April 22 - Are you ready to apply for the CEWS on Monday?
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As a Canadian employer whose business has been affected by COVID-19, you may be eligible for a subsidy of 75% of employee wages for up to 12 weeks, retroactive from March 15, 2020, to June 6, 2020.
This wage subsidy will enable you to re-hire workers previously laid off as a result of COVID-19, help prevent further job losses, and better position you to resume normal operations following the crisis.
You can click the link below to find out if you're an eligible employer, and to calculate you subsidy amount if you are eligible.
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A reminder of Labour & Employment changes:
- A business will now be able to compare its revenue to the same month last year OR an average of January and February 2020. This will help new and growing firms who may not have qualified based on a comparison to the same month in 2019.
- A business needs only to demonstrate a 15% reduction in gross revenues for March. A 30% reduction will still be required to receive the subsidy in April and May.
- The program will now allow businesses to use either accrual or cash accounting methods.
- Employer paid Employment Insurance (EI), Canada Pension Plan (CPP) premiums will be reimbursed. .
- Canada Summer Job Grants will be covered 100%, and the program is extended until February 28, 2021.
- The temporary layoff period has been extended 120 days from 60 days.
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For people who have lost their job permanently or temporarily due to COVID-19 (sick, quarantined, or taking care of someone who is sick with COVID-19, as well as working parents who must stay home without pay to care for children who are sick or at home because of school and daycare closures)
- Employees who have been laid off due to COVID-19 work shortages are eligible to get $500 per week
- Maximum is $2,000 per month, up to 4 months
- Must be out of work, with no income for 14 consecutive days
- The employee has to have made $5,000 in wages with the company/association prior to being laid off
- The need to have a required medical note has been waived
- Available starting April 6
The Work-Sharing program is offered to workers who agree to reduce their normal working hours because of developments beyond the control of their employers.
- In place until March 14, 2021
- 76 weeks maximum
- Businesses can apply now
- Removed mandatory cooling off period
- Have to been in business for a minimum of 1 year, not 2 under the original guidelines.
We have had a few members who have applied for this credit, and they have shared that the process to get the loan is extremely easy, and money appeared in their account the next business day. You can access the $40,000 interest-free loan through your financial institution to help cover operating costs during a period where their revenues have been temporarily reduced.
If the loan is repaid by December 31, 2022, 25 per cent (up to $10,000) will be forgiven.
- To qualify, you will need to demonstrate you paid between $50,000 to $1 million in total payroll in 2019
- Loan Guarantee for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises
- EDC is working with financial institutions to issue new operating credit and cash flow term loans of up to $6.25 million to SMEs.
- Co-Lending Program for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises
- BDC is working with financial institutions to co-lend term loans to SMEs for their operational cash flow requirements.
- Eligible businesses may obtain incremental credit amounts of up to $6.25 million through the program.
The temporary changes to the program for this year include:
- an increase to the wage subsidy, so that private and public sector employers can also receive up to 100 per cent of the provincial or territorial minimum hourly wage for each employee
- an extension to the end date for employment to February 28, 2021
- allowing employers to adapt their projects and job activities to support essential services
- allowing employers to hire staff on a part-time basis
The Federal Government is providing $20.1 million in support for Futurpreneur Canada to continue supporting young entrepreneurs across Canada who are facing challenges due to COVID-19. The funding will allow Futurpreneur Canada to provide payment relief for its clients for up to 12 months.
The Federal Government is providing $675 million to give financing support to small and medium-sized businesses that are unable to access other COVID-19 business supports, through Canada's Regional Development Agencies.
The Federal Government is providing $287 million to support rural businesses and communities by providing them with much-needed access to capital through the Community Futures Network.
Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance (CECRA)
The Federal Government intends to introduce the Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance (CECRA) program for small businesses that, will seek to provide loans and/or forgivable loans to commercial property owners who in turn will lower or forgo the rent of small businesses for the months of April (retroactive), May, and June.
Implementation of the program will require a partnership with provincial and territorial governments who are responsible for property owner-tenant relationships.
More details will be available soon.
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COVID-19 GPRC Business Resilliency Survey
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We Are GPR - Working to Support You
The Greater Parkland Regional Chamber of Commerce network is collaborating with our Municipal Task Forces to collect insights and inform government responses to help business through COVID-19.
Your feedback will help our Chamber and municipalities understand the most pressing impacts your business is experiences and what measures they can enact to provide the greatest relief.
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With the support of Parkland County, City of Spruce Grove, Town of Stony Plain, and Village of Wabamun, the Greater Parkland Regional Chamber of Commerce has launched a shop local social media contest called #DoingMyPartGPR
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During this time of social distancing let’s remember our local businesses economy - snap a pic and win one of two $1,000 prizes to spend at local businesses! The Greater Parkland Regional Chamber of Commerce (GPRC) is rolling out a #DoingMyPartGPR Contest through social media. Local businesses, run by our friends and neighbours, are open and need our help too. Local businesses are the first to step up and support our communities, our local sports and our local events. So, let’s all get out there and shop local because if we all support our friends and neighbours – together, we’ll come through these uncertain times and be stronger because of it!
If you are working from the comfort of your home, or still out and about, here’s how to enter: from March 23, 2020 to April 30, 2020 we want you to post how you are supporting local business with an Instagram or Facebook post using #DoingMyPartGPR and tagging the Greater Parkland Regional Chamber (@GPRChamber).
- For those who are not up for going out in public, this could be a picture of the food or items you had delivered or the item you purchased locally online, via phone, or taken up the offer for doorstep delivery.
- For those times when you have to venture out to pick up your items, take a pic of your click and collect haul, curbside pick up (that many of our local shops are offering), or drive-thru purchase.
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Businesses can print off the below page to include with deliveries, or post to drive-thru windows if they like. We designed it as a simple 8.5" x 11" page so that printing was simple
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Day cares open for essential worker's children
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A MESSAGE FROM THE CHAMBERS PLAN GROUP BENEFITS:
As the coronavirus pandemic evolves, Chambers Plan continues working to assist businesses such as yours, providing flexibility and support in the areas most needed. Plan design modifications and benefit extensions during temporary employee layoffs, for example, have resulted in thousands of businesses keeping benefits in place for their employees when they may otherwise have been unable to do so.
The core philosophy of Chambers Plan has always been to do the right thing. Today, that means investing much-needed funds back into the business community.
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We have worked hard to provide savings to firms as quickly as possible, and so we're pleased to announce, we will provide the following credits, retroactive to April 1st, on your May billing:
- Dental: 50% premium reduction adjustment
- Extended Health: 10% premium reduction adjustment
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There is nothing for you to do. These credits will be applied automatically. They do not represent a rate change; your May bill will show the credits applied for April, as well as the full premium for May. Adjustments deemed applicable for May would be reflected on your June billing, and so on. We will continue to support firms and their employees in this way until such time as employees are able to make use of these services and claims experience begins to return to normal.
Chambers Plan is founded on a pooled approach to benefits, contributing to its unparalleled rate stability. Rates are established, fully or partially, in keeping with the combined experience of all firms on the Plan. We want to assure you, we will continue monitoring the situation to protect the stability you have come to expect, and which is central to the Plan.
Together we will emerge from the constraints of the COVID-19 pandemic. You are not alone in this crisis, and we feel privileged to be able to offer this additional support to your business.
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GPRC COVID-19 Webinar Series
Your Chamber of Commerce has put together a series of webinar, with the next one being Wednesday, April 15. You can check out past webinars and register for future ones on our website.
Click here to register now.
Economic Developers Alberta COVID-19 Webinar Series
EDA has created a series of
FREE
virtual seminars designed to connect us with community leaders from Alberta, across Canada and around the world. These weekly webinars will not only provide information to help mitigate the economic impacts of this pandemic disaster; they'll also give participants some relief from the social isolation this pandemic is causing.
WTF: What To Feel when stressors collide
The Canadian Business Resilience Network, in partnership with Workplace Strategies for Mental Health (compliments of Canada Life) invites you to a webinar on April 29 at 12:00 p.m.
We all juggle work, financial, family and social demands – but unexpected circumstances, like the ones we are experiencing right now, can cause multiple stressors to coincide.
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Resources shared by our Members!
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We would like to thank our member, Tober Hembling & Associates LLP,for providing the below document regarding the key points announced by the government up to March 18, 2020. This may be useful to individuals and small businesses in the area.
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Member, McLennan Ross LLP have created a designated page on their website to monitor new developments to keep clients up to date. Click the button below to check it out.
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Edmonton Global is the economic development organization for the Edmonton Metropolitan Region in Alberta. Edmonton Global maintains a COVID-19 Business Resources page containing updated information for the Edmonton metro region’s business community.
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Canada's COVID-19 Economic Response Plan
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Guidance for non-health care workplaces
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WCB: COVID-19 worker fact sheet
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WCB: COVID-19 employer fact sheet
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Help Prevent the Spread Posters
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Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Online Screening
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Alberta Government - COVID-19 Info for Albertans
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Canadian Chamber - Pandemic Preparedness for Businesses
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Alberta Government - Cancelling Large Events
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CDC - Keeping the Workplace Safe
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Alberta Health Services - Latest Updates
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Alberta Government - Self Isolation Information Sheet
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This e-Blast is from: Greater Parkland Regional Chamber of Commerce
Name: Kendra Wambold
Title: Communications & Media Specialist
Company: GPRC
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