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We start this week with a moment to honour Capt. Jenn Casey, a public affairs officer with the Canadian Forces Snowbirds who passed away tragically last Sunday.
Image Credit: Royal Canadian Air Force via AP
Flying as part of Operation Inspiration, a cross-country tour aimed at boosting the spirits of Canadians through the pandemic, Capt. Casey died when the CT-114 Tutor aircraft in which she and Capt. Richard MacDougall had been flying crashed in a residential neighbourhood in Kamloops, B.C.
 
 
Capt. Casey is remembered by her family as a proud Nova Scotian and an advocate for her home province. Known for her passion for storytelling, Casey’s career in journalism enabled her to give “a voice to local causes and community groups that often didn’t have one”.
 
Her family said she thrived in the Canadian Armed Forces, which she joined in 2014. Always one for adventure, she loved to travel the world and made new friends wherever she went.
 
"She is gone but she will never be forgotten."
From the Feds
ELIGIBILITY CHANGES
Eligibility for the Canada Emergency Business Account (CEBA) has been expanded to support more small businesses, including a greater number of businesses that are sole proprietors receiving income directly from their businesses, businesses that rely on contractors, and family-owned corporations that pay employees through dividends as opposed to through payroll. To qualify under the expanded eligibility criteria, applicants with payroll lower than $20,000 would need:
  • A business operating account at a participating financial institution and a Canada Revenue Agency business number.
  • To have filed a 2018 or 2019 tax return.
  • Eligible non-deferrable expenses, such as rent, property taxes, or insurance, between $40,000 and $1.5 million.

In addition, the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS) has been extended to August 29, 2020 and eligibility has been expanded to include a host of additional employers– a full list of newly eligible applicants can be found here.

OPEN APPLICATIONS
Applications for Canada’s Large Employer Emergency Financing Facility (LEEFF) are now open – you can complete yours here.
Applications will open for the Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance (CECRA) for small businesses at 8:00 am EST on May 25 th 2020. They will be processed through the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation website. You can find extensive details on eligibility here.

MORE AID
Funding for women entrepreneurs. Canada will provide $15 million in additional funding to support women entrepreneurs through the Women Entrepreneurship Strategy (WES). The money will go directly to organizations that are currently WES Ecosystem Fund recipients, who will provide support and advice to women entrepreneurs across the country.

Annual increase to the Canada Child Benefit (CCB). The CCB will be increased in July, bringing the new maximum yearly benefit to $6,765 per child under the age of 6, and $5,708 per child aged 6 through 17. This is in addition to the one-time special CCB payment announced earlier this month, providing an additional $300 per child to families receiving the CCB.
Supporting research. Canada is providing $450 million in funding to support Canada’s academic research community.
  • The government will provide wage supports to universities and health research institutes in order to help them retain staff. Aid will cover up to 75% of wages per individual, to a max of $847 per week.
  • To support essential research activities at these institutions, they will also cover up to 75% of total eligible costs, supporting activities such as the safe storage of dangerous substances.
 
Aid for fish harvesters. Trudeau has announced up to $469.4 million to support Canada’s fish harvesters. This includes the:
  • Fish Harvester Benefit. Providing income support to eligible self-employed fish harvesters and sharespersons crew, this benefit will cover 75% of fishing income losses beyond a 25% income decline threshold (up to a max individual equivalent to what is provided under the CEWS). More details are available here.
  • Fish Harvester Grant. This program, worth up to $201.8 million, will provide grants to fish harvesters who are ineligible for the Canada Emergency Business Account or equivalent measures. Non-repayable support of varying sizes up to $10,000 will be provided to eligible self-employed fish harvesters with a valid fishing license.
  • They are also proposing changes to EI to allow self-employed fish harvesters and sharespersons to access benefits on the basis of insurable earnings from previous seasons. 
Funding for the Canadian Red Cross. Canada has committed $100 million in funding to help the Red Cross meet increased demand due to the pandemic, and to support future floods and wildfire relief efforts.
  • COVID-19 funding. Up to $41 million is being put towards addressing immediate COVID-19 needs, over $15 million for enhancing the Red Cross’ response capacity, and $25 million to support public health efforts. Initiatives include: recruiting and training volunteers, supporting quarantine sites, deploying emergency health supplies and more.
  • Floods and wildfire relief. $59 million will support additional covid relief and recovery efforts as well as helping the Red Cross provide assistance through future floods and wildfires.

And…
The Canada-US border closure has been extended to June 21 st.
Helpful to have on hand . The government’s Canada Covid-19 Support App provides up-to-date info on the pandemic, including important contact numbers, guidance on preventing the spread of the virus, and the latest updates.
Reopening: Who's doing it?
Tuesday was a big day…

Image Credit: JDzacovsky/Shutterstock
.… Thinking of reopening in BC? You’ll need a COVID-19 safety plan. Work Safe BC has provided an online tool to guide you through a six-step process to create your own, along with additional resources for each sector.

  • Similarly, Saskatchewan began phase 2 of their reopening plan, with retail businesses, shopping malls, public markets, certain personal services and more beginning to welcome customers.
And last Friday…the Yukon and the Northwest Territories began phase 1 of their reopening plans. Details on each are available here.
It just takes a grant to transform your "I can't"
It’s never too early to start grant writing, especially at a time like this. Let’s take a look at some of the grants on offer across the country.

Hiring
Entrepreneurs & Small Businesses
  • (N.B.) The Seed Grant Fund, delivered through Planet Hatch and funded by the Province of New Brunswick provides a non-repayable grant up to $25,000 for prototyping, product and client validation and market entry activities to entrepreneurs in the Greater Fredericton Area.
  • (PEI) The Small Business Investment Grant, open to eligible small businesses operating on Prince Edward Island, provides 15% of eligible costs, to a max of $3,750.
  • (M.B.) The Innovation Growth Program provides cost-sharing grants of up to $100,000 to help small and medium-sized enterprises develop and commercialize new products and processes. Applications close June 15, 2020.
Women
  • (INTL) Global Fund for Women provides a range of grants to groups of women, girls or trans people working together to advance women’s equality and human rights. Organizations must be based outside of the US. Details on how to apply are available here.
Art & Creativity
  • (S.K.) Creative Saskatchewan’s Business Capacity Grant provides up to 50% funding for a project in one of their six creative sectors. The project must focus on developing business knowledge and improved efficiencies that result in growth, market expansion and improved profitability.
  • (O.N.) The Ontario Arts Council’s Indigenous Arts Projects provides grants to Indigenous (First Nations, Métis, Inuit) artists as well as Indigenous organizations and communities to develop new work and to strengthen relationships with the arts. Grants come in the form of 15, 20, and 25 thousand dollars, and applications are due on September 15, 2020.

Registered Charities & Non-profits
  • (B.C.) The Vancouver Foundation’s System Change Grants support projects that take action to address the root causes of social, environmental or cultural issues. Applications open September 2020. You can read more here.
Still at Home
Although restrictions are easing up across the country, many of us are still working from home. What tidbits of wisdom can we carry into the next week of life in isolation?

Bring in the best. These virtual interviewing skills will help you to attract top talent. Lean in, have good posture, minimize gesturing and whatever you do, don’t fold your arms.
Image Credit: Getty Images
We work hardest with spectators. Social psychology tells us that people work harder when they know someone is watching. In a remote work landscape, these tips will help you put this theory into practice. Try leaving video meetings running during the day or make a growth list to share with colleagues.

Welcome nature. Integrate the calming effects of nature into your home space – where you eat, sleep, chill, and work these days. Even the shadows of leaves can make a difference.
Team building from a screen . Here are 12 team building exercises for remote teams . Tried and tested, these activities will help boost engagement, stave off loneliness and bring you closer together.  
 
Digital nutrition . It’s not just vegetables we need to worry about – apparently, we can craft healthy digital diets with content that is good for our brains. Intrigued? Learn more .

De-stress like a billionaire. To wind down , Bill Gates plays bridge, Warren Buffet plays the ukulele and Mark Cuban watches Law & Order. Take a page out of their book as you look for relaxation at home.
Image Credit: Getty Images/Illustration: Chloe Krammel
Back to the workplace
If you haven’t made the transition yet, it’s likely on your radar. How will employees react? What can we do to prepare? And last but not least – what do we do about the age-old handshake tradition!?
 
Reluctant employees. Understandably, many workers are not ready to go back to work , despite clearance from government officials. This article helps leaders navigate this feeling of apprehension among their staff, starting with supportive listening and transparency.
 
Avoiding the handshake. This awkward reality was just starting to unfurl as the economy began to shut down. With its reopening, we’re facing this challenge again. One tip: use humor to diffuse the situation.
Image Credit: Klaus Vedfelt/Getty Images
Thriving post-pandemic. What can we do to make sure we come back to the workforce stronger? Blair Sheppard, Global Leader in Strategy and Leadership at PwC, gives us the scoop.
A taste of the slow life. Canadians have become accustomed to a slower lifestyle and have been reminded of the value of simple pleasures like family time. Undoubtedly, this will impact attitudes towards work-life balance as the economy reopens.
Let's get motivated
Whether you’re at home, at the office, or anywhere in between, it’s important to stay motivated. Nothing like some words of encouragement from Oprah to give you a boost.

Put down the news cycle. While we all want to stay updated, the constant news cycle can be draining. Set aside a block of time to catch up rather than staying tuned in all day. Read on for more tips on how business leaders can stay motivated. 

Courage, fear and action. In this 1-minute video , bestselling author and international speaker Maggie Warrell gives us a clear message: don’t wait until you feel brave to take action.

Commencement speeches of 2020. Oprah Winfrey, Malala Yousafzai, Barack Obama, Megan Rapinoe – the list of greats continues. Listen to their 2020 addresses for an empowering boost in the midst of uncertainty.
Image Credit: WireFrame
Take back control. In this 12-minute TED talk, an ER doctor gives listeners a framework to help us all feel less overwhelmed when life gets, as she puts it, “crazy busy”.

Work less, accomplish more. Sounds great, right? First, you’ll need to ask yourself the right questions. One key q: “If I could only work for two hours today, what must I get done?”

Penny for your podcast. This article features 7 podcasts for women “that will make you feel like you can do anything”. Doesn’t get much more motivational than that. You’ll find entrepreneurial advice, mindful motivation, self-care ritual tips and more.
Image Credit: Dragana Gordic/Shutterstock
Tech support
While we once scrambled to get our hands on the latest iPhone or new set of AirPods, now it’s blood oximeters that are flying off the shelves. Read on for emerging tech trends solving our latest set of challenges.

Catch symptoms early. People are turning to blood oximeters as a way to detect early signs of COVID pneumonia. This little gadget clips on to your finger and can easily measure your blood oxygen levels, which could alert to early signs of infection.
Image Credit: vgajic/Getty Images
Virus-proof clothing? Researchers from the University of Pittsburgh have developed a washable textile coating that repels liquids and prevents viruses from adhering to it. They see its potential for virus-proofing clothing and linens and say it’s a great alternative to current single-use PPE solutions.

Just a quick chlorine spray. Step 1: wash hands and take your temperature. Step 2: Move into a machine to be sprayed with hypochlorous acid water for 30 seconds. Step 3: Pick up a map and use it to find your seat. That’s what it’s going to take to get a seat at this pub in Japan .

The good. Saturday at the mall…only online. Facebook is moving to help small businesses by setting up a virtual shopping mall. Businesses can set up FREE online storefronts on both Facebook and Instagram, where they can feature items, advertise to users and communicate with customers. 
Image Credit: Facebook
The bad. Facebook went the other direction when it comes to misleading information – the company has just been fined $9 million dollars from Canada’s Competition Bureau after it was concluded that they made false or misleading claims about the privacy of Canadians’ personal information on Facebook and Messenger.
  • They’re also going to have to pick up the $500,000 tab for the bureau’s investigation costs, and as part of the settlement, have agreed not to make false or misleading representations about the disclosure of personal and private information.

A little more of the good. Promoting reliable information. Twitter has added warning labels to Covid-19 tweets with disputed or misleading information through the pandemic to combat the spread of misinformation.
Image Credit: Twitter
That's a wrap - thanks for tuning in!
In case you find yourself missing us...

We’ve got an exciting new webinar breaking down wealth, “money blocks” and how to shift your mindset.
  • It’s Ok to Make Money! June 3, 2020, 9:00 am – 10:00 am PDT. Hosted by Holly Sorgen, Executive Director of Community Futures. You can register here.
We’ve also got some amazing resources from Bank of Montreal (BMO) that we can’t wait to share.
  • “Extraordinary Measures for Extraordinary Times” presented by Lesley Marks, Chief Investment Officer, BMO Private Wealth will provide a 30-minute session covering the current economic situation and the economic outlook post-Covid-19. This will be followed by a 15-minute Q & A, and will take place on May 27th, 2020 at 10:00 am PST/1:00 pm EST. Register here.
  • We’re also giving you access to BMO for Women’s BMO Webinar Series. This curated bundle is designed to help you and your business through the Covid crisis. You can check them out and RSVP here.
 
And, as always, we’re offering the peer business advisory board experience
 
At this online event, A Taste of GroYourBiz Guelph , we will explore the tangible benefits of peer advisory boards and give you a sense of how your business might be shaped by the wisdom of other leaders.
Already sold on the benefits of a board? Try a FREE TRIAL Advisory Board session. Register with Chair Marg Hachey , Marla Kott , Catherine Gardiner , Vania Sakelaris & Victoria Eastwood – each will serve as a sounding board for your most pressing challenges, helping you to leverage new opportunities and grow your business. Check our website for all of our dates in June.
Can’t wait to see you back here next week.
#togetherathome #togetherweshare #togetherstrong
#excelsior
GroYourBiz Ltd.
Barbara Mowat, President
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