COVID -19 FEDERAL SUPPORT

The Federal Parliament has passed the COVID-19 Emergency Response Act. A section of this bills addresses providing $2,000 a month for up to 4 months to:​

• Employees who are sick, quarantined or taking care of someone who is infected with COVID-19.

• Employees who can no longer work to COVID-19 and will not get paid leave or other income support.

• Employed parents who must stay home without pay to care for children that are sick or at home due to school and daycare closure.

• Employees who are still employed but are not being paid as there is no work and they are asked to stay home.

• Self-employed individuals, including contract workers, who are not eligible for Employment Insurance.

​ Canadians can make an application through a secure web portal set to launch in early April, with benefits received within 10 days of application submission. ​ ​Support for individuals and families:

• Increasing the Canada Child Benefit

• Special Goods and Services Tax credit payment

• Extra time to file income tax returns

• Mortgage support

​ ​ Support for people facing unemployment:

• The new Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB)

• Apply for Employment Insurance

​ ​ Support for people who are sick, quarantined, or in directed self-isolation:

• The new Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB)

• Improved access to Employment Insurance sickness benefits

​ ​ Support for people who are unable to work: The new Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB)

​ ​ Support for people who need it most:

• A new Indigenous Community Support Fund

• Enhancing the Reaching Home initiative

• Support for women’s shelters and sexual assault centres

​ ​ Support for seniors:

• Reduced minimum withdrawals for Registered Retirement Income Funds

​ ​ Support for students and recent graduates:

• A moratorium on the repayment of Canada Student Loans

Support for businesses  • Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy ​ ​ ​

PROVINCIAL SUPPORT PROGRAMS IN ADDITION TO THE FEDERAL SUPPORT ABOVE: ​​ ONTARIO: Ontario is providing direct financial support to individuals in the form of grants and reliefs to assist citizens with cash to pay for food and rent. For businesses, the government is taking an approach to allow more short-term cash in the hands of businesses by focusing on deferring taxes and other payments. ​ Support for individuals and families:

• Doubling the Guaranteed Annual Income System (GAINS) maximum payment for low-income seniors to $166 per month for individuals and $332 per month for couples for six months;

• Payments to families with children of $200 per child up to 12 years of age and $250 for those with special needs;

• The Ontario Student Assistance Program Six months of relief from loan payments and interest accrual for students under the Ontario Student Assistance Program;

• Relief from energy bills including: - Setting electricity prices for time-of-use customers at the lowest rate (off- peak price) for 24 hours a day for a period of 45 days ​Support for Businesses:

• Five months of relief from interest and penalties associated with payments for the majority of provincially administered taxes;

• Six months of relief from Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) payments by allowing deferrals;

• Deferring municipal remittance of education property tax for the upcoming quarter to school boards by 90 days. This will provide municipalities with the flexibility to provide property tax deferrals for businesses and residents;

• A temporary increase to the Employer Health Tax (EHT) exemption; and - Setting electricity prices for time-of-use customers at the lowest rate (off- peak price) for 24 hours a day for a period of 45 days.