During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Canadian government introduced unprecedented measures, including the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy, Canada Emergency Rent Subsidy, Lockdown Support and Canada Recovery Hiring Program. The wage subsidy, rent subsidy and Lockdown Support are set to expire on October 23, 2021. On October 21, the government announced an updated Covid-19 relief strategy.

The passage of the budget implementation act provided the government with the authority to further extend these programs until November 20, 2021. Now, the government is proposing to use this authority to provide tourism, hospitality and other hard-hit organizations with support until November 20, 2021 under two new programs:
 

• The Tourism and Hospitality Recovery Program
• The Hardest-Hit Business Recovery Program

The government is also proposing to introduce legislation as soon as possible to extend these programs past November 20, 2021, until May 7, 2022, with authority for further amendments through regulations until July 2, 2022.

Key details for the landscape horticulture profession:

• The government is proposing to extend the Canada Recovery Care giving Benefit and the Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit until May 7, 2022, and increase the maximum duration of benefits by 2 weeks. This would extend the care giving benefit from 42 to 44 weeks and the sickness benefit from 4 to 6 weeks.
• The government is also proposing to establish the Canada Worker Lockdown Benefit, which would provide $300 a week in income support to eligible workers should they be unable to work due to a local lockdown anytime between October 24, 2021 and May 7, 2022.

Read the full announcement

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Resources:

1. Visit the government’s COVID-19 Economic Response Plan website for information about supporting your employees and your business.
2. Contact your local financial institution. Since we know most small businesses have a relationship with their local financial institution already, we’ve worked with the financial sector to increase their lending capacity to support you in this challenging time. They are an excellent first resource.
3. Consult the Canadian Business Resilience Network, a partnership between our government and the Canadian Chamber of Commerce to help your business prepare, persevere and prosper through this crisis.
4. Check out the new PPE Supply Hub – Canadian businesses in need of personal protective equipment, and businesses looking to sell these supplies can go to this hub to connect.
5. Make the POST Promise to show employees and customers that you take COVID-19 prevention seriously by practicing key health and safety steps and maintain a safe workplace.
6. Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety – for a free online course to provide businesses with all the information they need to reopen safely.