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 $60,000 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 June 30^th, 2021.

Learn more about the CEBA

The Canada Emergency Rent Subsidy (CERS) provides eligible businesses, non-profit organizations, or charities that have seen a drop in revenue during the COVID-19 pandemic with a subsidy to cover part of their commercial rent or property expenses until June 2021.

This subsidy will provide payments directly to qualifying renters and property owners, without requiring the participation of landlords.

Apply for the CERS

The proposed Canada Recovery Hiring Program (CRHP) would provide eligible employers with a subsidy of up to 50 per cent of incremental remuneration paid to eligible active employees between June 6^th, 2021, and November 20^th, 2021.

Learn more about the CRHP

The Ontario Tourism and Travel Small Business Support Grant provides one-time payments of $10,000 to $20,000 to eligible small businesses in the tourism and travel sector. Businesses that received the Ontario Small Business Support Grant (OSBSG) are not eligible for the new grant. 

Applications for this grant will close on Friday, June 25^th, 2021 at 11:59 p.m.

Apply for Support

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 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 Highly Affected Sectors Credit Availability Program (HASCAP) provides small- and medium-sized businesses that have been heavily impacted by COVID-19 with access to guaranteed, low-interest loans of $25,000 to $1-million to cover operational cash flow needs.

Learn more about the HASCAP

RTO7 has a line-up of programs geared to support tourism operators, businesses, and organizations as they recover from the effects of COVID-19 on the tourism sector. 

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 $1,500 in support towards their electricity and natural gas bills, and can apply for on-bill credits for both electricity and natural gas separately.

Customers who applied and received CEAP support in 2020 may apply again to be considered for the increased funding available in 2021.

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

The Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) financial relief package allowed businesses to defer premiums due from March to August of 2020. All businesses that chose to participate in the financial relief package will have until June 30^th, 2021 to repay deferred amounts, interest-free. Deferred amount payments can be made in one or multiple installments between January and June 30^th, 2021.

Learn more about the WSIB Relief Package

On April 29^th, 2021, the Ontario Government amended the Employment Standards Act to require employers to provide employees with up to three (3) days of paid infectious disease emergency leave because of certain reasons related to COVID-19. This entitlement is in addition to employees’ rights to unpaid infectious disease emergency leave.

Learn more about the benefit

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 a child 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

The Town is pleased to offer its Temporary Restaurant Patio Program to local establishments again in 2021. 

The program provides restaurants with the opportunity to establish or expand patio spaces to take advantage of the summer weather and offer safe outdoor dining areas to their customers.

Subject to the program’s conditions and public health measures, patios can operate in parking lots and adjacent premises on restaurants’ private property, as well as on municipal sidewalks at restaurants located in the downtowns of Alliston, Beeton, and Tottenham until November 15^th.

To assist the local business community in its recovery from the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, no municipal fees will be charged to participating restaurants in 2021.

Submission requirements to obtain a permit include:

• Application form

• Property owner approval

• Site specific conceptual site plan drawing

• Health Unit Certificate of Inspection

• AGCO Liquor License (if applicable)

• Certificate of Insurance

• Professional Engineers Certificate for temporary “bump-out” sidewalk structure and traffic barrier (if applicable)

• Encroachment Agreement (if applicable)

Download the Curbside Patio Application Package

Download the Private Property Patio Application Package

For more information about the program and its submission requirements, or for assistance in completing your permit application, contact the Economic Development Office.

Looking for expert insights into navigating your business through the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic? Visit our Business Events Calendar for access to webinars, online events, and training sessions. 

Visit the Business Events Calendar

Now more than ever, local small businesses need the community's support. Make It New Tec with contactless curbside pick-up, delivery, or take-out options from local merchants and restaurants in Alliston, Beeton, and Tottenham.
Shop local. Eat local. Support local. Make It New Tec!

Support Local. Make It New Tec!

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, manage, and profit from your online store with this FREE 90-day online course offered through our partners at Nottawasaga Futures.

eCommerce Accelerator teaches you how to grow & manage your existing online store for more sales, and offers a real understanding of how ecommerce works, giving you an unfair advantage over your competitors.

Learn more about eCommerce Accelerator

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.

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

The Ontario government has a rapid testing portal to make it easier for businesses to access free rapid testing to help keep employees and their families safe.

Rapid antigen screening goes hand in hand with public health measures, such as symptom screening, physical distancing, masking and hand hygiene. Any positive results from a rapid antigen point-of-care test must be confirmed with laboratory-based polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing.

Businesses are encouraged to get their own rapid antigen screening kits by registering through the portal. 

Check eligibility and apply

The person responsible for a business or organization that is open must operate that business or organization in compliance with the advice, recommendations and instructions issued by the Office of the Chief Medical Officer of Health or another public health official on screening individuals.

This requirement includes posting signs at all entrances to the premises of the business or organization in a conspicuous location visible to the public that inform individuals on how to screen themselves for COVID-19 prior to entering the premises.

Download the Provincial Guidance Document

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

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

 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