancellation of penalties and interest, and/or for a flexible payment arrangement.

For more frequently asked questions about tax deferrals, please visit the CRA website.

The plan to mobilize industry to fight COVID-19 was announced by the Federal government. This includes:  

• The Strategic Innovation Fund (SIF), which is set to deliver support to large-scale projects 
• The National Research Council of Canada will expedite research and development with small and medium-sized enterprises 
• The Innovation Superclusters are being asked to tap into their networks to help companies commercialize products more quickly 

More information about funding and programming is available through the following:   

• Ontario Together Fund, a $50 million fund to support submissions that they can action quickly, is also available for you to explore and apply to. 
• National Research Council of Canada 
• Ontario Supercluster NGen is funding projects that can have an immediate impact between April and the end of June 2020 
• The Digital Economy Supercluster focused on scaling digital technologies in five areas of focus: the health system, community health, safe living, diagnostics, and therapeutics. More information on availability and eligibility can be found here. 

If your business is able to provide an innovative solution to fight against COVID-19, you may be eligible to the following supercluster funding programs: 

• Canada's Digital Technology Supercluster is leading the development of solutions to some of the biggest challenges created by COVID-19. The COVID-19 Program aims to find solutions to protect the health and safety of all Canadians and our economy through the development, deployment and scale-up of digital technologies. Learn more.  
• NGen supercluster funding program - $50 million in Supercluster funding to support companies rapidly respond to the COVID-19 pandemic and projects may be eligible for 100% funding for projects that can be executed between April and June 2020. (Projects are not expected to exceed $5M in funding)  
• Visit the Government of Canada website: Innovation funding and support

The following options may be available for you in case your company is adopting a digital technology or deploying its efforts in R&D to help fight against COVID-19.  

• Federal government call to action through their Buy and Sell website 
• ‘Ontario Together’ by provincial government, supported by a $50 million fund to help implement your solution 
• NGen supercluster funding 
• Digital Technology Supercluster 

Both the Government of Ontario and Canada are calling on businesses to help in the response to COVID19.  If your organization can provide medical supplies or services, visit these two portals:  

• Ontario Together: Looking for supplies, innovation, innovative ideas and volunteers 

• Government of Canada: Include a detailed list of products and services needed. Buyers are encouraged to subscribe to updates to receive the latest news about evolving procurement needs.  

There is an electronic submission form on the page "Calling all suppliers" on Buyandsell.gc.ca. On that form, there is a question about “other” products and services. This is where you should indicate clearly what products and services you can supply that relate to the government’s emergency response to COVID-19 but were not included in the non-exhaustive list. 

The specifications for certain types of products, including certification standards where applicable, are listed on the Specifications for COVID-19 Products Products page on Buyandsell.gc.ca. 

Information relating to manufacturing and distributing Diagnostic tests, ventilators, disinfectants, PPE, vaccines and providing medical supplies can be found by visiting the Government of Canada Health Product Industry Website. 

The Government of Canada has issued a call to action for Canadian manufacturers needed to help combat COVID-19. If you can say yes to the following questions – they want to hear from you:  

• You manufacture in Canada and/or have ready access to necessary inputs through your supply chain. 
• You have equipment or facilities that can be rapidly re-tooled to meet medical needs, including for personal protective equipment (PPE) such as gloves, masks and surgical gowns; sanitizers; wipes; ventilators; and other medical equipment and supplies. 
• You have skilled workers who are able to respond and who could be available for work in the current circumstances. 

Visit Government of Canada Call to Action for Canadian Manufacturers to learn more.

The Durham Region bid opportunities website provides the most up to date information on procurement requirements for PPE in response to the COVID 19 Emergency.  

For other information about local organizations, please contact your local municipality Economic Development office or email investdurham@durham.ca 

Ontario Centres of Excellence (OCE) is identifying the innovative technologies, SMEs and experts from across the province to help fill the current product and service gaps related to COVID-19. If you have a piece of the puzzle – whether it is an asset, a technology or a product – and are looking for collaborators to assist your efforts, they want to hear from you. 

Access the OCE Collaboration Platform here.  

If your company is able to manufacture technology, equipment, and medical products to aid in the fight against COVID-19, you may be eligible for funding from:  

• The Ontario Together Fund. $50 million in provincial funding to help companies retool, build capacity, or adopt the technological changes needed to produce supplies and equipment for hospitals, long-term care homes, and other critical public services. Funding will go towards the most viable, innovative proposals.  
• Next Generation Manufacturing Canada (NGen). Supercluster funding to support companies as they rapidly respond to the COVID-19 pandemic by building a Canadian supply of essential equipment, products, and therapeutics. Learn more. 
• The National Research Council of Canada’s Industrial Research Assistance Program and Innovative Solutions Canada. Funding for small- and medium-sized businesses (fewer than 500 staff) to supply products or solutions in response to COVID-19 related challenges. Learn more.