The federal government announced an expansion to the eligibility criteria for the Canada Emergency Business Account (CEBA) to include many owner-operated small businesses
The program will now be available to 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 rather than 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
a Canada Revenue Agency business number, and to have filed a 2018 or 2019 tax return
eligible non-deferrable expenses between $40,000 and $1.5 million. Eligible non-deferrable expenses could include costs such as rent, property taxes, utilities, and insurance
Manitoba:
The province unveiled the Manitoba Works Capital Incentive, a new approach to tax increment financing (TIF) that levers incremental education property tax rebates to stimulate economic growth and job creation
A new or existing business interested in getting established or expanding in Manitoba may apply to the program if:
the business is prepared to make a minimum capital investment of $10 million to a specific property, which will be designated for tax increment financing benefits
a minimum of 65 per cent of total project costs are from private sources
there is demonstrable potential to create and/or maintain jobs in Manitoba, or the new business activity will have a substantial and measurable net economic benefit to the province
Amounts collected prior to March 1, 2020 that are being deferred under the previously announced deferral program can continue to be deferred until August 31, 2020
Accommodation providers are still expected to file returns throughout 2020, as required by legislation, and will be expected to resume regular tourism levy payments in 2021
British Columbia:
Health and social service workers delivering in-person, front-line care will receive a financial boost through temporary COVID-19 pandemic pay
As part of a cost-shared program with the federal government, temporary pandemic pay will support people working on the front lines in B.C.’s health-care system, social services and corrections
More than 250,000 eligible front-line workers will receive temporary pandemic pay, a lump-sum payment of about $4 per hour for a 16-week period, starting on March 15, 2020
Eligible workers will receive the payment directly through their employer and do not need to apply
The Government of the Northwest Territories is accepting funding proposals from professional artists in the Northwest Territories recovering from the impacts of COVID-19
Up to $3,000 is available to NWT artists or commercial film and media arts producers with lost revenues or whose activities are restricted due to physical distancing requirements
Up to $5,000 is also being made available to registered NWT arts businesses, not-for-profit organizations and collectives
