The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today announced new actions to protect Canadian jobs and provide more support to businesses and organizations dealing with the economic impacts of COVID-19.
The Government of Canada will provide over $1.7 billion for targeted measures, including:
- $675 million to give financing support to small and medium-sized businesses that are unable to access the government’s existing COVID-19 support measures, through Canada’s Regional Development Agencies.
- $287 million to support rural businesses and communities, including by providing them with much-needed access to capital through the Community Futures Network.
- $500 million to establish a COVID-19 Emergency Support Fund for Cultural, Heritage and Sport Organizations to help address the financial needs of affected organizations within these sectors so they can continue to support artists and athletes. This measure is consistent with the government’s other existing COVID-19 support measures for wages and fixed costs for organizations.
- $250 million to assist innovative, early-stage companies that are unable to access existing COVID-19 business support, through the National Research Council of Canada’s Industrial Research Assistance Program.
- $20.1 million in support for Futurpreneur Canada to continue to support young entrepreneurs across Canada who are facing challenges due to COVID-19. The funding will allow Futurpreneur Canada to provide payment relief for its clients for up to 12 months.
The government is also announcing new measures to help retain and create approximately 10,000 well-paying jobs in the energy sector. To support Canadians working in this sector, the Government of Canada will:
- provide up to $1.72 billion, including funding to the governments of Alberta, Saskatchewan, and British Columbia, and the Alberta Orphan Well Association, to clean up orphan and/or inactive oil and gas wells – creating thousands of jobs and having lasting environmental benefits.
- provide up to $750 million to create a new proposed Emissions Reduction Fund to reduce emissions in Canada’s oil and gas sector, with a focus on methane. This fund will provide primarily repayable contributions to conventional and offshore oil and gas firms to support their investments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Of this amount, $75 million will be allocated to the offshore sector.
- expand eligibility for the new Business Credit Availability Program announced on March 13, 2020, to help Canadian businesses get the financing they need during this period of uncertainty. The support will be available to medium-sized businesses with larger financing needs, beginning with companies in Canada’s energy sector, to help them maintain operations and keep their employees on the job.
We will continue to monitor this evolving situation closely, and take additional actions as needed to protect our health and safety, and stabilize the economy.
WHERE TO START:
Whether you are self-employed, a small business owner, or an entrepreneur – you shouldn’t have to worry about having to lose your business or your job.
To get the help you need:
- Visit our government’s COVID-19 Economic Response Plan website for information about supporting your employees and your business. It is constantly updated as the COVID-19 crisis evolves.
- Contact your local financial institution. Since we know most small businesses have a relationship with their local financial institution already, we’ve worked with the financial sector to increase their lending capability to support you in in this challenging time. They are a good first place to start for help.
- Consult the Canadian Business Resilience Network and Canadian Chamber of Commerce’s pandemic preparedness guide to help prepare you business in the days and weeks to come.
THE TEAM:
For assistance at any time, please reach out to the team member below who represents your region. Based on the current volume of email, if you reply to this email directly without copying the appropriate regional team member, my response may be significantly delayed.
- Simon Beauchemin, Director of Policy – simon.beauchemin@international.gc.ca
- Ivana Spasovska, Senior Special Assistant, Regional Affairs and Stakeholder Relations (Ontario) – ivana.spasovska@international.gc.ca
- Ryan Nearing, Press Secretary and Regional Advisor (Atlantic) – ryan.nearing@international.gc.ca
- Zach Nixon, Special Assistant, Regional Affairs (Ontario) – Zachary.nixon@international.gc.ca
- Youmy Han, Special Assistant, Regional Affairs (West and North) – youmy.han@international.gc.ca
- Arevig Afarian, Special Assistant, Regional Affairs (Quebec) – arevig.afarian@international.gc.ca
