COVID-19 | Support and Resources
2021/01/10
Looking for guidance for your business during the current COVID-19 situation?
The WTC Winnipeg has created the following list of resources to help navigate available support programs. Our team of business and trade advisors are also here to answer your questions. Contact us by email at covid@wtcwinnipeg.com or by phone at 204.253.4888 or 1.800.665.2019 (toll free).
Black Entrepreneurship Loan Fund New initiative in support of Black business owners and entrepreneurs through the Black Entrepreneurship Loan Fund that will provide loans of between $25,000 and $250,000. The Loan Fund will begin accepting applications in May 2021. More information to come. |
Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS) The government has announced a proposed extension of the current CEWS rates until June 5, 2021. The Canadian government is covering up to 75% of an employee’s wages for qualifying eligible employers to keep and re-hire employees and avoid layoffs. The Temporary Wage Subsidy for Employers is another subsidy available to employer. Learn more here: https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/subsidy/temporary-wage-subsidy.html#h1 How to apply:
More Information:
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Canada Emergency Business Account (CEBA) All CEBA applicants have until June 30, 2021 to apply for $60,000 CEBA loan or the $20,000 expansion. If you have already applied for CEBA and have questions, please contact the CEBA Call Centre at 1-888-324-4201.
Eligibility:
How to apply: Business owners can apply now through their banks and credit unions. More Information:
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Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) - Status: Closed Applications are closed at this time. More Information: The government of Canada – CERB – https://www.canada.ca/en/services/benefits/ei/cerb-application.html |
Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance (CECRA) - Status: Closed Applications are closed at this time. To learn more, visit: https://www.cmhc-schl.gc.ca/en/finance-and-investing/covid19-cecra-small-business |
Canada Emergency Rent Subsidy (CERS) The government has announced a proposed extension of the current CERS and Lockdown Support rate until June 5, 2021. The Canada Emergency Rent Subsidy (CERS) provides a direct and easy-to-access rent and mortgage subsidy of up to 65% of eligible expenses to qualifying businesses, charities and non-profits. This support is available directly to tenants. Lockdown Support: Qualifying organizations that have been significantly restricted by a mandatory public health order issued by a qualifying public health authority can receive an additional 25% of rent support through the Lockdown Support. The combined effect of the rent subsidy and the Lockdown Support is that hard-hit businesses, non-profits and charities subject to a lockdown can receive rent support of up to 90%. More Information:
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Canada United Small Business Relief Fund - Status: Closed Applications are closed at this time. Created and launched by RBC, Canada United is a national movement to support local businesses in communities across the country. The actions of Canadians during the campaign helped establish the Canada United Small Business Relief Fund (CUSBRF) to help small businesses offset the cost of expenses required to reopen safely or adopt digital technologies to move more of their business online. Successful applicants will receive a relief grant of up to $5,000. Eligibility:
How to apply: Apply online https://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/5809871/Canada-United-Application-MB More Information:
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Canada Recovery Benefit Open for applications. The government has announced a proposed extension to the CRB eligibility period limits. The change would allow eligible recipients to apply for a total of 19 periods (38 weeks) between September 27, 2020 and September 25, 2021. 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 (EI) benefits. The CRB is administered by the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA). If you are eligible for the CRB, you can receive $1,000 ($900 after taxes withheld) for a 2-week period. More Information:
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Economic Support Grant Program - Status: Closed Applications are closed at this time. For additional details, please visit: https://winnipeg.ca/emergweb/covid-19/economic-support-grant.stm |
Employment Insurance (EI) Ongoing access to the Employment Insurance (EI) program is available for eligible workers who have lost their job. EI is designed to provide temporary financial support for those workers who have lost their job, are sick, pregnant, caring for a newborn or adopted child, caring for a family member who is seriously ill with a significant risk of death or providing care or support to a critically ill family member. Temporary changes have been made to the Employment Insurance (EI) program to help you access EI benefits. These changes are in effect until September 2021. Go to EI benefits and leave to find the benefit type that applies to your situation. The following changes could apply to you:
More Information:
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Highly Affected Sectors Credit Availability Program (HASCAP) The HASCAP is available until June 30, 2021. The Highly Affected Sectors Credit Availability Program (HASCAP) provides businesses heavily impacted by COVID-19, access guaranteed, low-interest loans of $25,000 to $1 million to cover operational cash flow needs. HASCAP is available to businesses that operate in sectors such as tourism and hospitality, restaurants and those that primarily rely on in-person services. The program is available at some participating financial institutions. Other participating financial institutions will deploy the program progressively over the days that follow. More Information:
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Manitoba Bridge Grant - Status: Closed Applications are closed at this time. The Manitoba Bridge Grant – Stream A provides financial assistance of $15,000 to eligible Manitoba businesses and organizations that were required to fully close their premises to the public as a result of Manitoba COVID-19 Prevention Orders in effect as of November 12, 2020 or any revisions to those Orders. More Information: Have more questions? Visit: https://www.gov.mb.ca/covid19/programs/bridge-grant.html |
Manitoba Dine-in Relief Program - Status: Closed Applications are closed at this time. For more Information, visit the Manitoba Chamber of Commerce Dine-in Restaurant Relief Program Application web page: https://rrf.mbchamber.mb.ca/ |
Manitoba Gap Protection Program - Status: Closed Applications are closed at this time. Update: Businesses who received the Manitoba Gap Protection of $6,000 will no longer have to pay back the Gap Protection loan. This also apllies to Businesses who received both the Manitoba Gap Protection and any other federal assistance. More Information:
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Back to Work in Manitoba Wage Subsidy Program - Status: Closed Applications are closed at this time. The Back to Work Manitoba initiative is a hiring program designed to support Manitoba’s economic recovery by encouraging Manitoba employers to bring back their employees or take on new hires. More Information: Manitoba Back to Work Program – https://manitoba.ca/covid19/restartmb/mbtwp.html |
Support for agriculture, farmers and food processing employers - Status: Closed Applications are closed at this time. |
Regional Relief and Recovery Funds (RRRF) The Fund aims to help western Canadian businesses cope with the financial hardship resulting from COVID-19. The funds are divided in four different eligibility groups:
Funding over $40,000. Apply online (https://portal.wd-deo.ca/en-ca/form/?id=808eb560-cf90-ea11-a811-000d3af4a4ca) More Information: Regional Relief and Recovery Fund – https://www.wd-deo.gc.ca/eng/20059.asp |
Wage Funding Employment Programs from ECO Canada - Status: Closed Applications are closed at this time. Working with the federal government, ECO Canada offers employment funding programs for organizations to hire recent graduates in roles with an environmental focus:
ECO Canada employment funding programs were created to stimulate skill development, business growth and workforce advancement. Let ECO Canada help you do that. Applications take only 20 minutes. Take the eligibility assessment and apply: https://www.eco.ca/employment-programs/ More Information: Reach out to us at pathways@eco.ca with any questions or visit – https://www.eco.ca/employment-programs/youth-placement/natural-resources/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=wf_20&utm_content=ESAAwfYNR |
More Provincial Support For more information on provincial financial program, please visit the Manitoba Protection Plan – https://manitoba.ca/covid19/protection/index.html |
More Federal Support For more information on federal financial program, please visit Canada’s COVIS-19 Economic Response Plan – https://www.canada.ca/en/department-finance/economic-response-plan.html |
Large Employer Emergency Financing Facility (LEEFF)
Eligibility:
How to apply: Applications are available now through the Canada Enterprise Emergency Funding Corporation – https://www.cdev.gc.ca/home-ceefc/ More Information:
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Business Credit Availability Program (BCAP) Through the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) and Export Development Canada (EDC), the new Business Credit Availability Program will increase the credit available to small, medium and large Canadian businesses, providing more than $65 billion in direct lending and other types of financial support. More information is available here – https://www.edc.ca/en/solutions/working-capital/bcap-guarantee.html |
Downtown Winnipeg Biz Grant - Status: Closed Applications are closed at this time. More Information: Downtown Winnipeg Biz – https://downtownwinnipegbiz.com/downtown-businesses-needing-support-through-the-pandemic-can-apply-for-a-1000-grant/ |
Farm Credit Canada COVID-19 Support Program Farm Credit Canada (FCC) will augment credit available to farmers and the agri-food sector by $5 billion, including a deferral of principal and interest payments up to six months for existing loans or a deferral of principal payments up to 12 months, access to an additional credit line up to $500,000, secured by general security agreements or universal movable hypothec (Québec only). More information is available here – https://www.fcc-fac.ca/en/covid-19/program-details.html |
Additional funding through regional development agencies, industrial research, and Heritage Canada To help reach people and businesses who may not be able to receive funding through other programs and financial lenders, the federal government is also allocating an additional:
Applications for funding can be submitted directly to those organizations. |
Funding for small and medium-sized Indigenous businesses and financial institutions On March 18, the federal government provided up to $306.8 million in funding to help small- and medium-sized Indigenous businesses, and to support Aboriginal Financial Institutions that offer financing to these businesses. The funding will allow for short-term, interest-free loans and non-repayable contributions through Aboriginal Financial Institutions, which offer financing and business support services to First Nations, Inuit and Métis businesses. The program will be provided through Aboriginal Financial Institutions, and administered by the National Aboriginal Capital Corporations Association and the Métis capital corporations in partnership with Indigenous Services Canada. The funding will allow for interest-free loans, as well as non-repayable contributions, to help Indigenous businesses unable to access the government’s existing COVID-19 support measures. Additional funding will help Aboriginal Financial Institutions cover operational expenses, and help the National Aboriginal Capital Corporations Association increase its operational capacity. On May 21, the government announced an additional $75 million in funding for Indigenous organizations providing services to Indigenous peoples in urban centres and off reserve. This additional funding will support more community-based projects that address the critical needs of Indigenous populations during this crisis, including food security, mental health support services, and sanitation and protective equipment. It could also help with other needs, such as support for Elders, transportation, and educational materials for Indigenous children and youth. |
Additional Resources
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