COVID-19: Support Options For Economic Development Corporations & Indigenous Businesses
Shortly after the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the COVID-19 a global pandemic on March 11 2020, the Government of Canada shut down the economy to combat the spread of Coronavirus.
Like many other businesses, First Nations Development Corporations, Medium and Small-sized non-essential companies took a big hit; revenues and sales dropped significantly. Some organizations had to layoff employees, and others had to close their businesses permanently.
On March 18, 2020, to minimize the financial impact of COVID-19, the federal government announced its $82B COVID-19 Emergency Response Package for individuals and businesses struggling with the economic effects of the Coronavirus.
If your business has been facing financial difficulties due to the pandemic, we suggest you review the list below that summarizes different types of financial support that are available to your Indigenous business due to COVID-19. It is an excellent source of information that is compiled by the Aboriginal Financial Officers Association of BC(AFOABC).
CEWS (Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy) | Temporary 10% Wage Subsidy | CEBA (Emergency Benefit for Business Account) | CECRA (Commercial Rent Assistance) | Support for Indigenous via AFIs | |
What is it? | Covers 75% of an employee’s wage (up to $847/week) | 3 month measure that allows eligible employers to reduce the amount of payroll deduction required to be remitted to CRA | Interest free loans of up to $40,000 to cover operating costs during a period where their revenues have been temporarily reduced ($10,000 is forgivable if paid back by 2022) | Forgivable loans to qualifying commercial property owners to cover 50% of three monthly rent payments that are payable by tenants who are experiencing financial hardship | Interest free loans of up to $40,000 with a $10,000 forgivable portion |
Who is eligible? |
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| Canadian operating businesses as of March 1, 2020 including Indigenous businesses (except government organizations or bodies or an entity owned by a government organization or body) | Businesses whose mortgaged property owner agrees to reduce tenants’ rent by at least 75% under a rent forgiveness agreement | Current and previous clients of Aboriginal Financial Institutions (please note that Indigenous businesses who apply for CEBA cannot receive this funding as well – it’s either one or the other) |
Eligibility requirements | Eligible employees* being paid eligible remuneration** Must continue to be paid during the claim period. | CRA business number Pay salary, wage, bonuses or other remuneration | Has a federal tax registration Annual payroll between $20,000 and $1.5M | Paying less than $50,000 month in rent At least a 70% drop in pre-COVID revenue | Indigenous businesses impacted by the Covid-19 crisis |
How to apply? | Through your CRA ‘My Business’ account or use the Web Forms available online | Through a reduction in payroll remittances | Through banks & credit unions | Check with your landlord | Through an AFI in your region |
*Eligible employees are individuals employed in Canada during the claim period except if there was a period of 14 or more consecutive days in that period where they did not receive any pay from you. Employee eligibility is based on whether the person is employed in Canada, not where they live.
**Eligible remuneration is salary, wages and other taxable benefits, fees and commissions. Severance pay and items such as stock option benefits or the personal use of a corporate vehicle are not part of eligible remuneration.
Information in this table has been gathered from https://www.canada.ca/en/department-finance/economic-response-plan.html#businesses
Still have questions?
If you need more information, please visit Canada’s COVID-19 Economic Response Plan and read more detailed information about the financial support options that are available to your business.