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COVID-19 and the Economy


Safe Restart Agreement

  • The Safe Restart Agreement (SRA) was an investment made by the federal government, implemented September 2020, of over $19 billion, which was intended to aid the provinces and territories in rebuilding their economies and preventing future economic problems associated with COVID-19.
  • Part of this funding was to increase testing and contact tracing of the virus, aid the health care system, increase availability of mental health services, ensure front-line workers an

COVID-19 Work-Sharing Program

  • The Work-Sharing Program was developed to help employers avoid laying off their employees when business activity is declining in situations where it is out of the employers' control.
  • This report identifies how this program supports businesses and employees affected by COVID-19, the eligibility for this program, how to apply, and other important details of the program.

Indigenous Community Support Fund

  • The Indigenous Community Support Fund is a support program for Indigenous communities and organizations who are known to be more vulnerable to address the evolving COVID-19 situation.
  • This resource outlines how these funds can be allocated, who the fund specifically supports, how the fund works, and how the fund has evolved over the pandemic.

Indigenous Community Business Fund

  • This page highlights the Indigenous Community Business Fund, which is an initiative that provides $117 million (along with another $117 million provided in the 2021 Federal Budget) to help First Nations, Inuit, and Métis businesses and microbusinesses who have had their income impacted by COVID-19.
  • This page identifies why can apply, how to apply, the deadline, the eligible costs and activities, the assessment process, details of confidentiality, and the recipient

Financial Support for Indigenous Communities

  • This publication by Indigenous Services Canada, identifies the financial supports in place to help Indigenous individuals, organizations, communities, businesses, and students throughout COVID-19.
  • This includes various benefits, funds, and initiatives that were developed for Indigenous peoples, general benefits Indigenous peoples are eligible for, support for a safe return to school, and the guidelines prepared for Indigenous peoples in COVID-19.

The COVID-19 Response Measures Act

  • This page highlights the legislation introduced by the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion to enact three temporary recovery benefits in order to support employees who were unable to work because of COVID-19 and to encourage the return back to work.
  • This includes the Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit (CRSB), the Canada Recovery Caregiving Benefit (CRCB), and the Canada Recovery Benefit (CRB).

Financial Relief Measures for Businesses during COVID-19

  • This policy by the Business Development Bank of Canada, on behalf of the federal government, outlines the financial relief measures available to help businesses and entrepreneurs throughout COVID-19.
  • This page discusses the Highly Affected Sectors Credit Availability Program, the Canada Emergency Business Account, the Co-Lending Program, the EDC Business Credit Availability (BCAP) Guarantee, the Mid-Market Financing Program, and the Oil and Gas Sector Financing.

Canada Emergency Rent Subsidy

  • The Canada Emergency Rent Subsidy (CERS) was implemented to help businesses, non-profit organizations, and charities receive a subsidy on their property expenses after facing a drop in revenue due to COVID-19.
  • This page highlights the details of this subsidy including; eligibility, claim periods, claiming expenses, subsidy amount, how to apply, and what to do after you apply.

Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy

  • The Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS) is a policy implemented by the Government of Canada to help employers who have had a decline in revenue due to COVID-19 and who may be eligible for financial assistance to cover part of their employees' wages.
  • This page outlines the eligibility criteria, claim periods, eligibility of employees, how to apply, and what to do after you apply for the CEWS.