May 28, 2020 Update

Support for Small Businesses

Small Business Relief Fund

As part of its Canadian Business Resilience Network campaign, the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, through the generosity of Salesforce (NYSE:CRM), will provide 62 small Canadian businesses from coast to coast to coast with $10,000 grants to help their recovery efforts during these unprecedented times.

Businesses can use the $10,000 grants to support their recovery efforts, including paying salaries, acquiring safety and personal protective equipment for staff, replenishing materials or paying for the measures required to adapt business models to the economic impacts of COVID-19.

Key eligibility criteria

To be eligible to apply, businesses must:

Be a for-profit company; and,
Have between 2 and 50 employees; and,
Have been in business for two years as of March 1, 2020; and,
Have an annual revenue between $150,000 CAD and $5,000,000 CAD; and,
Have been negatively affected by the COVID-19 pandemic; and
Meet the other eligibility criteria set out in the program’s terms and conditions.

The program’s application, terms and conditions and its privacy policy will be posted here on June 1.

Facebook Grant

Businesses can apply for a Facebook grant of more than $5,000 in cash and ad credits between May 26 and June, 2020.
Applications are simple (approx. 20 minutes) and require tax number or proof of incorporation. Businesses must be over one year old with 2 to 50 employees and be in one of the four areas; Ottawa-Gatineau, Toronto, Montreal or Vancouver. You can apply for a Facebook Grant here.

May 27, 2020 Update

As a result of a new order from the province’s chief medical officer of health, Ontario is allowing over two dozen health-care providers, including dentists, physiotherapists and massage therapists, to return to work immediately once health and safety guidelines are in place. Each college will provide advice on which services can or should be provided virtually. For a complete list of regulated healthcare providers, please click here.

Please stay up to date as our province navigates through the various stages and gradually re-opens. There are sector-specific guidelines and posters to help protect your employees, customers and the general public from coronavirus (COVID-19) as you reopen your businesses.

Have your say

Tell Ontario about the economic impacts of the COVID-19 outbreak on your business. Your input will be shared with the Ontario Jobs and Recovery Committee and used to help make decisions about reopening our province and recovering following COVID-19. The consultation closes on June 12, 2020.

Today, Ottawa Public Health (OPH) launched a new Ottawa COVID-19 Dashboard to provide up to date information on core indicators for local monitoring and informing re-opening decisions. The Ottawa COVID-19 Dashboard includes four sections: (1) Virus Spread and Containment; (2) Health Care System Capacity; (3) Public Health; and (4) Testing and Tracking. Note that the dashboard is in a pilot phase and therefore subject to changes and improvements as we move forward.

As we move into a world where we start to leave our homes and frequent businesses as they are allowed to reopen, we also need to remain diligent about reducing the risk and putting our health and safety first.

May 26, 2020 Update

Ontario has extended all emergency orders for another 10 days.

On May 19, the province extended all emergency orders until May 29. The orders, including the closure of outdoor playgrounds, public swimming pools, and bars and restaurants, except for takeout and delivery, will now be in effect until June 9.

For this time, there also continues to be restrictions on social gatherings of more than five people and staff redeployment rules remain in place for long-term care homes and congregate settings like retirement homes and women’s shelters.

For a complete list of the emergency orders, please click here.

Commercial Eviction Protection Plea

This week a joint letter calling on the Provincial Government to bring in commercial eviction protection was sent to Premier Ford from the Canadian Federation of independent Business, Ontario Chamber of Commerce, Ontario Restaurant Hotel and Motel Association, restaurants Canada and Retail Council of Canada.

May 25, 2020 Update

The online application for the Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance (CECRA) is now up and running. Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance (CECRA) for small businesses provides relief for small businesses experiencing financial hardship due to COVID-19. It offers unsecured, forgivable loans to eligible commercial property owners to:

reduce the rent owed by their impacted small business tenants
meet operating expenses on commercial properties

Property owners must offer a minimum of a 75% rent reduction for the months of April, May and June 2020.

To manage volume, we will be asking property owners to register on the following days:

Day	Who should register?
Monday	Property owners who are located in Atlantic Canada, BC, Alberta and Quebec, with up to 10 tenants who are eligible for the program
Tuesday	Property owners who are located in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Ontario and the Territories, with up to 10 tenants who are eligible for the program
Wednesday	All other property owners in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Ontario and the Territories
Thursday	All other property owners in Atlantic Canada, BC, Alberta and Quebec
Friday	All

We encourage all eligible commercial property owners to participate in this program. Please apply here.

May 20, 2020 Update

Mayor Jim Watson announced a new Business Reopening Tool Kit today. As Ontario begins to reopen the economy, all Ottawa businesses are encouraged to review the information in this Business Reopening Toolkit. This document has been prepared by the City of Ottawa, in consultation with Ottawa Public Health. It is intended to provide guidance to businesses to prepare for safe reopening, subject to direction from the Province of Ontario, and should not be construed as legal advice or to replace specific instructions that may be issued by Ottawa Public Health or the Province.

Please check the city’s website often as the tool kit will be updated regularly.

May 19, 2020 Update

Regional Relief and Recovery Fund (RRRF)

We have been speaking with MP Marie-France Lalonde on a regular basis about some of our BIA businesses struggling and not all eligible to take advantage of the various government programs being offered. Well, she listened and has been advocating on your behalf as well!

Today, we received a letter telling us about a new Regional Relief and Recovery Fund (RRRF). This fund, which will flow through FedDev Ontario and the other Regional Development Agencies (RDAs), will help more businesses and organizations obtain funding that they do not presently qualify for, or have been declined for, with current Government of Canada COVID-19 relief measures. We encourage you to apply now.

The RRRF is now open for applications from businesses and communities across the country. Businesses who wish to apply for the RRRF can apply online at the following link. Businesses are encouraged to consult the Application Guide and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) before applying, and can contact FedDev Ontario by phone at 1-866-593-5505

Please click here to see the letter received from our MP.

CEBA Criteria Expanded

The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today announced an expansion to the eligibility criteria for the Canada Emergency Business Account (CEBA) to include many owner-operated small businesses.

The program will now be available to a greater number of businesses that are sole proprietors receiving income directly from their businesses, businesses that rely on contractors, and family-owned corporations that pay employees through dividends rather than payroll.

To qualify under the expanded eligibility criteria, applicants with payroll lower than $20,000 would need:

a business operating account at a participating financial institution
a Canada Revenue Agency business number, and to have filed a 2018 or 2019 tax return.
eligible non-deferrable expenses between $40,000 and $1.5 million. Eligible non-deferrable expenses could include costs such as rent, property taxes, utilities, and insurance.

Expenses will be subject to verification and audit by the Government of Canada. Funding will be delivered in partnership with financial institutions. More details, including the launch date for applications under the new criteria, will follow in the days to come. The government will continue to work on solutions to help business owners and entrepreneurs who operate through their personal bank account, as opposed to a business account, or have yet to file a tax return, such as newly created businesses.

Entering Stage 1 of Reopening the Province

Today, Ontario officially enters the first stage of its Framework for Reopening the Province. As part of this initial stage, the government is permitting the reopening of some outdoor recreational amenities, including outdoor sports facilities and multi-use fields, off-leash dog areas, and outdoor picnic sites, benches and shelters in parks and recreational areas, effective as of Tuesday, May 19, 2020.

Outdoor playgrounds, play structures and equipment, fitness equipment, public swimming pools, splash pads and similar outdoor water facilities will remain closed until later stages of the province’s reopening plan.

To ensure that individuals and families have safe access to outdoor spaces, it is critical they take everyday steps to reduce exposure to the virus, such as maintaining physical distancing by staying two metres apart from anyone outside of their household, washing hands regularly, and staying home if feeling unwell.

The government has also approved an exemption to the emergency order related to gatherings to allow Ontarians to attend drive-in religious gatherings, under certain conditions to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The conditions include keeping vehicles two metres or more apart, only members of the same household can be in one vehicle, people will not be able to leave their vehicles, and no more than five people can conduct the service at one time from outside a motor vehicle and they must stay at least two metres apart.

On the advice of the Chief Medical Officer of Health, the Ontario government has extended all emergency orders that have been put in place to-date under s.7.0.2 (4) of the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act until May 29, 2020. The emergency orders include:

Extending these orders supports the government’s plan to cautiously and safely reopen businesses, services and amenities in a way that will enable the province to continue to protect the health and safety of Ontarians.

Personal Protection Equipment (PPE)

As we enter into phase 1 of the COVID-19 pandemic and businesses are starting to re-open, there is a demand for PPE and other safety equipment to ensure that both your staff and clients are safe. Please use this list as guidance if you need help finding suppliers. Please note, the BIA is providing this list as a resource only and is in no way responsible for any issues with suppliers.

Local Ottawa Companies

SG Printing Inc.	(613) 841-7867	[email protected]	masks, shields
Sure Print and Graphics	(613) 830-8678	[email protected]	masks
Orleans Janitorial Supplies	(613) 834-7979	[email protected]	masks, cleaning
Collage Creative	(613)261-4220	[email protected]	PPE
Big Tree Promotions	(613) 720-4141	[email protected]	masks, gloves
360 Safety Supplies Inc.	(613) 795-5829	[email protected]	all PPE
Canadian Linen & Uniform Service		[email protected]	all PPE
Springboard Promotions	(613) 266-6888	[email protected]	masks, gloves

Canadian Companies

Bely.ca	(416) 298 – 4557	[email protected]	Cloth face masks
D&G Trophies	(416) 694-2698	[email protected]	all PPE
Dental Market	1-800-494-7072		all PPE
Just Direct Promotions	1-866-915-5878	[email protected]	Face masks
Single Source Supplies	1-800-474-9803	[email protected]	ASTM Level 2 Medical Grade
Surgo Surgical Supply	1-800-263-7402		Medical supplies and equipment
ULine	1-800-295-5510		all PPE

What do you need?

If you are uncertain about what kind of PPE and equipment you will need, we encourage you to check out the Government of Ontario Guidelines for individual sectors. The provincial government are adding guidelines for additional sectors on a regular basis so check back often.

Ottawa Tourism Business Opportunity

Ottawa Tourism is launching a savings passport for locals with the goal of promoting spending and patronage at Ottawa businesses in order to help the local economy and tourism sector restart after COVID-19. The #MyOttawa Pass / Passeport #MonOttawa will be available electronically for smartphone users and is tentatively scheduled for launch June 3^rd to run for 3 months, reminding locals of all the great experiences Ottawa has to offer right here in their own backyard.

This #MyOttawa Pass / Passeport #MonOttawa offer is available to all businesses who play a role in Ottawa’s visitor economy to encourage economic recovery more broadly within our city. If you are a retailer, restaurant, attraction, entertainment venue, tour provider or other business engaged in creating memorable experiences for residents and visitors, we encourage you to consider participating in this exciting opportunity.

There is no cost to you to participate, however we do ask for some form of value-added incentive (such as through a special offer, coupon or discount) that you can provide passholders to encourage them to visit your business and spend money with you. This is very similar to traditional incentive approaches, with the key difference being that these are hyper-targeted, curated, and relevant to specific target audiences through a mobile-exclusive channel. The redemption process is very straightforward and is not meant to disrupt your current processes. A passholder would simply present the pass on their phone to redeem the given offer at your business.

BENEFITS OF A DIGITAL PASSPORT FOR RESIDENTS AND VISITORS

Streamlined booking, purchase and redemption system for residents and visitors.
Digital, contactless process supports current physical distancing measures and expectations for both businesses and clients.
Combines our destination’s special offers into one central spot.
Is made available instantly on the passholder’s phone without them having to download anything.
Passport allows businesses to cross-promote one another and promote the value of the tourism industry to residents.

Ottawa Tourism is working with a company called Bandwango who will provide technical support for the program and oversee the use of the #MyOttawa Pass / Passeport #MonOttawa. Bandwango are industry leaders in digital experience-based passports and have already developed similar savings programs for other destinations with great success.

For those who complete this form, Bandwango representatives will be reaching out to you in the coming weeks to help answer any questions and provide instructions for next steps to get your offers loaded onto the passport.

The deadline to participate in the launch of the #MyOttawa Pass / Passeport #MonOttawa is Friday, May 22^nd to give us time to review your offers and finalize the pass before a tentative launch date of June 3^rd (this would be the earliest possible launch date, pending the province’s reopening dates). With your commitment and special offers, we believe that we can make our #MyOttawa Pass / Passeport #MonOttawa experience highly compelling to residents, helping to generate revenues at a time when every dollar counts.

If you’d like to participate in the #MyOttawa Pass / Passeport #MonOttawa, please complete this quick 5-minute form.

May 16, 2020 Update

Support for Women Entrepreneurs

Minister Ng announced that the Government of Canada will provide $15 million in additional funding to support women entrepreneurs through the Women Entrepreneurship Strategy (WES). This money will go directly to select organizations that are currently WES Ecosystem Fund recipients and will help women entrepreneurs through the COVID-19 pandemic.

In the coming weeks, this investment will help thousands of women entrepreneurs and business owners navigate this crisis. It will help ensure women across the country—whether they’re a restaurant owner in Campbellton, New Brunswick, a manufacturer in Prince George, British Columbia, or a retailer in Rankin Inlet, Nunavut—get the support they need through things like business workshops, mentorship and skills training to adapt to a digital marketplace.

Empowering women-owned businesses across Canada remains a key priority, and the government will continue working hard to ensure women entrepreneurs are supported through the pandemic and into the economic recovery.

May 14, 2020 Update

Reopening businesses, services and public spaces

As the province of Ontario begins to reopen, many people are wondering about next steps and how their business fits into the 3 stages the province will follow to safely and gradually reopen the province.

Factors such as the risk of spreading COVID‑19 and the ability to implement protective and preventative measures in the workplace play a big part in the decision making. There are 6 principles that guide will guide the Province’s decisions.

The province of Ontario is listening to people and businesses. They are looking for feedback on the economic impacts of the COVID-19 outbreak on your business. Your input will be shared with the Ontario Jobs and Recovery Committee and used to help make decisions about reopening our province and recovering following COVID-19.

You can submit your feedback here. The consultation closes on June 12, 2020.

The government and health and safety associations have released more than 90 safety guidance documents to assist employers in multiple sectors, including construction, retail, facilities maintenance and manufacturing. As new sectors of the economy begin to reopen, additional resources will be made available to help protect the safety of workers and the general public.

To support business-owners, workers and the economic recovery of the province, the government has launched a website to provide businesses with information on personal protective equipment (PPE) suppliers. The Workplace PPE Supplier Directory has an up-to-date list of Ontario companies and business associations that are ready to supply personal protective equipment.

What’s currently open and closed?

Essential workplaces are businesses that are currently allowed to be open as long as they comply with strict public health measures and operate safely during the COVID-19 outbreak. Businesses that are not identified on this list must keep their physical place of business closed.

Some services are closed or have modified their hours or processes due to Ontario’s declaration of emergency. If you are looking for things like renewing your licence, obtaining a health card or booking an arbitration appointment, please see this webpage.

Changes to the list of essential businesses

On May 14, 2020, Ontario announced additional workplaces that can reopen. Starting at 12:01 AM Saturday, May 16, 2020, the following may open to the public as long as they follow health guidelines:

Golf courses will be able to open, with clubhouses open only for washrooms and restaurants open only for take-out.
Marinas, boat clubs and public boat launches may open for recreational use.
Private parks and campgrounds may open to enable preparation for the season and to allow access for trailers and recreational vehicles whose owners have a full season contract.
Businesses that board animals, such as stables, may allow boarders to visit, care for or ride their animal.

On Tuesday, May 19th, Ontario enters Stage 1 of the Framework for Reopening our Province. This means the following businesses will re-open if they are ready:

Retail services that are not in shopping malls and have separate street-front entrances with measures in place that can enable physical distancing, such as limiting the number of customers in the store at any one time and booking appointments beforehand or on the spot.
Seasonal businesses and recreational activities for individual or single competitors, including training and sport competitions conducted by a recognized national or provincial sport organization. This includes indoor and outdoor non-team sport competitions that can be played while maintaining physical distancing and without spectators, such as tennis, track and field and horse racing.
Animal services, specifically pet care services, such as grooming and training, and regular veterinary appointments.
Indoor and outdoor household services that can follow public health guidelines, such as housekeepers, cooks, cleaning and maintenance.
Lifting essential workplace limits on construction.
Allowing certain health and medical services to resume, such as in-person counselling and scheduled surgeries based on the ability to meet pre-specified conditions as outlined in A Measured Approach to Planning for Surgeries and Procedures During the COVID-19 Pandemic, as well as resuming professional services such as shifting Children’s Treatment Centres from virtual to in-person.

Starting Monday, May 11 at 12:01 a.m., all businesses may open to the public if they:

use an alternative method of sale, such as curb side pick-up or delivery
have a public entrance that opens onto a street or exterior sidewalk
restrict public access to the store, except in exceptional circumstances

The following businesses may open for in-store payment and purchases:

garden centres and nurseries, as of Friday, May 8, 2020
hardware stores and safety supply stores, as of Saturday, May 9, 2020

By following the proper health and safety guidelines, the following businesses will be permitted to begin operations on Monday, May 4 at 12:01 a.m.:

lawn care and landscaping
essential construction projects, including:
- shipping and logistics
- broadband and digital infrastructure
- municipal and schools
- site preparation for institutional, commercial industrial or residential development
automatic and self-serve car washes
car dealerships, open by appointment only
golf courses, only to may prepare their courses for the upcoming season, but not open to the public
marinas, for servicing boats and other watercraft and placing boats in the water, and for individuals to access their place of residence or their other property
- boats and watercraft must be secured to a dock in the marina until public access is allowed

If you have questions about what will be open or impacts to your business or employment, read the frequently asked questions or call the Stop the Spread Business Information Line at 1-888-444-3659.

The province has also done a great job developing some sector-specific-resources to protect workers, customers and the general public from COVID-19 as businesses start preparing to reopen their doors. As new sectors of the economy begin to reopen, additional COVID-19 workplace safety resources will be added.

May 12, 2020 Update

Open Letter to Orléans Landlords

This week MP Marie-France Lalonde, MPP Stephen Blais, and Councillors Laura Dudas and Matthew Luloff urged Orléans landlords to work with their tenants to capitalize on the Ontario-Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance Program (OCECRA). Small businesses are at the Heart of our Orléans community. In this dire moment, our three levels of government are asking that landlords help ensure that as many small businesses as possible are able to ride out this pandemic.

To read the letter, click here.

May 11, 2020 Update

Large Employer Emergency Financing Facility (LEEFF)

To help protect Canadian middle class jobs, and safeguard our economy, the Government of Canada has introduced the Large Employer emergency Financing Facility (LEEFF). The objective of this support is to help protect Canadian jobs, help Canadian businesses weather the current economic downturn, and avoid bankruptcies of otherwise viable firms where possible. This support will not be used to resolve insolvencies or restructure firms, nor will it provide financing to companies that otherwise have the capacity to manage through the crisis. The additional liquidity provided through LEEFF will allow Canada’s largest businesses and their suppliers to remain active during this difficult time, and position them for a rapid economic recovery. To help protect Canadian middle class jobs, and safeguard our economy, the Government of Canada will:

Establish a Large Employer Emergency Financing Facility (LEEFF) to provide bridge financing to Canada’s largest employers, whose needs during the pandemic are not being met through conventional financing, in order to keep their operations going.
Use key guiding principles in providing support through the LEEFF, including:
- Protection of taxpayers and workers: Companies seeking support must demonstrate how they intend to preserve employment and maintain investment activities. Recipients will need to commit to respect collective bargaining agreements and protect workers’ pensions. The LEEFF program will require strict limits to dividends, share buy-backs, and executive pay. In considering a company’s eligibility to assistance under the LEEFF program, an assessment may be made of its employment, tax, and economic activity in Canada, as well as its international organizational structure and financing arrangements. The program will not be available to companies that have been convicted of tax evasion. In addition, recipient companies would be required to commit to publish annual climate-related disclosure reports consistent with the Financial Stability Board’s Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures, including how their future operations will support environmental sustainability and national climate goals.
- Fairness: To ensure support across the Canadian economy, the financing is intended to be applicable to all eligible sectors in a consistent manner.
- Timeliness: To ensure timely support, the LEEFF program will apply a standard set of economic terms and conditions.
Expand the Business Credit Availability Program (BCAP) to mid-sized companies with larger financing needs. Support for mid-market businesses will include loans of up to $60 million per company, and guarantees of up to $80 million. Through the BCAP, Export Development Canada (EDC) and the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) will work with private sector lenders to support access to capital for Canadian businesses in all sectors and regions.
Continue to provide financing to businesses through Farm Credit Canada, the BDC, and EDC, including through the Canada Account. This will ensure the government is able to respond to a wide range of financing needs, including for some large employers facing higher risks, with stricter terms in order to adequately protect taxpayers.

These measures are part of the Government of Canada’s COVID-19 Economic Response Plan, which has helped protect Canadian jobs, and committed billions in support to Canadians and businesses facing hardship as a result of the pandemic. This includes an extension on the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy, which allows businesses to keep workers on the payroll. The government will continue to monitor and respond to the wide-ranging impacts of COVID-19, and take additional actions as needed to protect the health and safety of Canadians and stabilize the economy.

The Innovation Pilot Program (IPP)

Heads up #ottcity‘s business community! The Innovation Pilot Program (IPP) Economic Recovery Challenge 2020 is seeking innovative ideas that will help business operations safely resume and stimulate economic recovery. Propose your ideas by May 20th.

Take up the challenge! It is your opportunity to:

– Help Ottawa be a leader in innovation and economic recovery in the country;
– Give back to your community;
– Establish your brand as part of the country’s COVID-19 response.

Areas of focus include technology innovations for public health (e.g., health applications, temperature monitoring, sanitization, cleaning protocols) and economic recovery (e.g., click and collect, virtual work, remote operations, automation, density screening/planning, digital counter). Priority sectors include health, tourism, festivals and events, restaurants, retail, construction, transportation and food supply.

For more information, please refer to The City of Ottawa’s IPP website page.

Non-medical Masks and Face Coverings

Ottawa Public Health is encouraging the use of non-medical masks and face coverings in our community.

• Medical masks and N95 respirators should NOT be worn by healthy community members as they must be kept
for health care workers and others providing direct care to COVID-19 patients.
• Wearing a non-medical mask or face covering is NOT a replacement for physical distancing, hand washing,
and/or monitoring your health.
• Wearing non-medical mask or face covering may offer additional protection especially when physical distancing
is difficult to maintain (e.g. in a grocery store, on the bus) and may help protect others around you.
• Non-medical masks may include:
o Those that are made from cloth (for example cotton);
o Those that have pockets to insert filters; and,
o Those used to cover other masks or respirators to prolong usage.

A non-medical mask should be worn If you are:
• Ill and are coughing or sneezing, please wear a non-medical mask to protect those around you from getting sick. This is very important if you go to an appointment, clinic, or a hospital. Do not go to other public places when you are sick, even if you are wearing a mask. If you are seeking medical care, an appropriate medical/surgical mask will be provided. Follow the instructions given to you in the health care setting about how to remove and store your non medical mask.
• Visiting somewhere where physical distancing measures are difficult to maintain, such as the grocery store, pharmacy, or public transit., as is now suggested by OC Transpo;
• Are caring for someone who is ill; and,
• Are taking care of someone who is coughing or sneezing, particularly if they are unable to wear a mask,. Both
the ill individual and the caregiver should wear a non-medical mask.

It is never appropriate to place a non-medical mask or facial covering on young children under age 2, anyone who has
trouble breathing, is unconscious, incapacitated, or otherwise unable to remove the mask without assistance.

For further information on wearing a mask and a list of Canada-based vendors producing masks please see Ottawa Public Health’s overview. For more information on physical distancing and hand hygiene for children, please visit Ottawa Public Health.

May 10, 2020

It is normal to feel sad, stressed, confused, scared or worried during a pandemic. Please take care of yourself and if you are feeling overwhelmed, seek support from your primary health care provider or a mental health professional.

People react in many different ways during a times of uncertainty. Some common feelings include:

a sense of being socially excluded or judged
concern about your children’s education and well-being
fear of getting sick with COVID-19 or of making others sick
worry about losing your job, not being able to work or finances
fear of being apart from loved ones due to isolation or physical distancing
helplessness, boredom, loneliness and depression due to isolation or physical distancing

Taking care of our mental health is very important – especially during a pandemic. Please have a peek here for the various resources available to all of us.

May 9, 2020 Update

The Ontario government is opening provincial parks and conservation reserves for limited day-use access.

Monday May 11, 2020 – 520 provincial parks and conservation reserves across the province will open.
Friday May 15, 2020 – The remaining 115 provincial parks and conservation reserves will open.

At this time, recreational activities will be limited to walking, hiking, biking and birdwatching. Day visitors will also be able to access all parks and conservation reserves for free until the end of the month. Camping and other activities are not permitted at any provincial park or conservation reserve. All buildings and facilities including washrooms, water taps, campgrounds, backcountry campsites, roofed accommodations, playgrounds, and beaches continue to be closed.

Before planning your trip, please visit www.ontarioparks.com/park-locator to check the status of your local provincial park.

May 8, 2020 Update

Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, announced that all provinces and territories have confirmed, or are in the process of confirming, plans to cost share wage top-ups for their essential workers.

The Government of Canada will provide up to $3 billion in support to increase the wages of low-income essential workers. Each province or territory will determine which workers would be eligible for support, and how much support they will receive.

The Ontario government continues to prepare for the next phase of restarting the provincial economy through the implementation of its Framework for Reopening our Province. At the same time, the government has been supporting struggling business owners directly impacted by COVID-19 by providing tax deferrals and commercial rent relief, and by removing regulatory roadblocks.

Over the past week, the Ontario government has begun easing restrictions on workplaces that can operate safely by following public health and safety guidelines. On May 8th, garden centres and nurseries will be able to open for in-store payment and purchases. Hardware stores and safety supply stores will be permitted to open for in-store payment and purchases as soon as 12:01 a.m. on Saturday. On Monday at 12:01 a.m., non-essential retail stores with a street entrance can begin offering curbside pickup and delivery.

These actions come as the province continues to face the unprecedented economic situation created by the COVID-19 outbreak. Today, Statistics Canada released its monthly job numbers, which showed a 689,200 decrease in employment in Ontario.

The province is also providing $241 million of a total $900 million to the new Ontario-Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance Program (OCECRA), with contributions from the federal government, to deliver relief to small businesses and ensure they are ready to reopen their doors when the emergency measures are lifted.

Ontario’s Action Plan: Responding to COVID-19 also includes $10 billion in support for people and businesses to improve cash flows by providing a five-month penalty and interest-free period to make payments for the majority of provincially administered taxes, deferring the upcoming quarterly municipal remittance of education property tax, and providing up to $1.9 billion in financial relief by allowing employers to defer Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) payments for up to six months.

In order to make life easier for businesses faced with the unique challenges created by the global outbreak, the Ontario government has launched the COVID-19: Tackling the Barriers online portal. Businesses working to retool their operations to produce health-related products, or those struggling to operate in this new environment of physical distancing, can submit any potential roadblocks and suggest possible solutions through the website.

“Clearly, it is not business as usual for anyone, we understand that and we want to help,” said Prabmeet Sarkaria, Associate Minister of Small Business and Red Tape Reduction. “Our government is prepared to temporarily adjust our processes, rules, and regulations to accommodate unforeseen circumstances. I encourage everyone to visit the website to identify barriers or suggest solutions so we can get the economy up and running, and people back to work, as soon as possible.”

May 7, 2020 Update

Ontario Eases Restrictions on Retail Stores and Essential Construction

The Ontario government is allowing all retail stores with a street entrance to provide curbside pickup and delivery, as well as in-store payment and purchases at garden centres, nurseries, hardware stores and safety supply stores. The business owners should review the health and safety guidelines developed by the province and its health and safety association partners.

Friday, May 8 at 12:01 a.m. – Garden centres and nurseries will be able to open for in-store payment and purchases, operating under the same guidelines as grocery stores and pharmacies.
Saturday, May 9 at 12:01 a.m. – Hardware stores and safety supply stores will be permitted to open for in-store payment and purchases.
Monday, May 11 at 12:01 a.m. – Retail stores with a street entrance can begin offering curbside pickup and delivery, in accordance with the Ministry of Health’s Guidance Document for Essential Workplaces and occupational health and safety requirements.

In addition to easing restrictions on retail, the Ontario government is also expanding essential construction to allow below-grade multi-unit residential construction projects like apartments and condominiums to begin and existing above-grade projects to continue. This will help clear the way for the housing and jobs our economy will need to support economic recovery from the impacts of the COVID-19 outbreak.

Businesses must follow public health measures and should review the workplace safety guidelines, such as promoting physical distancing and frequent handwashing, sanitizing surfaces, installing physical barriers, staggering shifts, and using contactless payment options to stop the spread of COVID-19.

The City opens parks with some restrictions

Effective immediately, individuals and families can enjoy fresh air and some outdoor activities in City parks. Everyone must also comply with current prohibitions under the Provincial Emergency Orders, including the prohibition on organized public events, gatherings of more than five people, and entry to and use of certain outdoor recreational amenities.

Examples of permitted activities for individuals in groups of up to five people or members from the same household include:

Playing catch, kicking a soccer ball and throwing a football
Flying a kite
Sitting on a blanket, grass or lawn chair
Exercising and stretching on a yoga mat, but not in a class
Letting young children run and burn off some energy

If you are not with members of your own family, the Provincial Orders continue to restrict events and gatherings of more than five people and continue to prohibit the entry onto or use of all sports fields and courts. Please continue to avoid the following:

Football and soccer fields
Ball diamonds
Tennis courts and basketball courts
BMX and skate/board parks
All play structures and playgrounds
Swings
Benches
Picnic tables
Shelters
Off-leash dog parks

In addition, prohibited park use extends to all organized sporting activities and training, such as football, softball, ball hockey, soccer, ultimate frisbee and basketball – even if they are not being played on a court or sports field, as these activities do not allow for proper physical distancing.

Also in accordance with the Provincial Orders, boat launches in parks remain closed and seasonal docks will not yet been installed. Launching any form of watercraft from any City park or beach remains prohibited for canoeists, kayakers and other watercraft enthusiasts.

May 6, 2020 Update

The Ontario government is extending emergency electricity rate relief to families, farms and small businesses until May 31, 2020 during the COVID-19 outbreak. Customers who pay time-of-use electricity rates will continue to be billed at the lowest price, known as the off-peak price, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. This electricity rate relief, initially provided for a 45-day period starting on March 24, 2020, has been extended by an emergency order under the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act. The rate relief is intended to be in place for an additional 24 days.

“During this extraordinary period, many people are struggling to pay the bills as they do the right thing by staying at home, as well as our farmers and those whose businesses have closed or suffered reduced customer traffic,” said Premier Doug Ford. “Although we are making progress in our fight against this COVID-19 outbreak, we are not out of the woods yet. The extension of this electricity rate relief will leave more money in people’s pockets until businesses can start to reopen and people can get back to work.”

On the advice of the Chief Medical Officer of Health, the Ontario government is also extending all emergency orders that have been put in place to-date under s.7.0.2 (4) of the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act until May 19, 2020. The emergency orders include:

Flying within Canada

All passengers flying within Canada will be subject to a health check prior to boarding. You will not be permitted to board if you show any symptoms of COVID-19 or have been refused boarding in the past 14 days due to a medical reason related to COVID-19 or are subject to a provincial or local public health order.

Full details can be found here: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/2019-novel-coronavirus-infection/latest-travel-health-advice.html#domestic

May 3, 2020 Update

Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today announced that the Government will invest $240.5 million to develop, expand, and launch virtual care and mental health tools to support Canadians.

Working with provinces, territories, and stakeholders, this investment will be used to create digital platforms and applications, improve access to virtual mental health supports, and expand capacity to deliver health care virtually, including projects to reach vulnerable Canadians. These supports will also help ease the burden on our health care system, as we continue to deal with COVID-19. This investment will:

help Canadians safely engage with their regular health providers and specialist health services through telephone, text, or video-conferencing;
support access to mental health supports and reliable health information in a safe and secure manner, which will reduce the pressure on our health system;
help governments, public health officials, hospitals, and health care facilities make evidence-based decisions; and
support federal, provincial, and territorial initiatives in collaboration with innovators, health stakeholders, and organizations like Canada Health Infoway, to expand virtual health services to Canadians.

This investment will support the newly created Wellness Together Canada, an online portal that provides Canadians with free resources, tools, and professional support services to help with wellness and resilience, as well as mental health and substance use. It will also support a growing family of digital products that includes the Canada COVID-19 app, which helps people track their symptoms, receive the latest updates, and access trusted resources.

May 1, 2020 Update

The Premier announced today that Ontario government is allowing certain businesses and workplaces to reopen as of 12:01 AM Monday, May 4, 2020 as long as they comply with strict public health measures and operate safely during the COVID-19 outbreak:

Garden centres and nurseries with curbside pick-up and delivery only;
Lawn care and landscaping;
Additional essential construction projects that include:
- shipping and logistics;
- broadband, telecommunications, and digital infrastructure;
- any other project that supports the improved delivery of goods and services;
- municipal projects;
- colleges and universities;
- child care centres;
- schools; and
- site preparation, excavation, and servicing for institutional, commercial, industrial and residential development;
Automatic and self-serve car washes;
Auto dealerships, open by appointment only;
Golf courses may prepare their courses for the upcoming season, but not open to the public; and
Marinas may also begin preparations for the recreational boating season by servicing boats and other watercraft and placing boats in the water, but not open to the public. Boats and watercraft must be secured to a dock in the marina until public access is allowed.

As we enter stage 1 of the Framework for Reopening our Province, health and safety remain to be the number one concern while balancing the needs of people and businesses.

April 28, 2020 Update

Today, the federal government reminded us that today is the National Day of Mourning. Every year we remember those that have died, were injured, or became ill from their work. This year, we recognize the thousands of Canadians who continue to provide essential services during the COVID-19 pandemic. They go to work so that we can put food on the table for our families, get the prescriptions we need to stay healthy, and access the services we need to be well.

In an attempt to keep them safe and healthy, the government has worked with their labour and industry partners to ensure the right resources, like additional sector-specific best practices, are in place, and offering a number of online courses and resources related to COVID-19 free of charge through the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety.

Employers should definitely have a peek at these tools and strive to go above and beyond standard health and safety measures to make sure that workers are safe during these unprecedented times.

The Ontario government announced the the launch of the COVID-19: Tackling the Barriers website to help businesses overcome the unique challenges created by the global pandemic. Businesses working to revamp their operations to produce health-related products, or those that want to continue their operations while physical distancing, can submit any potential roadblocks to this website. The province is prepared to allow temporary changes to provincial rules and regulations in order to remove any barriers that are hindering business and negatively impacting Ontario’s supply chain.

April 27, 2020 Update

Today, the Ontario government released A Framework for Reopening our Province, which outlines the criteria Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health and health experts will use to advise the government on the loosening of emergency measures, as well as guiding principles for the safe, gradual reopening of businesses, services and public spaces.

Reopening will be gradual and occur in stages. There will be two-to-four weeks between the launch of each stage to allow health officials to assess conditions before moving to the next one. This will determine if measures should be adjusted, loosened or tightened. This approach will enable the government to ensure there are appropriate measures in place to open safely and limit health risks. Everyday actions to protect your health, like physical distancing, frequent hand washing and staying home when ill, will continue through each stage.

Stage 1

In the first stage, they will consider:

opening select workplaces that can meet current public health guidelines
allowing essential gatherings of a limited number of people
opening some outdoor spaces
continued protections for vulnerable populations

Stage 2

In the second stage, they will consider:

opening more workplaces with significant mitigation plans
opening more public spaces
allowing some larger public gatherings
continued protections for vulnerable populations

Stage 3

In the final stage, they will consider:

opening all workplaces responsibly
relaxing restrictions on public gatherings
continued protections for vulnerable populations

For further details, please see A Framework for Reopening our Province released by the Ontario Government.

April 24, 2020 Update

Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, announced that the federal government has reached an agreement with all provinces and territories to implement the Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance (CECRA) for small businesses. This program will lower rent by 75% for small businesses that have been affected by COVID-19.

Who is Eligible?

Impacted small business tenants are businesses paying less than $50,000 per month in rent and who have temporarily ceased operations or have experienced at least a 70 per cent drop in pre-COVID-19 revenues. This support will also be available to non-profit and charitable organizations.

How does it work?

Under a rent forgiveness agreement, which includes an agreement prohibiting eviction, the mortgaged commercial property owner would reduce the small business tenant’s monthly rent by at least 75%. The tenant would be responsible for covering 25%, the property owner 25%, while the federal government and provinces would share the remaining 50%. The forgivable loans would be disbursed directly to the mortgage lender.

The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation will administer and deliver the CECRA, a collaboration between the federal government and provincial and territorial governments, which are responsible for property owner-tenant relationships.

It is expected that CECRA will be operational by mid-May, with commercial property owners lowering the rents of their small business tenants payable for the months of April and May, retroactively, and for June.

Further details on CECRA will be shared by the government in the near future once final terms and conditions are available. The federal government and provincial and territorial governments urge property owners to provide flexibility to tenants facing hardship in this uncertain time.

April 16, 2020 Update

The new Canada Emergency Business Account (CEBA) provides 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. The Prime Minister announced today that they will change the eligibility criteria to allow more access. A business who has spent between 20k and 1.5 million in total payroll will now be eligible to take advantage of this program.

Mr. Trudeau also announced the creation of the Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance Program which would provide support to help small businesses with their rent for April, May and June. There is more work required with the provinces to implement the program but help is coming soon.

April 15, 2020 Update

The Federal government had previously introduced the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) – a taxable benefit of $2,000 every four weeks for up to four months for eligible workers who have lost their income due to COVID-19.

Today the Prime Minister announced that the government is stepping up to better support those who need help but don’t qualify for the CERB, and Canadians working in essential jobs who make less than they would if they received the benefit.

To help more Canadians benefit from the CERB, the government will be changing the eligibility rules to:

Allow people to earn up to $1,000 per month while collecting the CERB.
Extend the CERB to seasonal workers who have exhausted their EI regular benefits and are unable to undertake their usual seasonal work as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak.
Extend the CERB to workers who recently exhausted their EI regular benefits and are unable to find a job or return to work because of COVID-19.

There are many essential workers such as those on the front-line in hospitals and nursing homes, those ensuring the integrity of the food supply, or providing essential retail services to Canadians whose salaries are less or similar to what others are receiving from the CERB. In recognition of these low-income workers who make less than $2500 a month, the government will work with provinces and territories through a new transfer to cost-share a temporary top-up to their salaries. Mr. Trudeau promised more details following further work with provinces and territories.

New Wellness Portal – Wellness Together Canada

Recognizing the impacts of COVID-19 on individuals and families across the country, the Minister of Health, the Honourable Patty Hajdu, 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.

Wellness Together Canada is the first and only mental health platform of its kind for people of all ages, in every province and territory.

April 14, 2020 Update

On the advice of the Chief Medical Officer of Health and with the approval of the Ontario legislature, the Ontario government has extended the Declaration of Emergency for 28 more days to May 12, 2020.

The extension allows Ontario to continue to enforce current emergency orders, such as the closure of all non-essential workplaces, outdoor amenities such as parks and recreational areas, public places and bars and restaurants, as well as restrictions on social gatherings of more than five people, and prohibitions against price-gouging. A full list of emergency orders can be found on the e-Laws website under the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act.

April 8, 2020 Update

The Ontario Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act

There has been some confusion around what is allowed and not allowed right now during the COVID-19 pandemic so we thought we would lay it all out here. In order to effectively flatten the curve, as you know, last week the Province of Ontario closed all non-essential businesses and limited gatherings to less than 5 people. The City of Ottawa also closed all parks, play structures, skateboard parks and off-leash dog enclosures.

The Ontario Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act prohibits:

gatherings of people;
restaurants offering customers dine-in options;
businesses remaining open without an exemption and;
gatherings in city parks, including the use of play structures and sports fields.

At first both the Ottawa Police and By-Law Officers took an educational approach but with some of the community ignoring or perhaps not fully understanding the rules, they have had to implement a more aggressive approach to ensuring people work together to flatten the curve of the coronavirus.

In response to the continued use of public parks throughout the City of Ottawa, By-law officers will now be issuing fines. To those that are willfully breaking the law, these fines may be upwards of $880 to $10,000 for individuals; $500,000 for corporate directors and $10 million for corporations. Fines of $1130 can also be given to individuals for obstructing a By-law officer from enforcing the prohibitions.

Gatherings of People

The province of Ontario has prohibited organized public events and social gatherings of more than five people. What does this mean?

Organized public events including parades, weddings, social gatherings and communal services within places of worship are NOT allowed.
This order would not apply to private households with five people or more.
This order would not apply to operating child care centres supporting frontline health care workers and first responders provided the number of persons at each centre does not exceed 50 people.
Funerals would be permitted to proceed with up to 10 people at one time.

Restaurants

As the number of positive COVID-19 cases continues to rise across the province, Ontario health officials recommended the temporary closure of all dine-in restaurants and bars to prevent the spread of the virus. As such, the province has ordered all dine-in restaurants close. What does this mean? Restaurants can offer take-out, drive-through and delivery services only.

Businesses

Businesses that are on the Province of Ontario’s List of Essential Workplaces are allowed to remain open. All other business should be closed until further notice. The province updated this list on April 3 under the advice of Ontario’s Chief Officer Medical of Health. If you have questions about what will be open or impacts to your business or employment, call the Stop the Spread Business Information Line at 1-888-444-3659.

Parks

A Provincial order has been issued closing ALL outdoor recreational amenities. This means you MAY NOT use ANY parks for ANY purpose. We are fortunate that the city of Ottawa is allowing one exemption so we can continue to exercise while physically distancing from each other. You may walk run or bike through the park on the paths, but that is it.

You CAN walk through the park alone
You CAN walk through the park with those that live with you in your household.
You CAN pass others keeping a safe distance of 2 meters.
You CAN NOT stop and chat with anyone, even if you are 2 meters away from each other. Please just nod, wave or say a quick hello as you pass by.
You CAN NOT sit on a park bench as they are not cleaned and therefore not safe.
You CAN NOT let your kids play in the park on structures or even on the grass. It is not safe.
You CAN NOT play sports in the park, on the courts or fields.
You CAN NOT have a picnic in the park.
You CAN bring your dog for a walk through the parks that allow dogs.
You CAN NOT let your dog off leash to run around. You must keep them with you as you walk through the park.

Please respect this Provincial order. We do not want parks to be totally off limits. Nor do we want to see folks being fined. If we all work together, this will be over a little sooner. Stay safe and help us flatten the curve.

Who do I call?

Enforcement Chart Scenario	Enforcement Officials	Notes
Gatherings in City of Ottawa Parks	By-law (Call 3-1-1)	The City has closed all parks and is prohibiting people from using any facilities in parks, such as play structures, benches, and adult fitness centres. Sports fields and tennis courts are also closed. Residents are permitted to walk through parks. Those caught using parks can be fined up to $10,000.
Restaurants offering dine-in / seat-in options	By-law (Call 3-1-1)	By-law has the authority to issue fines for up to $10 million.
Other Businesses	By-law (Call 3-1-1)	By-Law follows up with businesses that are not exempt to ensure compliance.
Gatherings of people	By-law (Call 3-1-1)	The Provincial Government has prohibited gatherings. Funerals are exempt from this prohibition. By-law will respond.
Positive COVID-19 Cases not following quarantine orders	Ottawa Police (Call 613-236-1222)	The Ottawa Police Service responds to cases where individuals who have tested positive for COVID-19 are not following quarantine orders.
Returning travelers who are not complying with 14-day self-isolation	Ottawa Police (Call 613-236-1222)	The Ottawa Police Service is responsible for enforcing the Quarantine Act.
NCC property	National Capital Commission (Call 613-239-5000)	The NCC has closed all urban parks in Ottawa until further notice. Benches, gazebos, picnic areas, outdoor community gardens, and off-leash areas will not be accessible for public use. Residents are permitted to walk through.

April 7, 2020 Update

Do you have your business on these directories?

The Heart of Orléans Directory – If you are a business within the Heart of Orléans District and not already in this directory, you will want to be added. Please contact the BIA with your company’s information.
The Heart of Orléans Businesses Open During COVID-19 Directory – If you are located in the Heart of Orléans district and are open during COVID-19, please contact the BIA with your company’s information.
Shop Ottawa(link is external) is an online directory of local Ottawa businesses, products and services.
Local Eats Ottawa(link is external) offers a compiled list of Ottawa restaurants offering food delivery or pickup.
SavourOttawa.ca(link is external) - your one-stop site on how to buy locally produced food and beverages in the Ottawa region.
Connecting with Local Businesses Directory – If your business remains open during COVID-19, The Ottawa Citizen is launching a free directory to assist you by informing the public about the services you’re offering. To get your business on the directory, please complete this form.

April 2, 2020 Update

With the increase of Ottawa cases of COVID-19, we need to ensure we are either practicing physical (social) distancing or self-isolation if applicable. The actions we take now will dictate our future. Please stay home.

With COVID-19 information rapidly changing – sometimes hourly, we thought we would take a minute to talk about the state of the nation.

Pandemic

On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) assessed COVID-19 as a pandemic. As of April 2, 2020, there were 10,132 cases in Canada and 2793 in Ontario and as of April 1st there is 194 in Ottawa but this number is going up quickly.

State of Emergency

On March 17th, the Province of Ontario enacted a declaration of emergency to help contain the spread of COVID-19 and protect the public. The Province of Ontario has since closed at-risk workplaces on March 24th and created a list of essential workplaces.

Travel advisory

An official global travel advisory is in effect: Avoid all non-essential travel outside of Canada until further notice. In addition, a pandemic COVID-19 travel health notice with travel health advice for Canadians has also been issued.

Canadian Borders

As of March 21, 2020, there is a 30-day restriction on all non-essential travel at the Canada-U.S. border. This restriction covers all travel of an optional nature, such as:

tourism
recreation
entertainment

Federal Response Plan – The entire response plan can be found here.

Some Highlights:

Business Credit Availability Program (BCAP) – The federal Government established a Business Credit Availability Program (BCAP) to provide $65 billion of additional support through the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) and Export Development Canada (EDC). For the larger scale business sectors, the BDC and EDC are working with private sector lenders to coordinate on credit solutions for individual businesses, including in sectors such as oil and gas, air transportation, exportation and tourism.

Canada Emergency Business Account – The new Canada Emergency Business Account 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. To qualify, these organizations will need to demonstrate they paid between $50,000 to $1 million in total payroll in 2019. The loans will be interest-free for the first year and up to $10,000 can be waived for repayment.

Wage Subsidy – The Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy is a federal benefit that will pay 75 per cent of struggling companies’ wages, up to $847 per week for each worker in order to keep their employees on payroll. This program includes all organizations, small businesses, charities & NGO’s, restaurants and large corporations. The program is expected to last three months but could be modified as the needs change. Employees that receive this subsidy, will have their employer to cover the remaining 25 per cent of a worker’s wage if possible, but they cannot apply for other unemployment benefits.

Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) – The CERB pays a monthly $2,000 payment to workers who wouldn’t otherwise be eligible for employment insurance. This includes wage earners, contract workers, or self-employed individuals; those who’ve had to stay home without pay to self-isolate or care for loved ones; and anyone else who hasn’t been permanently laid off, but has stopped receiving pay cheques. Any Canadian who has stopped working for a 14-day period due to COVID-19 can qualify for the new benefit, which covers a period of up to 16 weeks. Applications open online and by phone on Monday, April 6, with payments to arrive within five days for direct deposits and within 10 days for cheques by mail.

Deferral of GST/HST – Remittances of the Goods and Services Tax/Harmonized Sales Tax (GST/HST) and payments of customs duties due in March, April and May may now be deferred, until the end of June 2020. This will provide over 3.2 million businesses and self-employed Canadians with the cash to continue operating.

Work Sharing (WS) – Work-Sharing 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 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

Employment Insurance (EI) – Any of the 1.3 million Canadians who have applied for EI benefits within the last two weeks and been approved will be moved over to the new emergency benefit when it becomes available. Benefits for those workers who applied for EI on or after March 15 will mirror CERB payments for the first 16 weeks.

That means Canadians who would have received EI benefits below the $2,000-per-month threshold will now be bumped up to the maximum payment. Those who would normally qualify for more than $500 per week in employment insurance (the maximum benefit is $573 per week) will instead receive the CERB payment of $2,000.

EI-eligible workers will still qualify for their usual benefits, whether lower or higher than $2000-per-month, after the four-month CERB period. Canadians who were already receiving EI will continue to do so and need not apply to the CERB, but can switch to the program if their EI benefits end before October if they remain jobless due to COVID-19. The government says EI-eligible workers should apply for EI now rather than wait for the CERB application to come online on April 6.

These programs can be applied for online but be sure to have all your personal information with you including your Record of Employment for those in layoff positions. Also be sure to be patient as this will take some time.

Provincial Response Plan – The entire Provincial Response Plan can be found here.

Some highlights:

Business Provincial Assistance

Tax Filing – On March 25, 2020, the Ontario government announced a five-month relief period for Ontario businesses who are unable to file or remit select provincial taxes on time, due to the special circumstances caused by the coronavirus (COVID‑19) in Ontario.

Deferring the upcoming quarterly (June 30) remittance of education property tax to school boards by 90 days. This will provide municipalities with the flexibility to, in turn, provide property tax deferrals of over $1.8 billion to local residents and businesses while ensuring school boards receive their funding.

Providing up to $1.9 billion in financial relief by the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) allowing employers to defer payments for up to six months.

City of Ottawa Response Plan – The entire City of Ottawa response plan can be found here.

Some highlights:

Business City Assistance

Property Tax Hardship Deferral Program – The City is offering a Property Tax Hardship Deferral Program for City of Ottawa residential property owners and small business property owners (assessed property value of up to $7.5 M) that have been financially affected as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Water Bill Relief – Revenue Services is extending an interest free 30-day payment grace period for all unpaid bills issued before April 1, 2020 and a 30-day due date extension, for all water bills issued between April 1, 2020 and October 30, 2020, providing residents with 47 days to pay their bill.

Member Assistance

Economic Partners Task Force

On March 16, Mayor Jim Watson struck an Economic Partners Task Force, co-chaired by Councillor El-Chantiry, with partners from key local business organizations:

Mark Kaluski, Chair, Ottawa Coalition of Business Improvement Areas (BIAs)
Sueling Ching, President and CEO, Ottawa Board of Trade
Lise Sarazin, directrice générale, Regroupement des gens d’affaires (RGA)
Michael Crockatt, President and CEO, Ottawa Tourism
Carole Anne Piccinin, Executive Director, Ottawa Festival Network
Michael Tremblay, President and CEO, Invest Ottawa

The City of Ottawa, through this task force, will continue to identify emerging business issues and opportunities to support our local economy now and in the months ahead.

Ottawa’s small and locally owned businesses are woven into the fabric of our city. To help you support them during these challenging times, they’ve assembled useful links and resources on this page. Please add your businesses to these directories:

Shop Ottawa

Shop Ottawa(link is external) is an online directory of local businesses, products and services.

Local Eats Ottawa

Local Eats Ottawa(link is external) offers a compiled list of Ottawa restaurants offering food delivery or pickup.

Savour Ottawa

SavourOttawa.ca(link is external) - your one-stop site on how to buy locally produced food and beverages in the Ottawa region.

Online Store, Payment Processing and/or Delivery Process Set Up – Is your company weathering the COVID-19 crisis? Do you need help getting your business to work in an online environment? Terradare Solutions is a local Ottawa business that provides services to clients locally and internationally. They provide automation, cloud services and creative technology solutions to help their clients increase their efficiencies through the use of technology and sound business processes. Given the current climate, businesses are having to think strategically, re-tool and pivot to ensure that their business both stays a float and provides ongoing revenue. We encourage you to reach out to Terradare for a complimentary call to find out how they might assist you with your online technology requirements i.e. setting up or refining an online store, payment processing, delivery process etc. To schedule a call, send an email to Nicole Darechuk at [email protected] or submit a request direct through the Terradare Solutions Website.

Free 1/2 Hour Coaching Session – Catherine Fair, Master Coach from Rhapsody Strategies is offering a FREE 1/2 hour chat with Heart of Orléans BIA businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Rhapsody Strategies , an award winning business coaching firm based in Ottawa, has worked extensively with BIA’s and Chambers throughout Ontario. They either have in the past or are currently working with The Heart of Orléans, Barrhaven, Downtown Rideau, Kitchener and Newmarket BIA’s as well as with numerous chambers of commerce. Their work typically involves developing board-wide strategic plans along with committee-specific strategies.

Heart of Orléans Town Hall – SAVE THE DATE : Apr 9, 2020 at 1 PM – 2 PM – We will be hosting a Town Hall via ZOOM Meeting for the Heart of Orleans business membership. It’s an opportunity for business owners to gather via video to talk about the main concerns they are facing during this crisis and some of the best practices they have implemented to support their business, their employees and their clients. Our host, Catherine Fair from Rhapsody Strategies (see notes below) will be focusing on what is within your control and how to land on sure footing after this crisis has passed.

Join Zoom Meeting https://zoom.us/j/5082042441 Meeting ID: 508 204 2441

They understand some of the unique challenges that small business associations can have in staying clear on their mandate. They believe that having help in finding ways to get better engagement from both the volunteer board as well as the membership as a whole is essential to long-term success.

Rhapsody’s coaches work with business owners in one-on-one settings to help them realize their true business and personal potential. Business owners who find that the phrase “You’re meant for more” resonates with them, are typical Rhapsody Strategies’ clients.”

Google My Business – Postmedia solutions has graciously offered some tricks to update your Google My Business listing in response to COVID-19. Also, to help serve our communities and local businesses, the Ottawa Citizen is launching a free “Connecting with Local Businesses” directory. If your business remains open they would like to assist you by informing the public about the services you’re offering. To get your business on the directory, please complete this form.

April 1, 2020 Update

News Release from the Premier:

Ontario Joins Forces with the Private Sector to Fight COVID-19

New $50 million Ontario Together Fund will support the development of essential equipment and supplies

April 1, 2020 1:15 P.M.

Office of the Premier

TORONTO ― To stop the spread of COVID-19 and keep people safe, the Ontario government is launching a new $50 million Ontario Together Fund to help businesses provide innovative solutions or retool their operations in order to manufacture essential medical supplies and equipment, including gowns, coveralls, masks, face shields, testing equipment and ventilators. This new Fund will support the development of proposals submitted by businesses and individuals through the Ontario Together web portal.

The announcement was made today by Premier Doug Ford, Vic Fedeli, Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade, and Christine Elliott, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health.

“Ontario has an army of innovators, entrepreneurs, and the hardest-working people in the world ready to roll up their sleeves, support our frontline healthcare workers, and beat this virus,” said Premier Ford. “This mass mobilization of government, business, communities and private citizens to slow the spread of COVID-19 and keep people safe and healthy represents one of the largest and most ambitious efforts undertaken by Ontario in generations.”

In addition, the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade have worked closely with businesses across Ontario and the Automotive Parts Manufacturers’ Association to ramp up production of ventilators to meet the need in Ontario and other parts of Canada. The government has recently placed an order with O-Two Medical Technologies who, with the support of Ontario’s world-class manufacturing sector, will produce 10,000 ventilator units.

“Our government is taking extraordinary measures to support businesses and organizations that are responding to COVID-19,” said Vic Fedeli, Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade. “It’s inspiring to see the Ontario business community respond to the call to action. Through the Ontario Together web portal and the Ontario Together Fund, we are making sure that companies have the resources and support they need to supply emergency products and innovative solutions quickly and efficiently to help address this challenging time together.”

The government will be looking for the most viable, innovative proposals that can quickly provide critical goods and services and the greatest benefit to the people of Ontario. The government is providing one-time funding of $50 million in 2020-21 during the COVID-19 outbreak. It is time-limited and will be available to companies and organizations across the province.

“The fight against COVID-19 presents significant challenges for small businesses, but their strength and ingenuity are key to weathering this storm,” said Prabmeet Sarkaria, Associate Minister of Small Business and Red Tape Reduction. “The Ontario Action Plan gives families and small businesses the supports they need. Ontario Together will link the resources of government with the capacity and #OntarioSpirit of our small businesses ― to manufacture the resources Ontario needs.”

“Only by working together and harnessing the full potential of Ontario’s innovators will we be able to confront the growing challenge of COVID-19,” said Christine Elliott, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health. “The Ontario Together Fund will help enable our business community to provide the supplies and equipment our frontline heroes need as they continue to keep Ontarians safe.”

All businesses can defer their income tax payments that become owing on or after March17 and before September 2020, and are able to pay it after August 31, 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.
As announced on March 13, a new Business Credit Availability Program will provide support to small, medium and large businesses experiencing cash flow challenges through the Business Development Bank of Canada and Export Development Canada.
An Emergency Care Benefit of up to $900 bi-weekly for up to 15 weeks to provide income support to workers who must stay home and do not have access to paid sick leave. This will become available in April through the CRA website and will include:

Workers, including the self-employed, who are sick, quarantined, or who have been directed to self-isolate but do not qualify for Employment Insurance (EI) sickness benefits.
Workers, including the self-employed, who are taking care of a family member who is sick with COVID-19, such as an elderly parent or other dependents who are sick, but do not qualify for EI sickness benefits.

March 30, 2020 Update

The Government of Canada has announced 3 elements that will ensure we our economy is well positioned to recover from COVID-19 :

A 75% wage subsidy for qualifying businesses, for up to 3 months, retroactive to March 15, 2020. This will help businesses to keep and return workers to the payroll. The Government will provide workers with 75% of their salary on the first $58,700 earned. An employee will earn up to $847/week. If a business has the ability to pay their employee the remaining 25%, they should consider doing so. If a business has laid off their employees, every effort should be made to rehire them. Businesses that are eligible for the new Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy include:
- Those with a decreased revenue of 30%
- Businesses of all sizes. The number of employees will not determine eligibility.
- Non-profit and charities
The new Canada Emergency Business Account that will provide up to $25 billion to eligible financial institutions so they can provide interest-free loans for up to $40,000 to small businesses. These loans – guaranteed and funded by the Government of Canada – will ensure that small businesses have access to the capital they need, at a zero % interest rate, so they can pay for rent and other important costs over the next number of months.
Programs to help with cash flow such as:
- 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.
- Allowing 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 Government of Canada understands that some sectors have been disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. They will continue to carefully monitor all developments, and take further action as required. We’re all in this together, and the Government of Canada will continue to work around the clock to ensure all Canadians and small businesses get the support they need to weather this crisis.

March 26, 2020 Update

Economic Partners Task Force

Some good news! Following a call with the Chair of the Ottawa Coalition of Business Improvement Areas (OCOBIA), the Ottawa Board of Trade, le Regroupement des gens d’affaires, Ottawa Tourism and Ottawa Festival Network, Mayor Watson has created an Economic Partners Task Force, which he will co-chair with Councillor El-Chantiry, a former small business owner and the Mayor’s representative with BIAs. The Task Force will advise city staff in many departments on how they can help the business community as the pandemic evolves.

The Economic Partners Task Force will be composed of the following leaders of our business community:

Mark Kaluski, Chair, Ottawa Coalition of Business Improvement Areas (Representing all BIAs)
Sueling Ching, President and CEO, Ottawa Board of Trade
Lise Sarazin, directrice générale, Regroupement des gens d’affaires (RGA)
Michael Crockatt, President and CEO, Ottawa Tourism
Carole Anne Piccinin, Executive Director, Ottawa Festival Network
Michael Tremblay, President and CEO, Invest Ottawa

City staff are currently assessing ways the City can help small business owners get through this crisis. The Planning, Infrastructure and Economic Development team will be leading this initiative and working with the Task Force to maintain open lines of communication, as well as assess and roll-out a number of measures to support locally-owned shops and restaurants.

We look forward to seeing some quick results from this task force.

Income Replacement Funds For Families and Businesses

Prime Minister Mr. Justin Trudeau unveiled a new income replacement fund for people affected by the Covid-19 pandemic at a press conference on Wednesday. The program will provide $2,000 a month to individuals who have lost income due to the coronavirus. The added measures will bring the value of the total package to $107 billion, the government said Wednesday, up from $82 billion initially announced last week.

Payments would run for as long as four months, and can be claimed by people regardless of whether they are eligible to receive unemployment benefits. The self-employed can also apply. This is a consolidation of existing programs announced last week, and broadened out to include people who are waiting for employment insurance claims to be processed.

All Canadians who have ceased working due to COVID-19, whether they are EI-eligible or not, would be able to receive the Canada Emergency Response Benefit or CERB to ensure they have timely access to the income support they need.

The Program will provide a taxable benefit of $2,000 a month for up to 4 months to:

workers who must stop working due to COVID-19 and do not have access to paid leave or other income support.
workers who are sick, quarantined, or taking care of someone who is sick with COVID-19.
working parents who must stay home without pay to care for children that are sick or need additional care because of school and daycare closures.
workers who still have their employment but are not being paid because there is currently not sufficient work and their employer has asked them not to come to work.
wage earners and self-employed individuals, including contract workers, who would not otherwise be eligible for Employment Insurance.

How can we help our local Orléans, Ottawa small businesses now?

During these uncertain times, please continue to support the small businesses in our local community that have always been there for us. It is important to support the businesses that continue to stay open as essential services such as take-out foods, grocery stores, pharmacies, service stations and those listed by the Province. Buy a few gift cards for future use, shop in the online stores, order take-out from your favorite local restaurants, take online classes, training, or even one on one music lessons.

Wondering what is open and what the local businesses are offering in the Heart of Orléans? Please go to our website.

How can we help our local Orléans, Ottawa small businesses later?

When the coronavirus/COVID19 pandemic ends, please continue to support the small businesses that have had difficulties due to low business volume or those that were ordered closed. Spend your vacation in Canada, sleep in Canadian hotels, eat at your local restaurants, shop at your local stores, buy Canadian products, and attend local events.

Together we support our local small businesses and together we will move the economy forward.

Algonquin College Offers Free Business Training during COVID-19

Algonquin College has launched free virtual training to support the business community during COVID-19.
They are offering a variety of business training for free, including three professional-development courses taking place this week and at least three new courses per week in April.

Their roster includes everything from Change Management to Business Relationship Management Professional to Achieving Exceptional Business Outcomes.

Check out their course list here.

March 25, 2020 Update

Ottawa residents invited to honour healthcare workers with cheer every Wednesday evening

A motion passed at city council, giving residents permission to step outside at 6:30 PM every Wednesday and use their hands, voices and instruments to cheer for our healthcare workers.

Residents of Ottawa are officially invited by the mayor and city council to step outside from their homes from social distancing and self-isolation to honour local healthcare workers with a loud cheer each Wednesday evening.

Please continue to stay 6 feet away from your neighbour while you cheer as loudly as possible. Let’s do this!

March 24, 2020 Update

Essential Services

Due to the evolving COVID-19 situation, the Ontario government will be ordering at-risk workplaces to close-down, while encouraging businesses to explore opportunities to continue operations through work-from-home and innovative business models.

Please see the list of essential services here.

At-risk workplaces will be ordered to close by 11:59 p.m. on Tuesday, March 24th but Teleworking and online commerce are permitted at all times for all businesses.

March 21, 2020 Update

COVID-19 Guidance for Food Premises and Food Delivery Services Providing Delivery or Takeout

Ottawa Public Health (OPH) is recommending that any food premises (including restaurants, take out, take out counters, drive-thru, bakeries, fast food establishments, etc.) delivering food and/or providing take out during the COVID-19 pandemic take added precautions to protect their health and the health of those around them.

In addition to existing practices to maintain health and safety within a food premises, OPH is encouraging further precautions during this time. OPH is recommending everyone practice social distancing, which means that everyone keeps a 2 metre (6 feet) distance from others. For more information on this, OPH has added information to their website to explain ‘What is Social Distancing?’

In terms of delivering food, OPH is recommending that food items be left at the door rather than a face-to-face interaction take place. The delivery person can then call the individual to let them know their food has arrived or knock on the door and move to a safe distance (2 metres or 6 feet) to allow the person on self-isolation to get their items.

Please ensure that you advise any delivery person to use hand sanitizer or wash their hands after they have delivered any items. If it is possible, encourage your patrons to pay over the phone or online. Otherwise, have clients pay by debit or credit card (tap if possible) and have the delivery driver wipe the machine and use hand sanitizer immediately after the interaction.

To prepare for the pickup of take out food items, restaurant staff can leave the food on the counter and have an individual pick it up. OPH recommends not accepting cash and having clients pay by debit or credit card. Food premises should identify one staff member who is solely responsible for these transactions and must clean and sanitize all surfaces, after each interaction, followed by washing their hands with soap and water.

OPH also recommends that you follow general food safety guidelines to reduce the likelihood of foodborne illness.
To reduce the spread of germs including the flu and the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), OPH recommends that you:
• Wash your hands often with soap and water, or use hand sanitizer
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth unless you have just cleaned your hands
• Cover your cough and sneeze with a tissue or into your arm, not your hand
• If possible, stay home if you are sick
• Avoid visiting people in hospitals or long-term care centres if you are sick
• Consider social distancing (ideally 2 metres)

Glove Use

Gloves are not a substitute for proper hand hygiene, as they do not guarantee that food or surface is not contaminated. Gloves should be worn when a handler has a bandage that is covering a wound. In the event that you use gloves, do so properly.

Tips for the Proper Use of Gloves:

• Gloves must be used in combination with handwashing.
• Hands should always be washed and/or sanitized prior to putting on gloves and after taking gloves off.
• Change gloves whenever you change activity, touch your face, or come into contact with an item that may have germs
• Gloves should be thrown out and not used again once they have been taken off.

We understand that this is a challenging time and want to thank you for your dedication and support of others in our community.

For more information on COVID-19, please visit our website at ottawapublichealth.ca/coronavirus

March 20, 2020 Update

Recommendations for Retail Stores – including Grocery Stores and Pharmacies:

As cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed in Ottawa, Ottawa Public Health (OPH) is recommending that all stores that remain open should take the following actions:

Support and encourage behaviours to reduce the spread of germs

To reduce the spread of germs, OPH recommends that everyone:
• Wash their hands often with soap and water, or use hand sanitizer
• Avoid touching their eyes, nose, and mouth unless they have just cleaned their hands
• Cover their cough and sneeze with a tissue or into their arm, not their hand
• Stay home if they are sick
• Avoid visiting people in hospitals or long-term care centres if they are sick
• Practice social distancing (2 metres or 6 feet apart)

Ensure Social Distancing

The practice of social distancing promotes everyone keeping a 2 metre (6 feet) distance from each other. In order to ensure social distancing, the following steps should be taken:
• Increase the space between employees and patrons at counters by using screens or barriers.
• Limit the number of occupants, including staff, in the store to allow for the maintenance of a 2 metre (6 foot) social distance.
•Ensure line management practices that requires 2 meters (6 feet) social distancing for any patrons waiting outside to enter the store.
• Consider placing markers on the floor at check-out aisles to ensure customers maintain a 2 metre (6 foot) distance from one another.
• Close any seated, dine-in area that may be in the store.
• No sampling product stations should be permitted.
Consider vulnerable populations
• Some businesses have begun a practice where they have dedicated the first hour of
operation for customers from vulnerable populations, for customers over 65, or for
those with a compromised immune system.
• Other practices for consideration include offering a pre-order/pick-up/delivery model
to limit interactions. OPH has guidelines for these measures on our website.

Take extra precautions to clean and disinfect surfaces as often as possible

OPH recommends that grocery stores complete the following enhanced cleaning practices to support infection prevention and control, as COVID-19 is spread by droplets:
• Remember to clean surfaces first, then disinfect them.
• Consider disinfecting shopping carts as frequently as possible.
• Ensure an adequate supply of water, soap, paper towels for cleaning and disinfectants for sanitizing.
• Use only disinfectants that have a Drug Identification Number (DIN). A DIN is an 8-digit number given by Health Canada that confirms it is approved for use in Canada.
• Clean and disinfect high-touch surfaces at a minimum of twice a day (doorknobs, hand railing, light switches, etc.) and/or as they become visibly soiled.
• Use an appropriate cleaner and disinfectant, as per manufacturer’s instructions.
• Remove items that are hard to clean and disinfect.

For more information on cleaning and disinfecting, please consult OPH’s cleaning and disinfection checklist as well as the Public Health Ontario guidelines for cleaning and disinfecting non-healthcare settings.
Provide patrons access to hand hygiene stations and supplies:
• Ensure that patrons have easy access to handwashing stations, hand sanitizer and
washrooms.
• Encourage patrons to wash their hands properly and frequently.

Transactions

• If possible, encourage patrons to pay by debit or credit card (tap if possible) and have staff wipe the machine and use hand sanitizer immediately after each interaction.
• Staff may choose to wear gloves. If they do so, they should practice proper glove use (see below).
• All cashiers should have hand sanitizer at their cashes, if possible.

Practice proper glove use

Gloves are not a substitute for proper hand hygiene, as they do not guarantee that food or surface are not contaminated. Gloves should always be worn when a staff member has a break in their skin or has a bandage that is covering a wound.
In the event you are wearing gloves, do so properly.
• Gloves must be used in combination with handwashing.
• Hands should always be washed and/or sanitized prior to putting on gloves and after taking gloves off.
• Change gloves whenever you change an activity, touch your face, or come into contact with an item that may have germs.
• Gloves should be thrown out and not used again once they have been taken off.

Supporting each other and our community

We understand that this is a challenging time, but measures like this are needed to ensure that the spread of COVID-19 in our community is limited. We thank you for the service that you provide to our community.

March 19, 2020 Update

Canada is committed to supporting us during the COVID-19 virus is 82 billion dollars – or 3% of GDP:

$2 Billion boost to Canada Child Benefit.
$900 biweekly for Emergency Care Benefit for up to 15 weeks.
$5 Billion Emergency Support Benefit for unemployed without EI benefits.
6 month interest free moratorium on Canada student loan payments.
10% wage subsidy for small businesses.
Deferred tax payments until after August 31, 2020.
Increased GST credit to $300 or $150 per child.
Boost funding for shelters where self-isolating is not an option.

That said, given the fast-evolving Covid-19 situation, it is difficult to fully assess the impact on your business. With all the information floating around it is also hard to know what exactly you can tap into as a small business. We have tried to capture as many items/programs we are aware of at this time that may be of help to a small business below:

All businesses can defer their income tax payments that become owing on or after March17 and before September 2020, and are able to pay it after August 31, 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.

As announced on March 13, a new Business Credit Availability Program will provide support to small, medium and large businesses experiencing cash flow challenges through the Business Development Bank of Canada and Export Development Canada.

An Emergency Care Benefit of up to $900 bi-weekly for up to 15 weeks to provide income support to workers who must stay home and do not have access to paid sick leave. This will become available in April through the CRA website and will include:
- Workers, including the self-employed, who are sick, quarantined, or who have been directed to self-isolate but do not qualify for Employment Insurance (EI) sickness benefits.
- Workers, including the self-employed, who are taking care of a family member who is sick with COVID-19, such as an elderly parent or other dependents who are sick, but do not qualify for EI sickness benefits.
- EI-eligible and non EI-eligible working parents who must stay home without pay because of children who are sick or who need additional care because of school closures.

An Emergency Support Benefit delivered through the Canada Revenue Agency in April to provide up to $5 billion in support to workers who are not eligible for EI and who are facing unemployment.

If you are or your employees are eligible to apply for EI benefits, you can visit their website. Afterwards, you can apply to have the one-week waiting period waived by calling the government’s toll-free number at 1-833-381-2725, or teletypewriter at 1-800-529-3742.

Eligible small businesses may receive a 10 per cent wage subsidy for the next 90 days, up to a maximum of $1,375 per employee and $25,000 per employer. Employers benefiting from this measure would include corporations eligible for the small business deduction, as well as not-for-profit organisations and charities. This will help employers keep people on their payroll and help Canadians keep their jobs.

An Insured Mortgage Purchase Program to purchase up to $50 billion of insured mortgage pools through the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC). As announced on March 16, this will provide stable funding to banks and mortgage lenders and support continued lending to Canadian businesses and consumers.

The six largest financial institutions in Canada have also made a commitment to work with small business banking customers on a case-by-case basis to provide flexible solutions.

March 18, 2020 Update

For immediate release from our Prime Minister’s Office:

Prime Minister announces more support for workers and businesses through Canada’s COVID-19 Economic Response Plan

March 18, 2020 Ottawa, Ontario Prime Minister’s Office

The Government of Canada is taking strong and quick action to protect our economy, and the health, safety, and jobs of all Canadians during the global COVID-19 outbreak.

The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today announced a new set of economic measures to help stabilize the economy and help Canadians affected by the impacts of this challenging period.

These measures, delivered as part of the Government of Canada’s COVID-19 Economic Response Plan, will provide up to $27 billion in direct support to Canadian workers and businesses, plus $55 billion to meet liquidity needs of Canadian businesses and households through tax deferrals to help stabilize the economy. Combined, this $82 billion in support represents more than 3 per cent of Canada’s GDP. This wide-ranging support will help ensure Canadians can pay for rent and groceries, and help businesses continue to pay their employees and their bills during this time of uncertainty.

This plan builds on coordinated action taken since the beginning of this outbreak, including the more than $1 billion COVID-19 Response Fund, which provided funding to provinces and territories to strengthen critical health care systems. It represents over $500 billion in credit and liquidity support for people and businesses through cooperation between financial Crown corporations, the Bank of Canada, the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions (OSFI), and commercial lenders to ensure businesses can continue to operate.

The actions announced today are part of Canada’s whole-of-government response to COVID-19. As a first step, this plan aims to stabilize our economy through targeted measures to address immediate challenges faced by workers and businesses alike. It will help ensure that workers have the money they need while they are sick or in isolation, or due to loss of work or a significant reduction in work income, and help support people and businesses experiencing financial hardship because of the outbreak.

Canadians should not make health decisions based on their financial needs. As the situation continues to evolve, further measures will be announced to support Canadians, stimulate the economy, and protect peoples’ jobs and livelihoods..

Support for workers

Canadians should not have to worry about paying their rent or mortgage or buying groceries because of the COVID-19 crisis. To support workers and their families, the Government of Canada is taking action to:

• Provide additional assistance to families with children by temporarily boosting Canada Child Benefit payments. This measure would deliver almost $2 billion in extra support.

• Introduce an Emergency Care Benefit of up to $900 bi-weekly for up to 15 weeks to provide income support to workers who must stay home and do not have access to paid sick leave. This measure could provide up to $10 billion to Canadians, and includes:

o Workers, including the self-employed, who are sick, quarantined, or who have been directed to self-isolate but do not qualify for Employment Insurance (EI) sickness benefits.

o Workers, including the self-employed, who are taking care of a family member who is sick with COVID-19, such as an elderly parent or other dependents who are sick, but do not qualify for EI sickness benefits.

o EI-eligible and non EI-eligible working parents who must stay home without pay because of children who are sick or who need additional care because of school closures.

• Introduce an Emergency Support Benefit delivered through the Canada Revenue Agency to provide up to $5 billion in support to workers who are not eligible for EI and who are facing unemployment.

• Provide additional assistance to individuals and families with low and modest incomes with a special top-up payment under the Goods and Services Tax (GST) credit. This measure would inject $5.5 billion in the economy.

• Waive, for a minimum of six months, the mandatory one-week waiting period for EI sickness benefits for workers in imposed quarantine or who have been directed to self-isolate, as announced on March 11.

• Waive the requirement for a medical certificate to access EI sickness benefits.

• Extend the tax filing deadline for individuals to June 1, and 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. This measure will result in households having more money available during this period.

• Provide eligible small businesses a 10 per cent wage subsidy for the next 90 days, up to a maximum of $1,375 per employee and $25,000 per employer. Employers benefiting from this measure would include corporations eligible for the small business deduction, as well as not-for-profit organisations and charities. This will help employers keep people on their payroll and help Canadians keep their jobs.

• Provide increased flexibility to lenders to defer mortgage payments on homeowner government-insured mortgage loans to borrowers who may be experiencing financial difficulties related to the outbreak. Insurers will permit lenders to allow payment deferral beginning immediately.

In addition, to provide targeted support for vulnerable groups, the Government is investing to:

• Reduce minimum withdrawals from Registered Retirement Income Funds (RRIFs) by 25 per cent for 2020 in recognition of volatile market conditions and their impact on many seniors’ retirement savings.

• Implement a six-month, interest-free, moratorium on Canada Student Loan payments for all individuals who are in the process of repaying these loans.

• Provide $305 million for a new distinctions-based Indigenous Community Support Fund, to address immediate needs in First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Nation communities.

• Support women and children fleeing violence by 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.

• Provide an additional $157.5 million to address the needs of Canadians experiencing homelessness through the Reaching Home program.

Support for businesses

In the face of an uncertain economic situation and tightening credit conditions, the Government is taking action to help affected businesses. To support Canadian businesses and help them retain their workers during this difficult time, the Government is announcing measures to:

• Allow all businesses 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. This measure will result in businesses having more money available during this period.

• Increase the credit available to small, medium, and large Canadian businesses. As announced on March 13, a new Business Credit Availability Program will provide more than $10 billion of additional support to businesses experiencing cash flow challenges through the Business Development Bank of Canada and Export Development Canada. The Government is ready to provide more capital through these financial Crown corporations.

• Further expand Export Development Canada’s ability to provide support to domestic businesses.

• Provide flexibility on the Canada Account limit, to allow the Government to provide additional support to Canadian businesses, when deemed to be in the national interest, to deal with exceptional circumstances.

• Augment credit available to farmers and the agri-food sector through Farm Credit Canada.

• Launch an Insured Mortgage Purchase Program to purchase up to $50 billion of insured mortgage pools through the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC). As announced on March 16, this will provide stable funding to banks and mortgage lenders and support continued lending to Canadian businesses and consumers. CMHC stands ready to further support liquidity and the stability of the financial markets through its mortgage funding programs as necessary. The Government will enable these measures by raising CMHC’s legislative limits to guarantee securities and insure mortgages by $150 billion each.

The six largest financial institutions in Canada have made a commitment to work with personal and small business banking customers on a case-by-case basis to provide flexible solutions to help them manage through challenges, such as pay disruption due to COVID-19, childcare disruption due to school or daycare closures, or those suffering from COVID-19. As a first step, this support will include up to a six-month payment deferral for mortgages, and the opportunity for relief on other credit products. The Government of Canada will continue to monitor evolving economic conditions and seek greater relief measures should it be necessary.

In order to move forward with implementing these new measures needed to provide timely support for Canadians and to ensure the Government has every tool at its disposal to address potential challenges that may arise, the Government intends to introduce special legislation and seek the approval of Parliament.

The Government of Canada will continue to take further action as required to prioritize the health and safety of Canadians, stabilize the economy, and mitigate the economic impact of this pandemic.

Quotes “No Canadian should have to worry about paying their rent or buying groceries during this difficult time. That is why we are taking the strong action needed to stabilize our economy and help those impacted by the COVID-19 virus. Together, we will get through this difficult time.” —The Rt. Hon. Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada

“These are extraordinary times and we must take extraordinary measures. The Government of Canada will do whatever it takes to ensure that the health of Canadians is protected, families and businesses are supported and our economy remains strong, even in the face of uncertainty. I am working with the financial sector, the Bank of Canada, my provincial and territorial colleagues, and my counterparts from around the world to keep coordinating on significant actions to protect the Canadian and global economy. Canadians can rest assured that we are ready to take all necessary measures to meet the challenges ahead.” —The Hon. Bill Morneau, Minister of Finance

Associated Links

• Prime Minister outlines Canada’s COVID-19 response

• Government of Canada takes action on COVID-19

• Canada outlines measures to support the economy and the financial sector

– 30 – PMO Media Relations: [email protected]

This document is also available at https://pm.gc.ca/

March 17, 2020 Update

Premier Ford Declares a State of Emergency

I’m sure many of you have seen that Premier Ford has declared a state of Emergency in Ontario. What does that mean? The order bans public events of over 50 people, including parades, events and services within places of worship until March 31.

Effective immediately, the province has ordered the closure of all facilities providing indoor recreation programs, all public libraries, all private schools, all licensed childcare centres, all theatres, cinemas and concert venues, and all bars and restaurants except to provide takeout food and delivery. For the full video please click here: https://youtu.be/VA_K2oRf4rI

Safety First!

If you have decided to close your business temporarily, please have a look at the following suggestions as a precaution:

1. Keep the lights on.

2. Remove ALL cash and receipts.

3. Do not leave any valuables clearly visible or accessible.

4. All safes and tills should be emptied and moved off-site for safe storage.

5. Keep all cash drawers open to show that nothing is in the drawers.

6. All ATM’s should be emptied and moved off-site for safe storage.

7. All alcohol products removed from bar and put in secured storage areas (no alcohol left visible from outside).

8. All alcohol products removed from bar and put in secured storage areas (no alcohol left visible from outside).

9. Consider posting “NO CASH or Valuables on Premises” signage.

10. Deactivate all scheduled FOB door openings (ie. Cleaners, deliveries, etc).

11. Disconnect all kitchen gas lines from their gas source.

12. Make regular site visits to monitor your shop/business and to manage inventory and storage conditions (consider scattering the times this is done to not establish a pattern).

For emergencies please continue to call 911. For non emergencies please call 613-236-1222 Ext 7502. For reports for non emergency matters or things that already occured people can do so over the phone at 613-236-1222 Ext 7300 or online at https://www.ottawapolice.ca/en/contact-us/Online-Reporting.aspx?_mid_=15486

Please see the “Make the right call” posters provided by our Community Police Officer, Marc Leroux as well.

What Are You Offering?

Are you still trying to run your business during this pandemic? We are looking at creating an open-source directory of the Heart of Orléans small businesses who could use our support during COVID-19.

Please add to it! Feel welcome to include businesses located in the Heart of Orléans offering online courses or classes, electronic gift cards, promo codes, free shipping deals, and more. This offer extends to our associate members as well.

Please ensure you include a website, Facebook page, or Instagram/Twitter handle — not just a business name please as we want this to be an interactive database vs. just a list of business names.

This list is intended to spotlight small Canadian brands, no MLMs or big box stores please.https://drive.google.com/open?id=12w1DpTtxhfmuMTh0VAgz8R0ppEEi6Z2j17pvMU6MgXw

If you would like us to populate the spreadsheet for you, let us know. We are looking for the following information:

Your Industry, Business Name, Your Offer (e.g. online product, takeout, your hours, virtual classes, etc.), Link to website and contact information.

March 16, 2020 Update #2

These are very trying times in Ottawa, Ontario and Canada as a whole. As your BIA, we are monitoring all official releases from all 3 levels of government in an attempt to keep you informed and safe. There are 13 confirmed cases of the coronavirus (COVID-19) in Ottawa as of this afternoon

As per our Mayor and Ottawa Public Health , there are no plans to officially enforce the shut down of businesses, but the situation is changing quickly and we are unsure what the future holds.

The city has recently created an Economic Partners Task Force led by Mayor Jim Watson and Councillor Eli El-Chantiry. This group will be comprised of a representative from each of the following areas and are tasked with coming up with some solid solutions to help small business, tourism and events in Ottawa:

OBoT

Ottawa Tourism

Festivals and Events

The BIAs have requested clear direction when it comes to the types of business and what protocols should be taken. Mayor Watson has asked Ottawa Public Health to add a tab specifically for small business on their website in an effort to clarify.

The city is also looking into possible tax measures for small businesses. We will keep you updated as we are told more over the next few days.

Our BIA, along with our colleagues in the Ottawa Coalition of BIAS (OCOBIA) have been in contact with the City and Ottawa Public Health about specific things that can be done to help our small businesses.

Ottawa Public Health has released this list of recommendations for local workplaces.

Key points:
Post signage to alert workers of any signs and symptoms of acute respiratory illness,

Display posters promoting hand-washing and respiratory hygiene,

Ensure tissues and alcohol-based hand rubs are available.

Customers and business owners should study and follow all public health advisories and take all recommended cleaning, hand-washing, and social distancing precautions, as well as self-isolating at the first sign of a fever or cough.

Businesses should prepare for potential disruptions. Talk now to your insurance provider, your neighbouring businesses, suppliers, and employees to make sure you understand your obligations. This is a good resource about employment standards in Canada.

General COVID-19 Situation Updates:

Ottawa Public Health Updates – refreshed twice daily.
Ontario Public Health – updated twice daily.
Public Health Agency of Canada – for national information.
BDC or Business Development Bank of Canada
Canadian Chamber of Commerce

As you know, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also spoke to Canada this afternoon. He announced on Monday that:

1. Canada will be closing its borders to foreign travellers in an attempt to limit the spread of the novel coronavirus. The restrictions will come into effect Wednesday but that exceptions will be made for air crews, diplomats, immediate family members and U.S. citizens.

2. Air operators will ban anyone who is showing symptoms of the virus from getting on a plane. “That means anyone who has symptoms will not be able to enter Canada,” Canadian travellers will be able to obtain financial assistance to help them with the costs of returning home or temporarily covering their basic needs while they wait to come back to Canada.

3. Only 4 Canadian airports – Trudeau, Pearson International Airport in Toronto, Vancouver International Airport, Montréal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport and Calgary International Airport – will receive international flights.

4. Trudeau stated, “Let me be clear: if you are abroad, it’s time for you to come home, If you have just arrived, you must self-isolate for 14 days. And finally, all Canadians, as much as possible, should stay home. By staying home, you can not only protect your health and that of those around you but ensure that our health-care professionals and our health-care systems can focus on those who need their help.”
You can watch the full video here.

Finally, what can we do other than keep you updated to help? We have advised the community that they can purchase gift certificates from their favorite businesses to use at a later date. Another idea is to order from your business online, if this is possible. How else can we help you? What message do you want us to get out there? Let us know.

Please be well and safe during these uncertain times.

March 16, 2020 Update

As of yesterday, there has been a significant shift in messaging. The BIA is working receiving up-to-date information from Ottawa Public Health and will share it here and on our social media channels as it is received.

Ottawa Public Health is asking that all people in Ottawa increase their practices of social distancing. This means limiting non-essential trips out of the home and working to maintain a distance of 1-2 meters from other people as much as possible. They are asking people to keep their children home from daycare if possible and for employers and employees to explore options to work from home or implement distancing at work.

Ottawa Public Health will be increasing the detail in their messaging on their website related to social distancing to provide further guidance to the public. OPH continues to work in concert with our provincial and federal public health colleagues and please note that not all websites can keep up with rapidly changing information. For the most up-to-date and current information, OPH will share what is happening in our community on their website and via their social media channels:

o Twitter: https://twitter.com/ottawahealth

o Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ottawahealth/

To reduce the spread of germs including the flu and the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) it is recommended that you:

Wash your hands often with soap and water, or use hand sanitizer
Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth unless you have just cleaned your hands
Cover your cough and sneeze with a tissue or into your arm, not your hand
If possible, stay home if you are sick
Avoid visiting people in hospitals or long-term care centres if you are sick
It is still recommended to get your flu shot if you haven’t already as the flu virus is still circulating in the community
Consider social distancing (ideally 2 meters)

I would like to highlight a few items that may be helpful for you as you communicate with employees and community members:

Social Distancing and Self-Isolation – what does that mean?
If employers require a sick note, OPH has made one available. We also have a “staying home when sick” fact sheet.
Information sheets on Covid-19 in multiple languages.
Hand hygiene, hand washing, cough etiquette posters and fact sheets in a number of languages.

March 14, 2020 Update

As more information is shared, the Heart of Orléans BIA will try to keep you as up to date as possible.

Ottawa Public Health has released this list of recommendations for local workplaces.

Key points:
Post signage to alert workers of any signs and symptoms of acute respiratory illness,

Display posters promoting hand-washing and respiratory hygiene,

Ensure tissues and alcohol-based hand rubs are available.

Some good sources of information:

These are the most current and easy-to-understand and print sources of information we’ve been able to find. Many thanks to our friends in Wellington West for their help in compiling this list!

General COVID-19 Situation Updates:

Ottawa Public Health Updates – refreshed twice daily.
Ontario Public Health – updated twice daily.
Public Health Agency of Canada – for national information.

Advice for business:

Ottawa Public Health Information for Workplaces – released March 13
CDC – Guidance for Businesses & Employers – from the American Centres for Disease Control – includes information on cleaning and disinfection.
Advice for Canadian employers – from Gowlings.
Planning for Coronavirus – Advice for Businesses and Organizations – very good printable checklist of considerations for all business (from Seattle).
Retail food establishments: Public Health recommendations to minimize the spread of Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) – one-page printable list of considerations for food service businesses (from Seattle).

March 13, 2020 Update

I would like to share additional resources that Ottawa Public Health has prepared for business and workplaces. Please visit the website below and feel free to share with your networks.

OttawaPublicHealth.ca/WorkplaceCOVID19

Public Health Ontario has produced this guidance on environmental cleaning and disinfection of public settings, which may be of particular interest.

Ottawa Public Health (OPH) continues to be in enhanced operations to increase support and to share information with residents, community groups and health systems partners.

OPH also continues to follow the lead of the Ontario Ministry of Health, Public Health Ontario and the Public Health Agency of Canada in responding to the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19), with a focus on keeping the people of Ottawa well. The current strategy in Canada and Ontario is to detect cases of COVID-19 in people who have traveled to an affected area, or who have been in close contact with a confirmed case, and to limit local transmission. Self-isolation of returning travellers has recently been added to screening measures and distribution of information at entry points to Canada. It is important to note that the list of countries affected by COVID-19 continues to change rapidly.

In terms of the illness caused by the virus, its severity can be compared to influenza. Most cases are mild and resolve without medical assistance and the risk of severe illness or death is higher for those with a weakened immune system, as may be the case for older adults and people with chronic disease such as diabetes, cancer, heart, renal or chronic lung disease.

Local Efforts

We understand that this situation has been causing anxiety and people have many questions. In order to ensure residents have factual and up-to-date information, OPH has created a new webpage and information products for many partners. We encourage residents to visit and refer people to OttawaPublicHealth.ca/Coronavirus for the latest information.

To ensure local physicians and health care practitioners have the most up-to-date information, OPH has also created a webpage specifically designed for them at www.OttawaPublicHealth.ca/NCOV. This page provides the most recent health alerts as well as information and guidelines with respect to screening, laboratory testing, reporting requirements, and Infection Prevention and Control Measures for COVID-19. In addition to this, OPH is currently hosting weekly teleconferences with local stakeholders to continue to provide accurate and timely information to partners.

OPH recently added a new section on their website that includes information on how to prepare for a pandemic: https://www.ottawapublichealth.ca/en/public-health-topics/pandemic-preparedness.aspx

This includes things like stocking up on non-perishable foods, filling prescriptions, making plans for children and other dependents and making plans at work.

OPH is working closely with hospital emergency departments as well as engaging with our Local Health Integration Network, and local Community Health Centres. Rigorous processes are in place in Ottawa hospitals to screen individuals suspected of COVID-19 exposure; people undergoing assessment are isolated and employees are protected from infection. Anyone visiting a hospital is encouraged to read and follow instructions on hospital signage.

Working with our partners, such as OPS, community centers and social services, OPH is also aiming to help reduce stigma and discrimination towards people who have travelled from China, and now other affected areas.

OPH plays a role in coordinating The Ottawa Interagency Influenza Pandemic Plan with local healthcare partners, which outlines roles and responsibilities of OPH and partners when influenza activity creates a demand that could exceed the capacity of the health care system. As we don’t yet have known local transmission of COVID-19, OPH is currently in the “alert” phase of this plan and we continue to work with various components of the plan to prepare partners for potential increased demand in health care services

Travel and International Efforts

The Government of Canada has issued active health travel notices for China, Hong Kong, Iran, Japan, Northern Italy, Singapore and South Korea. Travellers are asked to check their destination before leaving to know their risks and to be prepared.

Canada also has a number of standard border measures in place to prevent communicable diseases from being introduced to or spreading in Canada. Additional measures have been implemented, including

Screening travellers returning from the affected areas in Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver and given messaging about how to take precautions to limit exposure to others if they develop symptoms in the 14 days after their return.
messaging on arrivals screens at the Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver international airports reminding travelers from Hubei to inform a Border Services Officer if they are experiencing flu-like symptoms.
In addition, a health screening question has been added to electronic kiosks.

Entry screening alone is not a guarantee against the possible importation of this new virus but it is an important public health tool, as the strategy remains to detect cases when they enter Canada.

The Government of Canada continues to update travel advisories as COVID-19 exposure risks may increase in other countries. OPH will work with our partners as additional measures are required and continue to keep our website up to date. Please visit: OttawaPublicHealth.ca/coronavirus

We continue to recommend that residents read and share updates from credible sources such as: