Acting as a community, both as businesses and as people is vital to how we navigate through the ever-changing coronavirus, or COVID-19 pandemic. The ICA is working closely with the World Health Organization (WHO), the Canadian Chamber of Commerce (CCoC) and CEOLaw to bring you this hub.
This hub will be updated regularly to provide the most up to date information that you may need. Already, the ICA has attended a session with Canadian health officials and with Dr. David Nabarro, World Health Organization (WHO) Special Envoy for COVID-19, as we look to curate the best and most relevant HR, health and economic information for the industry.
Track, Trace, Isolate, Protect by Nazeem
COVID Ready by Nazeem
If there is any other information you feel would be useful please email: scott@theica.ca
In order to open your agency, you must develop a COVID-19 Operational Plan outlining how daily operations will be managed to meet the additional measures outlined by the Federal, Provincial or Minicipal government or health departments. Your first step should be conducting a risk assessment (number and intensity of contacts, social distancing) within your spaces and identify appropriate mitigation measures.
The government does not intend to provide sector-by-sector prescriptive checklists regarding what specific actions your agency will be required to comply with operational plan requirements. These will depend on individual factors such as the layout of your space, how you normally interact with clients/suppliers and more.
The government also does not intend to review operational plans in advance but may ask to see your plan during a scheduled or unscheduled visit by provincial officials. Your Operation Plan should include, at a minimum: COVID-19 Awareness (signage), Pre- Screening Tool, Physical Distancing, Cleaning and Disinfection Procedures, and Facilitating Personal Hygiene Etiquette.
Produced in collaboration with the Canadian Business Resilience Network (CBRN), Canadian Centre for Occupational Health & Safety (CCOHS), Canadian Chamber of Commerce (CCoC), Canadian Payroll Association (CPA), CEOLaw, Ontario Workplace Safety & Prevention Service (OWSPS), Public Health & Safety Association (PHSA) and the World Health Organization (WHO).
Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS) 75% wage subsidy for all businesses including large businesses.
A Canada Emergency Business Account (CEBA) is a special emergency business account for SMEs. Contact your bank to apply for $40,000 of government guaranteed loans interest free for the first year. Loan forgiveness up to 25% will be forgiven if certain conditions are met.
A co-lending program for SMEs through the BDC and financial institutions where eligible businesses may obtain incremental credit amounts of up to $6.25M.
BDC asks that all companies speak to their commercial bank first for mortgage postponement, increased lines of credit (LOC) and an extension on AR that will qualify them for their LOC.
Work with your payroll provider for access to the 75% wage subsidy.
EDC assists exports of services with the Business Credit Availability Program (BCAP). Contact your financial institution
Canada has deferred commodity tax payments (GST and HST)
The Ontario government has increased the exemption for paying Employer Health Tax from $490K to $1M. Employers that have total annual payroll of up to $5M, the first $1M will be exempt from the EHT.
Government partners with provinces and territories to deliver Commercial Rent Assistance (CECRA)
