• The province of Ontario announced $10 million in emergency assistance being provided by the provincial and federal governments to beef and hog farmers to help covers increased costs due to COVID-19.
• The Premier announced that the Ontario government has launched a new general workplace guide, which will help employers develop a safety plan to better protect workers, customers, and clients. This resource includes information that will help employers identity the risks, determine what controls are needed, create a workplace safety plan, implement the plan, and communicate to workers and other people entering your workplace.
• The Premier announced that effective this Friday June 19^th, seven additional regions will enter Stage 2 in Ontario’s Framework for Reopening. Three regions will remain in stage 1 for now: Toronto, Peel, and Windsor-Essex County.
• On June 12, the Premier announced that the public health guidelines have changed to include social circles of up to 10 people who can interact and come into close contact with one another without physical distancing. This change came into effect immediately and can include people outside of the immediate household. For more information on how to safely create a social circle, see the province’s step by step guide.
• The government of Ontario announced that they are expanding the Agri-food Workplace Protection Program to enhance health and safety measures on farms and in food processing facilities. The Enhanced Agri-food Workplace Protection Program provides cost-share funding for farmers to purchase Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and implement workplace modifications and other measures. 
• As a reminder, the Ontario government has launched a website, the Workplace PPE Supplier Directory, to provide businesses with a list of Ontario companies and business associations that are ready to supply PPE to businesses.

• The Prime Minister announced that the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) will be extended by 8 weeks. Please see the CERB site for more information.
• The Prime Minister announced that Canada and the United States have agreed to extend the current measures in place along our border until July 21, 2020, which is a 30 day extension.
• Canada’s Minister of Finance, provided details about the changes to the Canada Emergency Business Account (CEBA) that were announced last month. It was announced that as of this Friday June 19^th, applications will be accepted so that more small businesses can access the CEBA. This means that owner-operated small businesses that had been ineligible for the program due to their lack of payroll, sole proprietors receiving business income directly, as well as family-owned corporations remunerating in the form of dividends rather than payroll will become eligible this week. To qualify under the expanded eligibility rules, CEBA applicants with payroll lower than $20,000 will need a business operating account at a participating financial institution; a Canada Revenue Agency business number; a 2018 or 2019 tax return; and eligible non-deferrable expenses of between $40,000 and $1.5 million. Eligible businesses will qualify for financing of up to $40,000, with 25 per cent of this being forgivable based on the current terms of CEBA loans. Businesses can contact their primary financial institution for more information or to apply directly for CEBA. More information on the expanded CEBA can be found on the program’s website.
• The Minister of Transport announced that the Government of Canada will now require temperature screenings for all passengers travelling to Canada or travelers departing Canadian airports for either international or domestic destinations in order to contain the spread of COVID-19. These temporary checks will be implemented in a phased approached beginning June 20th. You can read the announcement HERE.
• The Prime Minister announced the launch of the Government of Canada’s PPE Supply Hub website to bring together available resources for organizations who are buying and selling PPE. Buyers will find PPE supplier lists, in addition to guidance to help plan their PPE purchases.
• A reminder that the federal government has launched a Business Support Portal to help businesses find COVID-19 support they may qualify for.