Support for Businesses

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 Canada Emergency Business Account (CEBA) will provide interest-free loans of up to $40,000 to eligible small businesses and not-for-profits, to help cover their operating costs during a period where their revenues have been temporarily reduced.

Learn more about the CEBA

The Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy will enable business owners to re-hire workers previously laid off as a result of COVID-19, help prevent further job losses, and be better positioned to resume normal operations following the crisis. Employers may be eligible for a subsidy of 75% of an employee's wages - up to $847 per week - for up to 24 weeks, retroactive March 15 to August 29, 2020.

Apply for the CEWS

The Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance (CECRA) program will provide forgivable loans to qualifying commercial property owners to cover 50% of three monthly rent payments that are payable by eligible small business tenants who are experiencing financial hardship from April through July.

Learn more about the CECRA

If you have stopped working because of COVID-19, the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) may provide you with temporary income support. The CERB provides eligible workers and self-employed individuals with $500 a week for up to 16 weeks.

Apply for the CERB

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 Loan Guarantee for SMEs

• EDC Mid-Market Guarantee and Financing Program

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 Governments of Canada and Ontario are supporting the agriculture, agri-food and agri-products sectors to capture online e-business opportunities that will help create new, expanded or enhanced markets and open new retail channels to help generate new revenue streams for future growth.

The Agri-Food Open for E-Business targeted intake will help businesses/organizations quickly expand their marketing channels and respond to new market challenges, increase online sales in the sector and provide consumers with access to more local food.

This targeted application intake features two funding streams:

1. Bring Your Business Online: Provides a grant of up to $5,000 to eligible organizations/businesses to help establish an online presence.

2. Develop Online Business Opportunities: Provides cost-share funding for up to 90 per cent of eligible costs to a maximum of $75,000 to develop e-business opportunities on a larger scale.

Learn more about Agri-Food Open for E-Business

The Operations Implementation Program (OIP) is designed to assist tourism operators in their stabilization and recovery efforts from the effects of COVID-19 with social media marketing to promote their operations. Regional Tourism Organization 7 (RTO7) will match the business' investment in operational expenses (i.e. mortgage or rent payments, insurance, inventory purchases) with a $1,000 (including HST) social media advertising campaign. 

The term "tourism operator" is defined as a consumer facing organization that has direct access to the consumer and relies on that consumer for their income.

Learn more about OIP

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

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 will be due Thursday, July 30^th, 2020

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

• Commercial and Industrial final tax bills:

  • 1^st installment will be 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.

Businesses can defer the payment of any income tax amounts that become owing on or after March 18 and before September 2020. This relief would apply to tax balances due, as well as installments, under Part I of the Income Tax Act. No interest or penalties will accumulate on these amounts during this period.

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, 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 allows businesses to defer premium reporting and payments until August 31, 2020. Businesses who report and pay monthly, quarterly, or annually based on their insurable earnings are eligible for this deferral. 

All businesses covered by the WSIB’s workplace insurance are automatically eligible for the financial package. No action is required from businesses to receive the financial relief.

Learn more about the WSIB Relief Package

Utilities

The Province of Ontario is releasing safety guidelines to protect workers, customers and the general public from COVID-19 as it prepares for a gradual reopening of the provincial economy. 

Develop your COVID-19 workplace safety plan

Business owners and operators can also find sector-specific guidelines and posters to help protect workers, customers and the general public from coronavirus (COVID-19) in Ontario. 

• For the Agriculture Sector

• For Child Care providers

• For the Construction Sector

• For the Food Processing Sector

• For the Health Care Sector

• For the Manufacturing Sector

• For the Restaurant and Food Services Sector

• For the Retail Sector

As new sectors of the economy begin to reopen, additional COVID-19 workplace safety resources will be added.

The Town’s Temporary Restaurant Patios Program is providing restaurant owners with an opportunity to take advantage of the summer weather and establish temporary outdoor patios to assist in their recovery from the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and to take advantage of the summer weather to offer outdoor dining space to their customers. As an added measure of support, select Town fees associated with participating in the program will be waived for the 2020 patio season. 

Download the Application Package

Download the Health Unit's Guidance Document

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

• 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 County of Simcoe's Digital Main Street and Beyond program helps businesses achieve digital transformation. The program is built around an online learning platform, structured training programs, and a Digital Service Squad, a team of highly trained professionals who help businesses grow and manage their business through the adoption of digital tools and technology. 

Eligible businesses will receive digital supports and up to 10 hours of free one-on-one coaching from a Digital Service Squad that will work with the business to establish or enhance their web presence by activating free and easy to use tools such as Shopify, Google My Business, and social media.

Learn more about Digital Main Street and Beyond

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 Province's Framework for Reopening Our Province lays out the government’s approach to the next chapter in the ongoing fight to defeat COVID‑19. It outlines the principles the government will use to reopening businesses, services and public spaces in gradual stages.

Ontario's Action Plan will provide support for people and businesses through tax credits and deferrals to improve their cash flow, protecting jobs and household budgets, while providing the resources necessary to protect their health.

• Support for Businesses

• Support for Workers

• Support for People

• Support for Students and Parents

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

 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

• Digital Main Street

• Focus Community Development Corporation

• Henry Bernick Entrepreneurship Centre

• 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