Support for Businesses

The Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS) provides eligible employers that have seen a drop in revenue due to COVID-19 with a subsidy to cover part of employees' wages. The CEWS enables business owners to re-hire workers, help prevent further job losses, and ease back into normal operations.

Apply for the CEWS

The Canada Emergency Business Account (CEBA) provides interest-free, partially forgivable loans of up to $40,000 to eligible small businesses and not-for-profits that have experienced diminished revenues due to COVID-19, but face ongoing non-deferable costs such as rent, utilities, insurance, taxes, and wages. Businesses can apply for the CEBA through their banks and credit unions until December 31^st, 2020.

Learn more about the CEBA

The Canada Emergency Rent Subsidy (CERS) provides a direct and easy-to-access rent and mortgage subsidy of up to 65% of eligible expenses directly to qualifying businesses, charities, and non-profits. The current subsidy rates are in effect until December 19, 2020.

Lockdown Support

Qualifying organizations that have been significantly affected by a mandatory public health order issued by a qualifying public health authority would receive an additional 25% of rent support through the CERS.

Combined with the other support received under the CERS, this means that hard hit businesses, non-profits, and charities could receive a rent subsidy of up to 90%.

The CERS and the Lockdown Support are available until June 2021.

Apply for the CERS

The Ontario Small Business Support Grant (OSBSG) will provide eligible small businesses with between $10,000 and $20,000 to help cover decreased revenues expected as a result of the provincewide shutdown. 

Apply for the OSBSG

The Main Street Recovery Grant provides a one-time grant of up to $1,000 for eligible small businesses with two to nine employees to help offset the unexpected costs of personal protective equipment (PPE).

Apply for Funding

Businesses that required to shut down or significantly restrict services due to provincial public health measures can apply for rebates on property taxes and energy bills, provided in the form of grants, to help with their fixed costs.

Apply for Support

The Regional Relief and Recovery Fund (RRRF) provides financial contributions in the form of interest-free loans to help support fixed operating costs of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), where business revenues have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Nottawasaga Futures, the Community Futures Development Corporation (CFDC) that provides services in New Tecumseth, will focus on assisting eligible “main street” businesses with loans of up to $40,000.

Apply to the RRRF through Nottawasaga Futures

The Government of Canada established the Business Credit Availability Program (BCAP) to provide additional support to small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) through Export Development Canada (EDC) and the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC). The program includes:

• BDC Co-Lending Program for SMEs

• BDC Mid-Market Financing Program

• EDC BCAP Guarantee

Businesses seeking support through any of the BCAP programs should contact their primary lender where they have a pre-existing relationship, so that the financial institutions may assess the client’s financial request.

The Canada United Small Business Relief Fund (CUSBRF) was established to help small businesses offset the cost of expenses to reopen safely or adopt digital technologies to move more of their business online. Managed by the Ontario Chamber of Commerce, the CUSBRF provides successful applicants with a relief grant of up to $5,000.

Learn more about the CUSBRF

Apply for a CUSBRF Grant

The COVID-19 Energy Assistance Program for Small Business (CEAP-SB) provides a one time, on-bill credit to eligible small business and registered charity customers to help them catch up on their energy bills and resume regular payments.

Small business and registered charity customers may be eligible for up to $850 in support towards their electricity bill if they primarily use electricity for heating, or up to $425 otherwise. Small business and registered charity customers could also be eligible for up to $425 in support towards their natural gas bill.

Apply for the CEAP-SB

To ensure producers, agribusinesses and food processors can remain focused on business-critical functions rather than worrying about how to access funds to keep operating through this challenging period, effective immediately, Farm Credit Canada (FCC) has put in place:

• a deferral of principal and interest payments up to six months for existing loans; or

• a deferral of principal payments up to 12 months

• access to an additional credit line up to $500,000, secured by general security agreements.

Learn more about the FCC COVID-19 Support Program

The Large Employer Emergency Financing Facility (LEEFF) provides 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.

Apply to to the LEEFF

Temporary changes to the Employment Insurance (EI) program have been made to better support Canadians looking for work. 

Learn more about EI

The Canada Recovery Benefit (CRB) provides $500 per week for up to 26 weeks for workers who have stopped working or had their income reduced by at least 50% due to COVID-19, and who are not eligible for Employment Insurance (EI) benefits.

Apply for the CRB

The Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit (CRSB) provides $500 per week for up to a maximum of two weeks for workers who are unable to work because they contracted COVID-19, are self-isolated for reasons related to COVID-19, or have an underlying health condition that, in the opinion of a medical professional, puts them at greater risk of getting COVID-19.

Apply for the CRSB

The Canada Recovery Caregiving Benefit (CRCB) provides $500 per week for up to 26 weeks per household for workers who are unable to work because they must care for achild under the age of 12 or family member because schools, day-cares or care facilities are closed due to COVID-19 or because the child or family member is sick and/or required to quarantine or is at high risk of serious health implications because of COVID-19.

Apply for the CRCB

Municipal Property Taxes

In an effort to provide financial relief to those who may need it due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the payment due dates for property taxes have been adjusted to the following:

• Farmland final tax bills:

  • 1^st installment was due Thursday, July 30^th, 2020

  • 2^nd installment was due Friday, October 30^th, 2020

• Commercial and Industrial final tax bills:

  • 1^st installment was due September 30^th, 2020

  • 2^nd installment will be due November 30^th, 2020

These changes are in addition to the deferral of the second installment of interim property tax bills from April 30^th to May 29^th, 2020.

Please note that this is not a reduction in property taxes. By extending the typical due dates, the Town is hoping to give businesses that are in need of financial relief additional time to make payments.

Learn more about paying your Property Taxes

Businesses were able to defer the payment of any income tax amounts that become owing on or after March 18^th and before September 30^th, 2020. This relief applied to tax balances due, as well as installments, under Part I of the Income Tax Act. Penalties and interest were not applied if returns are filed and payments were made by September 30^th, 2020.

Review extended payment and filing deadlines 

Businesses, including self-employed individuals, were able to defer payments of the GST/HST and customs duty owing on their imports, until June 30^th, 2020.

Businesses that continue to experience difficulty in remitting GST/HST and customs duty amounts owing can contact the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) and Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) to make a request for the cancellation of penalties and interest, and/or for a flexible payment arrangement with the CRA.

Learn more about the deferral of tax remittances

The Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) financial relief package allowed businesses to defer premium reporting and payments until August 31^st, 2020. Businesses that report and pay monthly, quarterly, or annually based on their insurable earnings are eligible for this deferral. 

To continue to help reduce the financial burden on businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic, any repayment of deferred WSIB premiums will not begin before January of 2021. The WSIB will provide more information on the repayment schedule for deferred amounts, along with 2021 premium rate information, in the fall. 

Any employer participating in the financial relief package will have to report deferred amounts by October 31^st, 2020. Regular monthly and quarterly reporting and payment schedules resumed in September of 2020 for all businesses.

Learn more about the WSIB Relief Package

Utilities

As New Tecumseth’s business community continues to reopen and resume operations, residents and workers are encouraged to safely support local and “Make It New Tec” the next time they’re shopping, dining, or unwinding.

Support Local. Make It New Tec!

To help support local restaurant owners in their recovery from the economic impacts of COVID-19, the Town introduced its Temporary Restaurant Patios Program in 2020. The program provided restaurants that don't have a permanent patio space on their property with the opportunity to take advantage of the summer weather and offer safe outdoor dining space to their customers.

Patios were able to operate in parking lots and adjacent premises on private property, as well as at curbside locations on Victoria Street in the historic downtown of Alliston as part of a pilot project operated in partnership with the Alliston Business Improvement Association.

As an added measure of support, select Town fees associated with participating in the program were waived for the 2020 patio season.

Nottawasaga Futures provides a free business consulting program to assist business owners and entrepreneurs. In addition to supports for business planning, financials, and accounting, businesses can access help with:

• confidential mental health support services;

• applying for funding programs being offered by the federal government;

• making sure their website is optimized for buying or booking appointments online;

• setting up online ordering for both delivery and take-out through their website;

• converting existing stores to e-commerce to offer online buying capabilities;

• offering online and/or live classes or consultations using tools like Skype and ZOOM;

• and much more!

Learn more about the business consulting program

The Storefront to Online (S2O) program is designed to teach traditional bricks and mortar stores, home based business owners, and not-for-profit agencies how to extend their business online as an additional revenue stream. The S2O program provides educational webinars, business tools, and digital resources directly to the business owner and provides one-on-one coaching to help business owners keep on track to reach their online goals. 

Learn more about S2O

Learn how to grow and manage your new online store with this FREE 90-day online course offered through our partners at Nottawasaga Futures. Go at your own pace with live one-on-one video calls and 24/7 online access to video lessons and downloads. Email ced@nottawasaga.com for more information and to register.

Digital Main Street (DMS) is a program is built around an online learning platform, structured training programs, and DMS' Digital Service Squad; a team of highly trained recent graduates who help main street businesses grow and manage their business through the adoption of digital tools and technology.

Ontario's Action Plan: Protect, Support, Recover is the next phase of the Province's response to the serious health and economic impacts of COVID-19. The plan sets out a total of $45 billion in support over three years to make available the necessary health resources to continue protecting people, deliver critical programs and tax measures to support individuals, families and job creators impacted by the virus, and lay the groundwork for long-term economic recovery.

• Protect - Urgent COVID-19 Response

• Support - Supporting People and Jobs

• Recover - Creating the Conditions for Growth

Learn about Ontario’s plan to reopen businesses, services and public spaces as the fight against COVID-19 continues. To ensure that the actions to reopen the province are a success, the public should continue to adhere to public health measures, including practising physical distancing, wearing a face covering, regular hand-washing, and staying home when ill.

Learn more about Reopening Ontario

Learn about changes to government programs and available supports as your business recovers from COVID-19.

Find Provincial business supports

Find small business recovery resources

Find resources to prevent COVID-19 in the workplace

New electricity rates came into effect on November 1^st, 2020. Small business customers that pay Time-of-Use (TOU) electricity prices now have a choice to move to a tiered price system or continue with TOU rates.

Choose the price plan that’s right for how your business consumes electricity. With TOU, the price you pay depends on when you use electricity whereas with tiered prices, you use a certain amount of electricity each month at a fixed price anytime of the day. Once you exceed that limit, a higher price applies.

If you want to continue paying TOU prices, no action is required. If you’re considering a switch to Tiered prices, get a price comparison using the OEB’s online bill calculator. 

Use the OEB Calculator

The Province of Ontario is working with industry and agency partners to launch Ontario Live — a new virtual hub designed to promote and support the province’s tourism and cultural industries. This initiative, developed in collaboration with industry partners and leaders, will provide support for Ontario’s culture and tourism industries and help to mitigate the economic toll of the COVID-19 outbreak on Ontario’s artists, creators and attractions.

Register Your Business with Ontario Live

The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), in cooperation with the provincial government, has created a self-certified Safe Travel Stamp based on worldwide industry protocols for every aspect of hospitality and tourism industries.

The specially designed stamp will allow consumers to recognize governments and businesses around the world that have adopted standardized health and hygiene protocols.

Eligible businesses include hotels, restaurants, airlines, cruise lines, tour operators, attractions, short term rentals, car rentals, outdoor shopping, transportation and airports.

Learn more about the Safe Travel Stamp

The Government of Canada's COVID-19 Economic Response Plan includes a wide range of measures to support Canadian businesses and their employees who are facing financial hardship as a result of the pandemic.

• Support for Businesses

• Support for Individuals

• Support for Sectors

• Support for Organizations Helping Canadians

Mandatory Face Coverings

You are now required to wear a face covering when you enter into a public indoor space (e.g. grocery store, community centre, shopping mall, hair salon, library, place of worship, etc.), or use a public transit service in Simcoe Muskoka. The face covering must be worn inside the business or organization at all times, unless it is reasonably required to temporarily remove the face covering for services provided (such as eating or drinking).

What you need to know

Owners or operators of all businesses, organizations and public transit services in Simcoe and Muskoka must have policies in place to restrict people from entering if they are not wearing a face covering.  Best efforts shall be made to only allow entry to customers wearing a face covering.

Download signage to print and display

Read the Health Unit's letter to businesses and organizations

 Business Development Partner Resources

The Town's business development partners and service providers are regularly updating resource lists and hosting webinars to help educate business owners as they navigate this complex and challenging situation. Find more information at the following organizations' websites:

• BDC

• Canadian Business Resilience Network

• County of Simcoe Economic Development Office

• Focus Community Development Corporation

• Henry Bernick Entrepreneurship Centre

• Nottawasaga Futures

• Ontario Business Improvement Area Association

• Ontario Chamber of Commerce

• Ontario Federation of Agriculture

• Sandbox Centre for Shared Entrepreneurship & Innovation

• Small Business Centre | Barrie, Simcoe County, and Orillia 

• Tourism Simcoe County