COVID-19: Business Resources and Updates

This is the Oakville Chamber of Commerce’s central hub for business resources and updates regarding COVID-19. Please visit this page often as we continue to provide the most up-to-date information. 

Order of Information Listed:
1. Chamber Updates
2. Recent Government Announcements for Businesses & Workers
3. Financial Support for Businesses
4. Resources for Business: Navigating Support Programs, Business Recovery & Continuity, Workplace Health & Safety, Public Health Guidelines by Sector, Targeted Support, Hospitality Sector, Human Resources, Mental Health, Marketing & Digitization,  Manufacturing,  PPE, Self-Employed Workers, and Working Remotely.

5. Monitoring COVID-19

 

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Chamber Updates

 

Canada United Small Business Relief Fund

Grants of up to $5,000 available. Apply now.

Created by RBC, Canada United is a movement to support local businesses in communities across the country. The Canada United Small Business Relief Fund (CUSBRF) was established to help small businesses offset the cost of expenses to open safely or adopt digital technologies to move more of their business online.

Over $14 Million has been contributed by the Federal Government, RBC, and Canada United partners to support recovery efforts due to COVID-19.  We have already provided relief to over 2,000 small businesses across the country.  We are now able to extend relief grants to more small businesses and restart accepting grant applications from small businesses across all provinces for expenses incurred no earlier than March 15, 2020.

Apply now.

Learn more.

 

Chamber Network calls for coordinated approach to reopening Ontario’s economy

Learn more.

 

Welcome Back Oakville campaign

 

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Recent Government Announcements for Businesses & Workers 

• Ontario announces Phase Two of Vaccine Distribution Plan – March 5, 2021

• Toronto, Peel and North Bay to return to COVID-19 Framework as of Monday, March 8 – March 5, 2021

• Ontario expands apprenticeship programs – March 5, 2021

• Government announces Wage and Rent subsidies unchanged through to June 2021 –  March 3, 2021 

• Ontario supporting young black entrepreneurs – February 24, 2021

• Province announces Supply Ontario’s First CEO – February 24, 2021

• 2021 Property Tax Deferral Program available for eligible Oakville resident and business property owners – February 23, 2021

• Ontario launches education campaign to help small businesses reopen – February 19, 2021

• Ontario expands eligibility for Main Street Relief Grant – February 16, 2021

• Halton Region moves to Red-Control Level with revised instructions for businesses from Medical Officer of Health – February 12, 2021

• Halton Region moving into Red-Control Level as of 12:01am on Tuesday, February 16  –  February 12, 2021

 

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Financial Support for Businesses

• Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS) – For Small Businesses, Corporations, Not-For-Profit Organizations, Registered Charities, and Partnerships

• Canada Emergency Rent Subsidy (CERS) –  For Small Businesses, Corporations, Not-For-Profit Organizations, Registered Charities, and Partnerships

• Canada Emergency Business Account (CEBA) – For  Small Businesses and Not-For-Profit Organizations

• Canada United Small Business Relief Fund – For  Small Businesses and Not-For-Profit Organizations

• BDC Co-Lending Program –  For Medium-size and Large Businesses

• BDC Mid-Market Financing Program –  For Medium-size Businesses

• EDC Business Credit Availability Program (BCAP) Guarantee – For Businesses of all sizes

• Ecosystem Fund – Black Entrepreneurship Program – For Black-Owned Businesses and Not-For-Profit Organizations

• Highly Affected Sectors Credit Availability Program (HASCAP) – For small and medium-sized businesses that have received payments either from the Canada Emergency Subsidy (CEWS) or the Canada Emergency Rent Subsidy (CERS) by having demonstrated a minimum 50% revenue decline for at least three months (not necessarily consecutive) within the eight-month period prior to the date of the HASCAP Guarantee application.

• Large Employer Emergency Financing Facility (LEEFF) – For Large Businesses

• Main Street PPE Fund – For businesses with 2 to 9 employees in the retail, accommodation and food services, repair and maintenance, personal and laundry services, gyms and yoga studios.

• Ontario Skills Development Fund – For employers, apprenticeship training delivery agents, unions, post-secondary institutions, and community organizations. Supports projects that will help relieve pandemic-induced barriers to hiring, training and retaining workers. View the Application Guide.

• Ontario Small Business Support Grant – For Small Businesses required to close or restrict services under the Provincewide Shutdown. View the Application Guide.

• Property Tax Rebate Grant & Energy Cost Rebate Grant – For businesses required to shut down or significantly restrict services due to provincial public health measures (In areas categorized as Control or Lockdown). 

• Property Tax Deferral Program, Town of Oakville – For businesses and residents

• Regional Relief and Recovery Fund (RRRF) – For businesses with 1 to 499 full-time equivalent employees, not-for-profit organizations that provide support services to business, and not-for-profit organizations and social enterprises engaged in commercial activities.

 

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Business Resources

 

Navigating the Support Programs for Business

• Canadian Business Resilience Network – Canadian Chamber of Commerce and the Government of Canada

• 1-888-444-3659  – Stop the Spread Business Information Line from the Government of Ontario

• Business Benefit Finder – Government of Canada 

• Financial Support by Industry – Government of Canada 

• Small Business Recovery – Government of Ontario

 

Business Continuity & Recovery

• Roadmap to Recovery – Canadian Business Resilience Network

• Toolkit for Reopening Canada’s Economy – Canadian Business Resilience Network

• Business Continuity and Recovery Plan – Canadian Chamber of Commerce

• Post-Pandemic Business Playbook – Workplace Safety & Prevention Services

 

Workplace Health & Safety 

• Free webinars on how to operate a business safely, and comply with health and safety requirements, during COVID-19 – Government of Ontario

• A free 30-minute online course on infection prevention and control – Public Services Health and Safety Association

• Provincial Employment Standards Call Centre (webes@ontario.ca) and Occupational Health and Safety Contact Centre (webohs@ontario.ca) to answer small business health and safety questions.

• Guide on How to Develop a Workplace Safety Plan – Government of Ontario

• COVID-19 Health & Safety Resources – Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety

• COVID-19  Screening Tool for Workplaces – Government of Ontario

• Using masks in the workplace – Government of Ontario

• Partners in Prevention Health & Safety: Free Virtual Event Series – Workplace Safety & Prevention Services

• Workplace Decontaminating Checklist – Workplace Safety & Prevention Services

• 7 Steps for Managing Hazards as Stores Reopen – Workplace Safety & Prevention Services

• Resources to prevent COVID-19 in the Workplace – Government of Ontario

• COVID-19 Workplace Safety Posters – Workplace Safety & Prevention Services

 

Public Health Guidelines by Sector

• COVID-19 General Information for Halton Workplaces – Halton Public Health

• Updated Public Health Guidelines for Shopping Malls and Retail Stores – Halton Public Health 

• Restaurant and Patio Public Health Guidelines – Halton Public Health

• Sports and Recreational Fitness Public Health Guidelines – Halton Public Health

• COVID-19 Sector-Specific Health and Safety Guidelines – Workplace Safety & Prevention Services

 

Targeted Support 

• Black Entrepreneurship Program Ecosystem Fund – Government of Canada

• Black Entrepreneurship Knowledge Hub – Government of Canada

• Black Innovation Program – Government of Ontario

• COVID-19 Relief Fund for Francophone Non-Profit Organizations  – Government of Ontario 

• Feminist Response and Recovery Fund – Government of Canada

• Futurepreneur Program for Young Entrepreneurs – Government of Canada

• Ontario Skills Development Fund – For employers, apprenticeship training delivery agents, unions, post-secondary institutions, and community organizations. Supports projects that will help relieve pandemic-induced barriers to hiring, training and retaining workers.

• Support by Industry – Government of Canada 

 

Hospitality Industry Support

• Our Restaurants Campaign – Canadian Chamber of Commerce 

• Freeze the Alcohol Tax Campaign – Canadian Chamber of Commerce 

• Business Insurance Action Team – Insurance Bureau of Canada 

• BarterPay Grants for Restaurants – BarterPay in partnership with Restaurants Canada

 

Human Resources

• Chambers Plan: COVID-19 Business Resource Centre – The Chambers Plan

• Payroll and COVID-19 – Canadian Payroll Association

 

Mental Health

• Working Towards Mental Wellness: A Toolkit for Employers – Ontario Chamber of Commerce

• Mental Health Resources – Canadian Mental Health Association

• Mental Health Resources – Workplace Safety & Prevention Services

• How to Manage Return Anxiety as the Lockdown Lifts – Mental Health Commission of Canada

• Resource Hub: Mental health and wellness during the COVID-19 pandemic – Mental Health Commission of Canada

• Support & Resources – Canadian Mental Health Association Halton Region Branch

 

Marketing & Digitization

• Recovery Activation Program – a FREE program offered in partnership by the Toronto Board of Trade, World Trade Centre Toronto, and the Scale-Up Institute. an immersive online workshop program that connects businesses with industry experts for guidance, mentorship, and practical advice about process modernization and end-to-end digital transformation. It is completely free for businesses and supports firms of any size across Ontario. Start by taking your FREE Digital Assessment Needs.

• Digital Main Street – In partnership with the Government of Ontario and Government of Canada. Includes:

  • shopHEREpowered by Google

  • Digital Main Street Grants

  • Future-Proof Main Street

• Distantly.ca – An online crowd-funding platform to connect small businesses with community donations. Learn how to set up your business page.

• Look Local Marketplace – Small businesses can sync their online stores with the Look Local Marketplace, showcasing their products to a larger audience and giving them far greater reach and marketing power. No fees until April 1, 2021! 

 

Manufacturing

• Ontario Made – Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters.

 

PPE

• PPE Supply Hub – Government of Canada

• Workplace PPE Supplier Directory – Government of Ontario

• PPE Rapid Response Platform – matches supply with demand, simplifying supplier discovery during the procurement process.

• Halton Region Chambers of Commerce PPE Procurement Portal 

• Main Street PPE Fund – Government of Ontario

• What to do if you can’t acquire the PPE your workplace needs – Workplace Safety & Prevention Services

 

Self-Employed Workers

• Canada Recovery Benefit (CRB) – Government of Canada

• Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit (CRSB) – Government of Canada 

• Canada Recovery Caregiving Benefit (CRCB) – Government of Canada

• Property Tax Deferral Program, Town of Oakville – For businesses and residents

 

Working Remotely

• Claiming home office expenses for working from home due to the COVID-19 Pandemic – Canada Revenue Agency 

• Work-Sharing Program – Government of Canada

 

Workers Laid Off: COVID-19

• COVID-19 Financial Support for Individuals: Questionnaire to find suitable funding – Government of Canada

• Canada Recovery Benefit (CRB) – Government of Canada

• Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit (CRSB) – Government of Canada 

• Canada Recovery Caregiving Benefit (CRCB) – Government of Canada

• Employment Insurance (EI) Program – Government of Canada

• Property Tax Deferral Program, Town of Oakville – For businesses and residents

• Second Career Grant – Government of Ontario

 

 

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Monitor COVID-19

Stay up-to-date on the rapidly evolving situation, and on the nature of the virus itself, by frequently checking municipal, provincial, and national websites.

• Halton Region Public Health

• Ontario Ministry of Health

• Government of Canada Public Health

• Centre for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention: COVID-19 Resources

•  World Health Organization (WHO): COVID-19 Updates

 

 

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