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HEALTH & SAFETY
- Operating a business in the Fraser Health Authority during the COVID-19 pandemic VIEW LETTER
Get the latest information from the Public Health Agency of Canada about COVID-19
BC CENTRE FOR DISEASE CONTROL
Managing COVID-19 Stress, Anxiety & Depression
Hand Sanitizer Recall
RCMP in BC - FRAUD ALERT LINK
CRIME STOPPERS - Business Closures, Securing your premises
WORKSAFE BC
WorkSafeBC releases industry-specific guidance for next phase of restartCOVID-19 and returning to safe operation - Phase 2
Re: COVID-19: Support for workplaces resuming operation VIEW LETTER - LINK to Additional Information
COVID-19 PROVINCIAL AND FEDERAL BENEFITS, SUPPORTS AND INFORMATION
BC's RESTART PLAN
COVID-19 PROVINCIAL AND FEDERAL BENEFITS
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Support for Individuals
- Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) Announced June 16, 2020. CERB extended by 8 weeks. (You can also apply over the phone: 1‑800‑959‑2019 or 1‑800‑959‑2041)
- B.C Emergency Benefit for Workers (You can apply by telephone. This option is for people who don’t have internet access or have other accessibility needs. We anticipate high call volumes and strongly recommend applying online if you can. Call us Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 4:30pm: 1-855-955-3545 (within BC only) 1-778-309-4630 (outside B.C.)
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Support for Businesses
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10% Temporary Wage Subsidy The 10% Temporary Wage Subsidy for Employers is a three-month measure that will allow eligible employers to reduce the amount of payroll deductions required to be remitted to the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA). Note: The Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy, which provides a 75% wage subsidy to eligible employers for up to 12 weeks, is a separate program. For more information on that program, see below.
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Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS) Government Of Canada Rolls Out Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS) Improvement Details: On July 20th the proposed extension with improvements was passed in the House. Some of the changes include:
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- extension of the CEWS until December 19, 2020.
- Make the subsidy accessible to a broader range of employers by including employers with a revenue decline of less than 30% and providing a gradually decreasing base subsidy to all qualifying employers.
- Introduce a top-up subsidy of up to an additional 25% for employers that have been most adversely affected by the pandemic.
- Provide certainty to employers that have already made business decisions for July and August by ensuring they would not receive a subsidy rate lower than they would have had under the previous rules.
- Address certain technical issues identified by stakeholders
Frequently asked questions - Canada emergency wage subsidy (CEWS):
The Canada Revenue Agency has published a helpful FAQ document intended to provide more in-depth technical information on the most commonly anticipated technical questions from businesses and tax professionals.- Work Sharing Program - COVID-19 Work-Sharing (WS) is a program that helps employers and employees avoid layoffs when there is a temporary decrease in business activity beyond the control of the employer. The program provides Employment Insurance (EI) benefits to eligible employees who agree to reduce their normal working hours and share the available work while their employer recovers. Work-Sharing is an agreement between employers, employees and the Government of Canada.
- Canada Emergency Business Account (CEBA) NEWS RELEASE (June 15, 2020): Access for more small businesses. To ensure that small businesses have access to the capital they need to see them through the current challenges, the Government of Canada has launched the new Canada Emergency Business Account, which has been implemented by eligible financial institutions in cooperation with Export Development Canada (EDC). This $25 billion program provides interest-free loans of up to $40,000 to small businesses and not-for-profits, to help cover their operating costs during a period where their revenues have been temporarily reduced, due to the economic impacts of the COVID-19 virus. This will better position them to quickly return to providing services to their communities and creating employment. Repaying the balance of the loan on or before December 31, 2022 will result in loan forgiveness of 25 percent (up to $10,000). NEWS RELEASE (May 19, 2020): Expansion of Support for Workers and Small Businesses. Some expanded eligibility criteria for the CEBA loan program to allow more sole proprietors and businesses with contract workers into the program. This includes family-owned corporartions that pay employees through dividends rather than payroll.
- Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance (CECRA) NEWS RELEASE (June 30, 2020): Extension. Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance (CECRA) for small businesses provides much needed relief for small businesses experiencing financial hardship due to COVID-19. It offers forgivable loans to eligible commercial property owners so that they can reduce the rent owed by their impacted small business tenants by at least 75% for the months of April, May and June, 2020.
COVID-19 PROVINCIAL SUPPORT AND INFORMATION
BC ESSENTIAL SERVICES
B.C. taking further action to support essential service providers during pandemic
CITY OF MAPLE RIDGE
CITY OF PITT MEADOWS
CANADIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
CANADIAN CHAMBER: Preparedness, not panic, is the best way to mitigate the risks posed by a COVID-19 pandemic to the Canadian economy and our citizens” - The Canadian Chamber of Commerce:
COVID-19 Pandemic Preparedness for Business
CBRN.ca (Canadian Business Resilience Network)
BC CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
GROUP INSURANCE PLAN PARTNER - AVANTI PLANNING
Have questions about your current extended health plan or how to make an extended health plan work for you during this time?
Visit our website or give us a call at 604-463-8151 we’d be happy to help!
AVANTI PLANNING
MAPLE RIDGE PITT MEADOWS NEWS - CORONAVIRUS
MAPLE RIDGE PITT MEADOWS NEWS - CORONAVIRUS
The Maple Ridge - Pitt Meadows News is happy to work with local businesses in their COVID-19 marketing and advertising plans whenever they are ready. We have developed an extensive Communication Strategy Plan for you during these trying times on both offline and online platforms, and we are happy to present it whenever you are ready to discuss via Zoom. As a local business and employer we understand the unprecedented times we are all having to navigate. Let us help you, we’re ready when you’re ready - contact Lisa Craik at 604-476-2728 or email her at lisa.craik@mapleridgenews.com for further details.
SMALL BUSINESS BC (COVID-19 Support Service > Web: covid.smallbusinessbc.ca, Phone: 1-833-254-4357, Email: covid@smallbusinessbc.ca)
BCEDA (BC ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION)
MARC DALTON, MP - PITT MEADOWS, MAPLE RIDGE
BOB D'EITH, MLA - MAPLE RIDGE, MISSION
bobdeith.ca
604-476-4530 (leave message)
bob.deith.mla@leg.bc.ca
BUSINESS SUPPORTS document
Provided by the office of Maple Ridge – Mission MLA, Bob D’Eith. We know that businesses in BC are hurting due to this pandemic. MLA D’Eith is committed to helping support businesses in Maple Ridge during this extraordinary time. If you would like more information on these supports, or a chance to discuss particular concerns with MLA D’Eith please reach us at 604 476 4530 (it’s very important to leave a message) or at bob.deith.mla@leg.bc.ca.
SURVEYS
We encourage participation in active surveys as these are important opportunities to provide your feedback that will assist the government in making informed decisions.
Statistics Canada and the Canadian Chamber of Commerce collaborated to launch the Canadian Survey on Business Conditions. Click Here to view the results.
"Pulse Check" Survey 4 - Closed July 14th. LINK TO VANCOUVER SUN ARTICLE, July 16, 2020
"Pulse Check" Survey 3 - Closed May 15th. LINK TO VANCOUVER SUN ARTICLE, May 22, 2020
"Pulse Check" Survey 2 - Closed April 17th. LINK TO VANCOUVER SUN ARTICLE, April 21, 2020
"Pulse Check" Survey 1 - Closed April 1st. LINK TO VANCOUVER SUN ARTICLE, April 3, 2020
Survey Closed March 18th. LINK TO VANCOUVER SUN ARTICLE, MARCH 19, 2020
Thank you to all those who took the survey. The intelligence you shared is helping shape how government reacts to this pandemic crisis. The insights from the survey have been sent to both the federal and provincial government.
Here’s the quick analysis:
- 90% of businesses are “currently being impacted by COVID-19”
- Of those impacted, 83% are seeing a “drop in revenue, business, or deal flow”
- 91% anticipate a further “decrease in revenue in the near-term” [sic]
- 73% of businesses expect their revenues will drop by 50% or more (with nearly a quarter saying revenues will drop by 100%)
- Half of the respondents say they will be “temporarily shutting down” their offices.
- 64% of respondents expect to reduce their staff by over half (with a quarter saying they will be reducing their staff by 100%)
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