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Daily COVID-19 Update: May 13, 2020

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Supports for Business

Government Announces Details Of The Regional Relief And Recovery Fund

Today the government announced the details of the nearly $1 billion in funding being provided to the Regional Development Agencies ($675 million) and the national network of Community Futures Development Corporations ($287 million) with $304.2 million allocated specifically for Western Canada. Within our community, SMEs will be able to apply for support through the Community Futures Network. You can connect with Community Futures Entre-Corp and provide them with contact information so they can connect with you when the application process is ready.

Eligibility 

  • Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs) located in non-metropolitan regions (all areas served by Community Futures organizations) in Western Canada. 
  • The SME must attest to their ineligibility for other federal government COVID-19 support programming such as the Canada Emergency Business Account (CEBA) or the Business Credit Availability Program (BCAP) 
  • The small business must have been viable and not experiencing any liquidity or other financial difficulties as of March 1, 2020. 
  • The small business must have experienced a material adverse effect on business operations on or after March 1, 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. 
  • Business established before March 1, 2020. 
  • Be a sole proprietorship, partnership (except professional services), corporation, social enterprise, or other similar organization. 

Eligible expenses 

  • Operating expenses, payroll and other non-deferrable expenses which are critical to sustain business continuity. 

Repayment terms 

  • No interest accrual or principal payments through December 31, 2022 
  • If 75% of loan is repaid by December 31, 2022, the remainder of the loan is forgiven 
  • Blended principal and interest payments beginning January 1, 2023 and loans must be repaid by December 31, 2025 
  • No prepayment penalties 

Find out if you are eligible.

 

Alberta Getting Ready for Relaunch

Stage one of Alberta’s relaunch strategy puts safety first as restrictions are gradually lifted. Calgary and Brooks will see a slightly more gradual reopening, taking into account higher case numbers in these two communities, to balance public safety with the need to get businesses open and services restored for Albertans.With enhanced testing capacity and contact tracing ability, along with a rapid response plan in place in the event of possible outbreaks, the province is ready to take the first incremental steps to reopen some businesses and services.

Stage one – all areas of Alberta except cities of Calgary and Brooks

With increased infection prevention and control measures to minimize the risk of increased transmission of infections, some businesses and facilities can start to resume operations on May 14 in all areas except the cities of Calgary and Brooks: 

  • Retail businesses, such as clothing, furniture and bookstores. All vendors at farmers markets will also be able to operate.
  • Museums and art galleries.
  • Daycares and out-of-school care with limits on occupancy.
  • Hairstyling and barber shops.
  • Cafés, restaurants, pubs and bars will be permitted to reopen for table service only at 50 percent capacity.
  • Day camps, including summer school, will be permitted with limits on occupancy.
  • Post-secondary institutions will continue to deliver courses; however, there will be more flexibility to include in-person delivery once the existing health order prohibiting in-person classes is lifted.
  • Places of worship and funeral services, if they follow specific guidance already online.
  • The resumption of some scheduled, non-urgent surgeries will continue gradually.
  • Regulated health professions are permitted to offer services as long as they continue to follow approved guidelines set by their professional colleges.

In Calgary and Brooks, the relaunch will be gradual over 18 days due to higher COVID-19 case numbers in these communities.

Stage one – cities of Calgary and Brooks

Opening May 14:

  • Retail businesses, such as clothing, furniture and bookstores. All vendors at farmers markets will also be able to operate.
  • Museums and art galleries.
  • Daycares and out-of-school care with limits on occupancy.
  • The resumption of some scheduled, non-urgent surgeries will continue gradually.
  • Regulated health professions are permitted to offer services as long as they continue to follow approved guidelines set by their professional colleges.

Opening May 25:

  • Hairstyling and barber shops.
  • Cafés, restaurants, pubs and bars will be permitted to reopen for table service only at 50 percent capacity.

Opening June 1:

  • Day camps, including summer school, will be permitted with limits on occupancy.
  • Post-secondary institutions will continue to deliver courses; however, there will be more flexibility to include in-person delivery once the existing health order prohibiting in-person classes is lifted.
  • Places of worship and funeral services, if they follow specific guidance already online.

The new alberta.ca/bizconnect web page provides business owners with information on health and safety guidelines for general workplaces, as well as sector-specific guidelines for those able to open in stage one. Businesses allowed to reopen during stage one will be subject to strict infection prevention and control measures, and will be carefully monitored for compliance with public health orders. It will be up to each business operator to determine if they are ready to open and ensure all guidance has been met.

Physical distancing requirements of two metres remain in place through all stages of relaunch and hygiene practices will continue to be required of businesses and individuals, along with instructions for Albertans to stay home when exhibiting symptoms such as cough, fever, shortness of breath, runny nose, or sore throat. Albertans are also encouraged to wear non-medical masks when out in public places where keeping a distance of two metres is difficult.

Still not permitted in stage one:

  • Gatherings of more than 15 people unless otherwise identified in public health orders or guidance.
  • Gatherings of 15 people or fewer must follow personal distancing and other public health guidelines.
  • Arts and culture festivals, major sporting events and concerts, all of which involve close physical contact.
  • Movie theatres, theatres, pools, recreation centres, arenas, spas, gyms and nightclubs will remain closed.
  • Services offered by allied health disciplines like acupuncture and massage therapy.
  • Visitors to patients at health-care facilities will continue to be limited; however, outdoor visits are allowed with a designated essential visitor and one other person (a group of up to three people, including the resident), where space permits. However, physical distancing must be practised and all visitors must wear a mask or some other form of face covering.
  • In-school classes for kindergarten to Grade 12 students.

Recommendations:

  • Travel outside the province is not recommended.
  • Remote working is advised where possible.
  • Encourage Albertans in Calgary and Brooks to wait to access services upon reopening in their communities rather than travelling for services.
  • Albertans are encouraged to download the ABTraceTogether mobile contact tracing app and use it when in public.

Progression to stage two will be determined by the success of stage one, considering health-care system capacity, hospitalization and intensive care unit (ICU) cases, and infection rates. For more information, visit alberta.ca/RelaunchStrategy or view the press release.

Supports for Individuals

Canada Emergency Student Benefit (CESB)

Students can start to apply for the Canada Emergency Student Benefit on May 15, 2020 and must have a CRA account to apply.The CESB will provide financial support to post-secondary students, and recent post-secondary and high school graduates who are unable to find work due to COVID-19 and who do not qualify for the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) or Employment Insurance (EI). Find more information.

To get ready to apply, the CRA is encouraging eligible students to take three easy steps:

  1. Create a profile with the CRA by calling 1-800-959-8281 (for students who have never filed a tax return)
  2. Register for a CRA My Account as it is the fastest and easiest way to complete an application
  3. Enroll in Direct Deposit to have CESB payments deposited directly into their bank accounts. Financial institutions across the country are also allowing Canadians to sign up for CRA Direct Deposit through their bank portals in a few easy steps.

 

COVID-19: Free virtual tax clinics

Due to concerns surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, many community organizations had to close, postpone, or scale back on the free tax clinics they offer. However the Government announced that virtual clinics will be held on an interim basis to help those that rely on this service while still following physical distancing guidelines. Clinics will have new flexibility to receive and authenticate documents in a variety of ways, including allowing the use of video communication. These free tax clinics, where eligible people can have community volunteers file their taxes, will be offered by local organizations, in partnership with the Canada Revenue Agency’s (CRA) Community Volunteer Income Tax Program (CVITP). Find out more.

Advocacy

Regional Relief And Recovery Fund Will Help Smes That Fall Into Covid-19 Support Cracks

Next to the health and safety of employees and customers, cash liquidity is the most critical concern for SMEs in this crisis.  The need is particularly acute for businesses that were ordered to shut down completely or cut back operations severely. As we enter the third month of economic lockdown, many businesses that have not qualified for support urgently need help now. Unfortunately, for some it’s too late. Read the Canadian Chamber statement here.

New Resources

Recording Now Available: How To Navigate Government Programs With KPMG

There is an impressive array of federal, provincial and territorial government programs that offer subsidies, loans and other measures to meet the urgent needs of businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic. Professionals from KPMG joined us for a live interactive discussion to help businesses better understand these programs and how they can help their operations. If you were unable to attend, the session was recorded. Watch the recording.

Virtual Experience Brings Historic Parliament Building To Life

A new experience is opening the doors to the historical seat of Parliament in virtual reality (VR), online and in the classroom. It provides Canadians who are at home during the COVID-19 pandemic with a new way to step inside the centre of federal democracy.

Parliament: The Virtual Experience offers an innovative look inside Centre Block, which closed last year for long-term rehabilitation. This landmark building was the site of debates and decisions that shaped Canada for almost 100 years, a rich legacy that is showcased to the public in this new work.

The 15-minute experience highlights key public spaces, including the Senate, House of Commons, Library of Parliament and Peace Tower. Each chapter offers a new perspective on Parliament – its history, its art and its role in the lives of Canadians. Read more.

#YXH2Gether

Share your stories and resources with us and on the YXH Business Support Group and connect with us for any questions you have.

Recognize your heroes by using the hashtag #YXHheroes.

Honour your everyday heroes through the Alberta Northern Lights Volunteer Awards program. Nominations can be submitted online.

 

"Success is never final, failure is never fatal. It's courage that counts." - John Wooden

 

For more resources visit our COVID-19 page

On Demand Webinars

Alberta Bits & Pieces Webinar. Watch Now.

Canadian Business Resilience Network Video Content

Conflict Escalation & What to Do About It. Watch Now.

Destination Canada: The Visitor Economy: Watch Now.

BDC Economic Pulse (April 20): Watch Now.

How to cope with the impacts of COVID-19 on your business. Watch Now.

How to Navigate Government Programs with KPMG. Watch Now.

The Importance of Human Resources & Being Strategic When Your Business is Being Temporarily Impacted. Watch Now.

Keeping Your Company and Employees Secure When Working Remotely. Watch Now.

Leading During a Crisis and Switching to Remote Work. Watch Now. 

Maintaining Sales in the face of COVID-19. Watch Now.

Rent Relief in a World of the Coronavirus: Watch Now.

Shopify E-Commerce Tools. Watch Now.

Social Media in Crisis. Watch Now.

Understanding, Accessing and Optimizing the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy. Watch Now.

Working From Home During COVID-19. Watch Now.

Webinar Series

AMHSA, CSSE, Howatt HR, AUMA Mental Health Webinar Series. Click here.

APEX Alberta Webinars: Watch the recorded series

BDC Webinar Series. Click here. 

BusinessLink: View upcoming events.

Calgary Chamber of Commerce. Watch Now.

CPA Small Business Webinar Series. Click here. 

CPHR Alberta: HR Pandemic Essentials. Click here.

Conference Board of Canada Webinar Series: Mental Health and COVID-19. Click here.

Constant Contact Webinar Series: View the line up of sessions and register.

D2L Webinar Series: Digital Transformation for Associations. Watch Now.

Economic Developers Alberta (EDA) Wednesday weekly: Business & Economic Recovery During the COVID-19 Crisis

Free Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS)® IDS™ sessions. Register here.

International Economic Development Council Webinar series. Watch now.

StartUp Canada Women Entrepreneur Webinar Series: Click here.

Travel Alberta Webinar Series. Watch Now.

Upcoming Webinars

May 14: University Of Calgary Webinar: Canada’s Energy Transition. Register now.

May 14: Introduction to e-commerce with Shopify. Register Now.

May 14: APEX Alberta: Facebook 2.0. Register here.

May 14: Travel Alberta: Revisiting Your Business Model During the COVID-19 Crisis. Register here.

May 14: AHS COVID-19 Community Conversation: Business Re-launch. Register now.

May 15: AHS COVID-19 Community Conversation: Business Re-launch. Register now.

May 15: BBB Virtual Selling Webinar. Register Now.

May 20: APEX Alberta: Human Resources Fundamentals. Register here.

May 20: ABFI The Lemonade Summit for family business owners. Register here.

May 20: Create a Powerful Marketing Strategy in 7 Steps. Register here.

May 21: Recovery & Overcoming Adversity with Business Link: an Online Panel. Register here.

May 22: How To Create A Brand For The Digital Era. Register here.

May 22: BDC Planning for recovery: How to restart your business in the wake of COVID-19. Register here.

May 22: Valuing Nature: Value Balancing Alliance – Impact Measurement And Green Accounting. Register now.

May 27: APEX Alberta: Everything DiSC Workplace. Register here.

May 28: Work-Life Wellness for Entrepreneurs: During & Beyond the COVID-19 Crisis. Register here.

May 28: Succession Planning Webinar. Register here.

June 3: APEX Alberta: Personality Dimensions – Sales and Customer Service. Register here.

June 4: Cash Flow Management in Times of Uncertainty Webinar. Register here.

June 17: APEX Alberta: Everything DiSC Productive Conflict. Register here.

Don’t forget Joe Social Media – Free Social Media training from May 1 – June 30 (times vary). Register here. Use promocode: Resilience

Check out more events on our Pandemic Training Calendar

 

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