COVID-19 Response Update 13
Plan to pay attention to the provincial press conference today, we have been told that further financial supports from the province may be announced.
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The flowing are some of the details regarding the wage subsidy. We do believe that this program is going to take to long to role out and that since Parliament will have to be recalled we expect changes to this program as well.
Yesterday, Finance Minister Bill Morneau, the Minister of Small Business, Export Promotion and International Trade, Mary Ng, and the Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, Navdeep Bains, announced the details of the proposed Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy:
The Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy would apply at a rate of 75 per cent of the first $58,700 normally earned by employees – representing a benefit of up to $847 per week. The program would be in place for a 12-week period, from March 15 to June 6, 2020.
- Eligible employers who suffer a drop in gross revenues of at least 30 per cent in March, April or May, when compared to the same month in 2019, would be able to access the subsidy.
- Eligible employers would include employers of all sizes and across all sectors of the economy, with the exception of public sector entities.
- For non-profit organizations and registered charities similarly affected by a loss of revenue, the government will continue to work with the sector to ensure the definition of revenue is appropriate to their circumstances. The government is also considering additional support for non-profits and charities, particularly those involved in the front line response to COVID-19. Further details will be announced in the near term.
- An eligible employer’s entitlement to this wage subsidy will be based entirely on the salary or wages actually paid to employees. All employers would be expected to at least make best efforts to top up salaries to 100% of the maximum wages covered.
Eligible employers would be able to access the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy by applying through a Canada Revenue Agency online portal. More details regarding how to apply for the program will follow.
Those organizations that do not qualify for the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy may continue to qualify for the previously announced wage subsidy of 10 per cent of remuneration paid from March 18 to before June 20, up to a maximum subsidy of $1,375 per employee and $25,000 per employer.
Backgrounders on the Wage Subsidy
Press Release
CERB
Canada Emergency Business Account
Banks are actively working to get this program active, it's expected that all banks will have this live next week.
We are advocating that government change the requirement to have a minimum gross payroll of $50,000. We have communicated that this leaves the smallest of businesses vulnerable and this needs to be adjusted.
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Chamber Plan Business Resources Page
Chambers and their members are faced with unprecedented challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. That's why Chambers Plan has created a COVID-19 Business Resource Centre, with the advice, tools, and latest updates to support Canadian businesses in this difficult time.
Resources included
> Responding to COVID-19
> Financial Resources
> HR & Legal Issues
> Supporting Your People
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Province of Nova Scotia - Department of Business
EMPLOYER ASSESSMENT TOOL
We have heard businesses and non-profits need clarity on how they can comply with the Public Health Order. An on-line tool to quickly help employers determine if they may remain open, in compliance with current workplace safety requirements, has been posted to the provincial coronavirus website.
CHANGES TO REGISTRY OF JOINT STOCK
Counter service is not available at this time. The Business Registration Unit, located on 6 North in the Maritime Centre, 1505 Barrington Street, Halifax, will have a drop box in the building lobby for deliveries of documents for processing. Drop boxes are in place at Access Nova Scotia Centre locations in Yarmouth, Kentville, Bridgewater, Dartmouth, Amherst, Stellarton and Sydney to receive RJSC deliveries and will be delivered to the Maritime Centre for processing
During this period, scanned copies of originally signed documents or digitally signed documents where the digital signature information is clearly readable when the document is printed, will be accepted. These scanned or digitally signed documents may be submitted via email to
RJSC@novascotia.ca
.
The Nova Scotia Barristers’ Society has issued updated information concerning the client identification rules, as well as taking affidavits and oaths with non-face-to-face means that you will have to consider. That information can be found at
https://nsbs.org/covid-19-questions
.
Emails containing a credit card number is automatically blocked for security reasons. Please provide a phone number of a contact person from whom to obtain the relevant credit card information to complete payment. Contact the RJSC directly at 902-424-7770 or 1-800-225-8227 with any questions.
NOVA SCOTIA TENDER NOTICES
Are you a business that can supply products and service in support of Nova Scotia’s response to COVID-19? If so, we want to hear from you. A procurement portal has been developed and includes a list of products and services we’re looking for. For more information, visit
https://procurement.novascotia.ca/ns-tenders.aspx
GOVERNMENT BUSINESS NAVIGATORS
USEFUL RESOURCES
Government of Canada toll-free information line 1-833-784-4397
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Funding Search Tool updated for COVID-19
Through NSBI’s website, the
Funding Search Tool
now enables businesses to keyword search any funding tools locally and across the country specific to the current COVID challenges to business – just use the keyword COVID-19
Business Support from Saint Mary’s University Entrepreneurship Centre
In response to COVID-19, Saint Mary’s University Entrepreneurship Centre is offering
free virtual one-on-one strategy sessions to Atlantic Canadian entrepreneurs
. The sessions aim to provide support, insight, and additional resources to help entrepreneurs overcome current challenges.
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Canada Business App
Download the
Canada Business App
, from the Government of Canada, to see how easy it is to navigate government services, get recommendations tailored to your business, set up personalized notifications and find the answers you need to start up, scale up and access new markets.
