Resources, funding & financing:
Ontario Unveils Guiding Principles to Reopen Province:
The government is planning a stage-by-stage approach to reopening the economy to ensure there are appropriate measures in place so workplaces can open safely. Public health officials will carefully monitor each stage for two to four weeks, as they assess the evolution of the COVID-19 outbreak to determine if it is necessary to change course to maintain public health.
Ontario: Frontline & Business Support During COVID-19
Learn how to
request a temporary rule or regulation change
to help your business respond to COVID-19.
Ontario is moving quickly to support the frontlines and businesses during COVID-19.
To help remove obstacles and streamline Ontario’s ability to respond to the outbreak and navigate through it, several temporary rules and regulations have been put in place.
To support your ongoing work during COVID-19, you can request a temporary regulation or policy to change to help:
- assist the health care system meet the needs of needs of the emergency
- assist businesses in retooling or producing essential or health-related products and supplies
- make it easier for businesses trying to operate remotely or in a non-traditional fashion and are facing unexpected challenges
Governments Grow Agri-Food e-Business:
The Agri-Food Open for E-Business initiative will help food producers, farmers markets, retailers, garden centres, greenhouses, nurseries, and agricultural associations develop online business, providing consumers with greater access to a wide variety of food and agriculture products.
Application intake features two funding streams:
- Bring Your Business Online. Eligible organizations and businesses can apply for a grant of up to $5,000 to establish an online e-business and marketing presence. Funding under this stream will be quick and responsive for those needing immediate solutions.
- Develop Online Business Opportunities. Eligible organizations, businesses and collaborations can apply for cost-share funding of up to $75,000 to implement high-impact projects.
Ontario-Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance Program:
The OCECRA will provide forgivable loans to eligible commercial property owners experiencing potential rent shortfalls because their small business tenants have been heavily impacted by the COVID-19 crisis. To receive the loan, property owners will be required to reduce the rental costs of small business tenants for April to June 2020 by at least 75 per cent and commit to a moratorium on evictions for three months.
- The program will provide forgivable loans to qualifying commercial property owners to cover 50 per cent of three monthly rent payments that are payable by eligible small business tenants who are experiencing financial hardship during April, May, and June.
- The loans will be forgiven if the mortgaged property owner agrees to reduce the eligible small business tenants’ rent by at least 75 per cent for the three corresponding months under a rent forgiveness agreement, which will include a term not to evict the tenant while the agreement is in place. The small business tenant would cover the remainder, up to 25 per cent of the rent.
CEWS is a wage subsidy program, available for a period of twelve weeks from March 15, 2020 to June 6 2020, that will provide a subsidy of 75% of the eligible remuneration paid by and eligible entity (eligible employer) to each employee – to a maximum of $847 per week.
Northumberland Tourism - Shop Local Guide:
A collection of local links that will provide you with information about restaurants and retail stores, in your community, that are offering safe options to shop through online/phone orders, takeout, delivery or curbside pickup.
Shopkeepers, artisans, restaurant owners and other community professionals contribute to the lifestyle we enjoy and they continue to make our communities vibrant. Let's show our support for these businesses by shopping local.
Northumberland Tourism - Virtual Daydreaming:
Download one of our scenic backgrounds to use as your background for one of your conference calls.
Recovery Proposal Survey: Development of Support Programs:
Ministry of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries:
The survey results will provide the provincial government with a more accurate assessment of both municipal and regional needs during the pandemic.
In order to be included in Minister MacLeod's recovery proposal, stakeholder responses need to be received by April 30.
ConnexOntario:
ConnexOntario is mental health support to assist you, if needed, through this pandemic. Fully operational and are available via telephone, chat and email 24/7 to provide accurate and up-to-date addiction, mental health and problem gambling information to Ontarians.
