Covid-19 Business Resources

Sector Impact Support Program – NOW OPEN

The Sector Impact Support Program provides a one-time grant of up to $7,500 to help small business owners that have been impacted by the new province-wide public health restrictions.

Eligibility

Eligible businesses include:

• restaurants offering in-person dining service
• bars or licensed drinking establishments (including tasting rooms and craft taprooms)
• fitness establishments (including gyms and yoga studios) and sport and recreation facilities (excluding municipally owned or operated facilities)
• businesses and organizations offering indoor recreation and leisure activities (including climbing facilities, dance classes, escape rooms, go-carts, indoor arcades, indoor play spaces, music lessons, pottery painting, shooting ranges and holiday craft markets)
• live performing arts facilities
• boat and walking tours
• private museums

Your business must:

• be registered in Nova Scotia as a sole proprietorship, partnership, corporation, society, social enterprise, not-for-profit, charity in business or other similar organization
• have an active CRA Business Number (BN)
• have gross revenue of $5,000,000 or less in its most recently completed tax year

Incorporated businesses that operate more than one eligible business establishment under a single corporate entity, may apply for a rebate for each business establishment.

Grant amount

Eligible businesses receive a one-time grant based on gross payroll cost or gross revenue in November 2021.

New Tourism Relief Fund (TRF)

Minister of Economic Development and Official Languages, Mélanie Joly, announced a $500-million national program to support the tourism sector in Canada.

The Tourism Relief Fund (TRF) will help position Canada as a destination of choice when domestic and international travel is once again deemed safe by:

• empowering tourism businesses to create new or enhance existing tourism experiences and products to attract more local and domestic visitors
• helping the sector reposition itself to welcome international visitors, by providing the best Canadian tourism experiences we have to offer the world

Initiatives under this fund will help tourism businesses and organizations:

• adapt their operations to meet public health requirements
• improve their products and services
• position themselves for post-pandemic economic recovery

A minimum of $50 million of the TRF will specifically support Indigenous tourism initiatives.

Eligible applicants include tourism entities that cater mainly to visitors, such as:
businesses;
not-for-profit organizations, such as tourism associations; and
band councils or other Indigenous organizations and cooperatives.

To be eligible for this fund, applicants must meet at least one of the following criteria:

• Be a key supplier or operator in the visitor experience;
• Be part of a defined tourism cluster or a tourism-dependent community, including supporting downtown cores; or
• Provide an anchor product or service in a tourism destination.

For more information visit the ACOA website below and download the applicant guide.

CANADA SMALL BUSINESS FINANCING PROGRAM

The Canada Small Business Financing Program makes it easier for small businesses to get loans from financial institutions by sharing the risk with lenders. Up to a maximum of $1,000,000 for anyone borrower, of which no more than $350,000 can be used for purchasing leasehold improvements or improving the leased property and purchasing or improving new or used equipment. Financial institutions deliver the program and are solely responsible for approving the loan.

Who is Eligible?

Small businesses or start-ups operating for profit in Canada, with gross annual revenues of $10 million or less. Not eligible under this program are farming businesses (for a similar program for the farming industry, visit www.agr.gc.ca), not-for-profit organizations, or charitable and religious organizations.

For more information, click the link below or check out this brochure

TOURISM SECTOR FINANCING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM

Government has announced the Tourism Sector Financing Assistance Program that will back loans taken by large tourism operators so they can receive better interest rates and more favourable terms at their bank of choice. The program will be administered by the Nova Scotia COVID-19 Response Council at Dalhousie University.

Tourism operators have experienced significant declines in revenues due to COVID-19 and are facing financial pressures that make it hard to sustain their operations. Also, because of Public Health requirements, tourism operators with large workforces and significant working capital requirements have faced additional uncertainty which may require them to refinance existing debt or apply for additional debt.

How The Program Works:

Eligible tourism operators can receive a Standby Letter of Credit, which lets them get more favourable business terms with their lenders so they can access or preserve the money they need to stay in business. Please note, the program doesn’t provide direct funding such as loans or grants.

Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible to apply for the program, tourism operators must:

• be registered to do business in Nova Scotia and be an active business as defined in the Income Tax Act
• have generated at least 75% of its revenue from Nova Scotia operations during its most recent fiscal year from at least one of these activities (resort operations, tour operations, scenic and sightseeing transportation)
• have employed at least 100 full-time or seasonal employees in its most recently completed fiscal year
• have experienced a revenue decline of at least 50% for the period 1 April 2020 to 31 July 2020 as compared to 1 April 2019 to July 2019
• generate significant economic activity within Nova Scotia (pre-COVID-19 annual revenues of approximately $10 million) during its last fiscal year ending before 1 April 2020
• have already, or be able to negotiate, an eligible debt instrument with a Canadian chartered bank or the Business Development Bank of Canada.

THE 75% CANADA EMERGENCY WAGE SUBSIDY (CEWS)

**UPDATED AS OF NOVEMBER 19, 2020**

The updates include the following:

Extended until June 2021, including changes to the rates and top-up calculation.

Recent Changes:

• The maximum subsidy rate for periods 8 to 10 will remain at 65% (40% base rate + 25% top-up).
• Beginning in period 8, the top-up rate and base rate are is now calculated using the same one-month revenue drop for periods 8 to 10, use the new top-up calculation or the previous 3-month average drop, whichever works in your favour.
• The deadline to apply is January 31, 2021, or 180 days after the end of the claim period, whichever comes later.
• Starting in period 9, the calculation for employees on leave with pay now aligns better with EI benefits.
• You can now calculate pre-crisis pay (baseline remuneration) for employees who were on certain kinds of leave, retroactive to period 5.
• The Canada Emergency Rent Subsidy (CERS) has been introduced for businesses, non-profits, and charities.

What is an eligible employer?

Eligible employers include individuals, taxable corporations, partnerships whose partners are eligible employers, non‑profit organizations, and registered charities. Please note that public bodies, such as municipalities and local governments, Crown corporations, public universities, colleges, schools and hospitals, don’t qualify.

How do you apply?

Eligible employers will be able to apply for the CEWS through the CRA’s My Business Account portal, the Represent a Client Portal, as well as a web-based application. Employers must keep records demonstrating their reduction in revenues and remuneration paid to employees

CANADA EMERGENCY BUSINESS ACCOUNT (CEBA)

Extended until June 30, 2021

This $55 billion program provides interest-free loans of up to $60,000 to small businesses and not-for-profits.

As of December 4, 2020, approved CEBA applicants can now receive a $60,000 loan. CEBA applicants who have received the $40,000 CEBA loan may apply the CEBA expansion, which provides eligible businesses with an additional $20,000 of financing.
CEBA is available from more than 220 financial institutions across the country.

Repaying the balance of the loan on or before December 31, 2022, will result in loan forgiveness of 33 per cent (up to $20,000).

All applicants have until March 31, 2021, to apply for $60,000 CEBA loan or the $20,000 expansion.

Application Requirements:

2019 Business T4 Summary of Remuneration Paid Slip
Canada Revenue Agency Business Number (BN) (15 characters) as reported under the field of “Employer’s account number”

Here are some quick links for applications with participating banks. Please select the bank in which your business already banks with:

• CIBC
• TD
• RBC
• BMO
• Scotiabank
• NBC
• Credit Union (local)

LARGE EMPLOYER EMERGENCY FINANCING FACILITY (LEEFF)

The LEEFF provides bridge financing to Canada’s largest employers, whose needs during the pandemic are not being met through conventional financing, in order to keep their operations going.

This fund allows Canada’s largest businesses, their employees, and their suppliers to remain active and position them for a rapid economic recovery.

Businesses must fill out an online enquiry form before applying. The form can be found by clicking here.

Click here for the LEEFF fact sheet.

SMALL BUSINESS LOAN GUARANTEE PROGRAM

Changes to the Province of Nova Scotia’s Small Business Loan Guarantee Program, administered through credit unions, include deferring principal and interest payments until June 30, enhancing the program to make it easier for businesses to access credit up to $500,000, and for those who might not qualify for a loan, the government will guarantee the first $100,000.

BUSINESS CREDIT AVAILABILITY PROGRAM (BCAP)

The BCAP will support access to financing for Canadian businesses in all sectors and regions.

Through this program, Export Development Canada (EDC) and the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) will provide $65 billion in direct lending and other types of financial support at market rates to businesses with viable business models whose access to financing would otherwise be restricted. By working in close cooperation with financial institutions, this program will fill gaps in market access and leverage additional lending by private sector institutions

Businesses seeking support through BCAP should contact the financial institutions with whom they have a pre-existing relationship, so that the financial institutions may assess the client’s financial request. If the needs of the client exceed the level of support the financial institution is able to provide, the financial institution will work alongside BDC or EDC to access additional resources the Government has made available under BCAP.

For Existing BDC Clients

• May be eligible for a 6-month principal postponement of all existing debts as well as a working capital supplement
• The working capital is a short term back end loaded loan with principal deferment for the first 12 months
• The amount of this financing provided is based on a detailed projection or forecast identifying the “carrying costs” or “burn rate” of the business operation for the upcoming 12-24 months.

For New BDC Clients

New clients are also eligible for the working capital supplement under the same terms and conditions stated above with additional information required about the business, which would include, but are not limited to the most recent three years of year-end financial statements, interim financial statements, and projections and/or cash flow forecasts to determine eligible amounts.

*Please note, standard credit criteria apply. Businesses must be financially viable prior to the pandemic to qualify.

For loans under $100,000, you can apply online now. For loans over $100,000, please contact our local BDC branch.

BDC Webinar for business, available here

COVID-19 PREVENTION PLAN

All businesses and organizations that were originally ordered to close are required to create a “COVID-19 Prevention Plan”. While Businesses that were allowed to remain open are not required to create the Prevention Plan, it is recommended.

Businesses and organizations that are a member of an association or college can adopt a sector-specific plan as their Workplace COVID-19 Prevention Plan. Plans must address the following public health protocols:

• Social distancing in the workplace for both employees and customers
• The number of customers
• How to work and interact with customers
• Cleaning
• Equipment
• Preparing employees to return to work
• Preparing for customers or clients
• Monitoring and communicating of the plan

Information on how to develop these plans can be found here.

Businesses and organizations should contact their association to learn what they need to do to reopen safely.

Public Health is meeting with industry associations to share public health principles and provide information to help them develop their plans.

Businesses should also ensure they have the proper PPE. We have compiled a list of local businesses offering PPE within the CBRM. We are updating this list regularly. Please see the section titled PPE Information above.

All businesses and organizations must share their plans with employees and have it available if requested. They also need to provide their plans to provincial inspectors if asked.

KEEPING CUSTOMERS & EMPLOYEES SAFE

Businesses and customers must work together in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Besides social distancing procedures, businesses and organizations can ask customers and employees to follow additional health and safety measures. Additional safety measures may include asking customers to wear a face mask or to follow signage on what direction to walk in and where to stand when in an establishment.

It is important for businesses to share their safety measures and procedures with the public in a clear and concise way.

Additional information on keeping customers and employees safe has been provided by the Government can be found here.

Businesses should make sure they are keeping their establishments clean. It is recommended that workspaces be cleaned and disinfected a minimum of twice a day or as required. Pay attention to high-touch areas such as doorknobs, light switches, and railings. For more information on cleaning and how to properly clean, please click here.

Businesses should assess workplace hazards that could harm employees during the COVID-19 pandemic and know how to prevent and eliminate any hazards that are found. Please visit the Nova Scotia Occupation Health & Safety page here.

EMPLOYEE SUPPORT & RIGHTS

Anyone who has travelled outside of Nova Scotia is required to self-isolate for 14 days from the day they return to the province, regardless of if they have symptoms or not. Employees are not required to give an employer a doctor’s note if they must be off work for this reason.

If employees have questions about taking leave or being laid off, please contact the Labour Standards Division at 1-888-315-0110.

If an employee has safety concerns about their working conditions, they should talk to their supervisor. If the safety concern is not resolved, they should contact their Occupation Health and Safety Committee or safety representative. If neither of those options help, employees can call the Safety Branch at 1-800-952-2687 or email [email protected].

For more information on Employee Safety please visit the Nova Scotia Government Website here.

PAID SICK LEAVE PROGRAM

Under the Paid Sick Leave Program, Nova Scotians who need to take time off work because of COVID-19 may qualify for up to 4 paid sick days through the COVID-19 Sick Leave Program.

Nova Scotia’s COVID-19 Paid Sick Leave program is available from 20 December 2021 to 31 March 2022 for individuals who can’t work remotely and miss less than 50% of their scheduled work time in a 1-week period because of COVID-19.

This includes taking time off because you’re:

• self-isolating because of an exposure, close contact, or COVID-19 symptoms and are waiting to get a rapid or PCR test
• getting a rapid or PCR test
• self-isolating while waiting to get PCR test results
• getting a vaccine or booster dose (time missed due to a reaction or symptoms from a vaccine or booster is not covered)

Eligibility

Employers can apply for reimbursement within 30 days of an employee’s sick days for the period of 20 December 2021 to 31 March 2022 if they:

• are a for-profit business or not-for-profit organization
• have a permanent physical location in Nova Scotia
• are registered to do business in Nova Scotia
• are in good standing with the Government of Nova Scotia (not in default of any financial obligations like loan repayments, taxes, fines, fees and administrative and court orders)
• are claiming reimbursement for Nova Scotia-based employees
• do not provide their employees with at least 4 paid sick leave days

Self-employed people can apply if they:

• are a resident of Nova Scotia
• are actively earning income from the business as their primary source of income
• are registered to do business in Nova Scotia, if applicable
• have declared business income on their most recent tax return
• have lost income because they missed time at work
• are in good standing with the Government of Nova Scotia (not in default of any financial obligations like loan repayments, taxes, fines, fees and administrative and court orders)
• aren’t eligible for or receiving other income support (like Business Interruption Insurance, Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit or any other income replacement or insurance programs)

How to apply:

Applications must be received within 30 days of the date the employee was paid, or the time was missed by the self-employed worker.

CANADA RECOVERY CAREGIVING BENEFIT (CRCB)

The Canada Recovery Caregiving Benefit (CRCB) gives income support to employed and self-employed individuals who are unable to work because they must care for their child who is under 12 years old or to a family member who needs supervised care. this applies if their school, regular program or facility is closed or unavailable to them due to COVID-19, or because they are sick, self-isolating, or at risk of serious health complications due to COVID-19.

Eligible individuals can receive $500 ($450 after taxes withheld) for each 1-week period.

If your situation continues past 1 week, you will need to reapply for a maximum of 26 weeks between September 27, 2020, and September 25, 2021.

Eligibility Requirements:

• You are unable to work at least 50% of your scheduled work week because you are caring for a family member
• You are caring for your child under 12 years old or a family member who needs supervised care because they are at home for one of the following reasons: their school or child care facility is closed or unavailable to them due to COVID-19, their regular sare services are unavailable to them due to COVID-19 or the person under your care is sick with COVID-19 or has symptoms of COVID-19, at risk of serious health complications if they get COVID-19, as advised by a medical professional or is self-isolating due to COVID-19.
• You did not apply or receive any of the following for the same period: Canada Recovery Benefit, Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit, short-term disability benefits, workers’ compensation benefits, or Employment Insurance benefits.
• You reside in Canada
• You were present in Canada
• You are at least 15 years old
• You have a valid Social Insurance Number
• You earned at least $5,000 (before deductions) in 2019, 2020, or in the 12 months before the date, you apply form any of the following sources: employment income, self-employment income, maternity and parental benefits from EI or similar benefits.
• You are the only person in your household applying for the benefit for the week
• You are not receiving a paid leave from your employer for the same period.

CANADA RECOVERY SICKNESS BENEFIT (CRSB)

The Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit (CRSB) gives income support to employed and self-employed individuals who are unable to work because they’re sick or need to self-isolate due to COVID-19, or have an underlying health condition that puts them at a greater risk of getting COVID-19.

Eligible individuals can receive $500 ($450 after taxes withheld) for a 1-week period.

If your situation continues past 1 week, you will need to reapply for a maximum of 2 weeks between September 27, 2020, and September 25, 2021.

Eligibility Requirements:

• You are unable to work at least 50% of your scheduled work week because you are self-isolating for one of the following reasons: you are sick with COVID-19 or may have COVID-19, you are advised to seld-isolate due to COVID-19 or you have an underlying health condition that puts you at a greater risk of getting COVID-19.
• You did not apply or receive any of the following for the same period: Canada Recovery Benefit, Canada Recovery Caregiving Benefit, short-term disability benefits, workers’ compensation benefits, or Employment Insurance benefits.
• You reside in Canada
• You were present in Canada
• You are at least 15 years old
• You have a valid Social insurance Number
• You earned at least $5,000 (before deductions) in 2019, 2020, or in the 12 months before the date you apply from any of the following sources: employment income, self-employment income or maternity and parental benefits from EI or similar benefits.
• You are not receiving paid leave from your employer for the same period.

CANADA RECOVERY BENEFIT (CRB)

Opens October 12.

The Canada Recovery Benefit (CRB) gives income support to employed and self-employed individuals who are directly affected by COVID-19 and are not entitled to Employment Insurance Benefits. This benefit is administered by the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA).

Eligible individuals can receive $1,000 ($900) after taxes withheld every 2 weeks.

If your situation continues past 2 weeks, you will need to apply again for a maximum of 13 eligibility periods (26 weeks) between September 27, 2020, and September 25, 2021.

Eligibility Requirements:

• You were not working for reasons related to COVID-19 or you had a 50% reduction in your average weekly income compared to the previous year due to COVID-19.
• You did not apply or receive any of the following: Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit, Canada Recovery Caregiving Benefit, short-term disability benefits, workers’ compensation benefits, or Employment Insurance benefits.
• You were not eligible for EI benefits
• You reside in Canada
• You were present in Canada
• You are at least 15 years old
• You have a valid Social Insurance Number
• You earned at least $5,000 (before deductions) in 2019, 2020 or in the 12 months before you apply from any of the following sources: employment income, self-employment income, maternity and parental benefits from EI or similar QPIP benefits.
• You have not quit your job or reduced your hours voluntarily on or after September 27, 2020.
• You were seeking work during the period, either as an employee or in self-employment
• You have not turned down reasonable work during the 2-week period you’re applying for.

FINANCIAL RELIEF FOR ARTISTS

CanadaPerforms

The National Arts Centre and Facebook Canada launched a new $100,000 partnership aimed at providing financial relief to performing artists whose livelihood has been cut off due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Artists in any discipline can apply for a $1,000 grant to support a 45-60 minute livestream performance planned between March 19 and 31. The funding will come from Facebook Canada. The NAC will receive and administer applications. To apply for the grant, performing artists should submit their name, a description of their performance, the date and the streaming platform (which doesn’t have to be Facebook). For more information visit their website.

Unison COVID-19 Relief Program

The Unison Benevolent Fund and The Slaight Family Foundation have launched the Unison COVID19 Relief Program for those whose work in the Canadian music industry has been impacted and require assistance, please register for Unison’s services. Funding will be allocated towards housing costs, medical expenses, and groceries for those in the music industry across Canada.

For more information please contact the Unison office by phone (1-855-986-4766, ext. 3) or by email at [email protected].

IDEAS & TIPS TO CONNECT WITH AUDIENCES/CLIENTS

Bandzoogle has put together this handy blog about how musicians can ask fans for support during the coronavirus pandemic found here.

I Lost My Gig is a support group on Facebook for folks from various disciplines in the Gig Economy to gather, listen, and share here.

MusicOntario will be reposting various updates, interesting content from the community, streaming events, and other tidbits.

Music Managers Forum Canada has an incredibly thorough resource page that is being constantly updated here.

Worldwide Independent Network has a list of resources for the indie music community across the work here.