Covid-19 Updates | Daily Workplace Round Up for April 9, 2020

Sarah Visca | Apr 17, 2020

If you receive our newsletter,
you're already signed up!

Below are the key announcements from the Federal, Ontario, Alberta and BC governments that touch on workplace issues for April 17, 2020.

Federal

Prime Minister Announces New Support to Protect Canadian Jobs

Justin Trudeau announced new actions today to protect Canadian jobs and provide more support to businesses and organizations dealing with the economic impacts of COVID-19.

Here's a brief summary of the $1.7 billion measures the Government of Canada will provide:

$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 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.
$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.

Furthermore, the government is announcing new measures to help retain and create approximately 10,000 jobs in the energy sector.

The government will invest significant funds to clean up orphan and inactive oil and gas wells as follows:

Up to $1 billion to the Government of Alberta;
Up to $400 million to the Government of Saskatchewan;
Up to $120 million to the Government of British Columbia; and
$200 million to the Alberta Orphan Wells Association (OWA), although the OWA is expected to fully repay this amount.

For more information on the support for Canadians working in and out of the energy sector, check out this news release and backgrounder.

Declaration of the Ministerial Coordination Group on COVID-19 on Maintaining Essential Global Links

Today, the Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs, and counterparts from Brazil, France, Germany, Indonesia, Italy, Mexico, Morocco, Peru, Republic of Korea, Singapore, Turkey and the United Kingdom, took part in the Ministerial Coordination Group on COVID-19 (MCGC) to reiterate the need to maintain essential global links as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve.

The group agreed on a joint declaration outlining a series of practical actions and strongly advocated for other countries to take similar steps.

For details, check out this news release from Global Affairs Canada.

AgriStability 2020 Enrollment Deadline Extended

The AgriStability enrollment deadline for the 2020 program year has been extended without penalty, from April 30th to July 3, 2020, allowing farmers more time to sign up and benefit from the program.

For more information, check out this news release from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.

You can also contact the AgriStability Administration directly.

New Measures Introduced for Non-Medical Masks or Face Coverings in the Canadian Transportation System

Today, the Minister of Transport announced new measures that require all air passengers to have a non-medical mask or face covering to cover their mouth and nose during travel. These measures will be in effect at noon EDT on April 20, 2020.

When travelling by air, travellers will be asked to cover their mouth and nose:

at Canadian airport screening checkpoints, where the screeners cannot always keep two metres of separation between themselves and the traveller;
when they cannot physically distance from others, or as directed by the airline employees; and
when directed to do so by a public health order or public health official.

Passengers should follow the current Public Health Agency of Canada’s guidance on face coverings.

Learn more from Transport Canada's news release.

Government of Canada Clarifies Support for Canadian Journalism

Today, the Government released draft legislative proposals that will support the Canadian news and broadcasting sectors during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Here are just a few of the legislative proposals in consideration:

Allow news publishers and media organizations that receive support through the ‘Aid to Publishers’ grant of the Canada Periodical Fund to qualify for the Canadian journalism labour tax credit.
Introduce an explicit mechanism for the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) to revoke a qualified Canadian journalism organization’s designation where it no longer meets the eligibility requirements.
Clarify that only organizations that carry on “licensed” broadcasting undertakings are ineligible for the Canadian journalism labour tax credit.

Read the entire list of draft legislative proposals that would support Canadian news and broadcasting sectors during the COVID-19 pandemic.

News! PM under pressure to flesh out promise to top up pay for long term care workers

Justin Trudeau is under pressure to flesh out his promise to do more to protect seniors in long-term care homes, who have been hit the hardest by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Trudeau promised earlier this week that the federal government would provide funding to top up the wages earned by essential workers in nursing homes who earn less than $2,500 a month.

Ontario

Canada and Ontario Support Agri-food Sector Supply Chain During COVID-19

The governments of Canada and Ontario are investing up to $1 million in new funding to connect workers with in-demand jobs in the agri-food sector to keep the nation's supply chains strong and store shelves stocked during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Through the Canadian Agricultural Partnership (the Partnership), the federal and provincial governments will provide support that will help people connect with job opportunities in the sector quickly.

The goal of this program is to help primary agriculture, food processing companies and grocery retailers recruit and train workers who are important to keeping the essential food supply chain functioning.

To obtain a program guidebook, email agpartnership@ontario.ca or call 1-877-424-1300.

Learn more from Ontario’s official news source.

Ontario Offers Emergency Child Care to More Frontline Staff

In a response to help frontline staff during the COVID-19 outbreak, the Ontario government is expanding the list of essential workers eligible to receive emergency child care.

The additional frontline workers who can now access emergency childcare services includes, but is not limited to:

Staff working in developmental services, victim services, violence against women services, anti-human trafficking services and child welfare services (children's aid societies) and in children's residential settings;
Additional staff identified by the Ministry of the Solicitor General, including:
- First Nations constables;
- Office of the Fire Marshal and Emergency Management fire investigators;
- Select critical staff in community corrections, such as probation and parole officers;
- Contractors in institutional corrections services;
- Frontline staff at the Provincial Forensic Pathology Unit;
- Critical staff at the Centre of Forensic Sciences; and
- Critical staff operating the Provincial Emergency Operations Centre;
Staff working in shelters (e.g., serving homeless populations);
Power workers;

View a complete list of frontline workers now eligible for emergency childcare services.

News! iPad Devices with Free Rogers Wireless Data Will Support Learning at Home

The Ontario government has partnered with Rogers Communications and Apple to help meet the educational needs of students and families during the COVID-19 outbreak.

iPad devices are being purchased and distributed by Ontario school boards, pre-equipped with free Rogers LTE wireless data.

Learn more from Ontario’s official news source.

Alberta

Alberta Temporarily Suspending Camping Reservations

Alberta Parks is suspending and refunding camping reservations up to and including May 19. The suspension will be in place until the province’s chief medical officer of health is confident the health and public safety risk from COVID-19 is reduced.

Learn more from Alberta’s official news release.

News! Premier Jason Kenney issues a statement regarding the federal government’s energy stimulus package

“How we come through this economic crisis will depend in large part on the survival and the successful recovery of our country’s largest industry – the energy sector – on which some 800,000 Canadian jobs depend. We thank the federal government for taking this important first step to support the folks who work in our energy sector."

Read the full statement on Alberta’s official news release.

For more information on the energy stimulus package, check out this news release.

British Columbia

BC Allows Strata Corporations to Hold Meetings Electronically

BC offers support to strata corporations by allowing them to hold meetings electronically during the current provincial state of emergency to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

This temporary change under the Emergency Program Act applies to all strata corporations, whether or not they already have a bylaw allowing electronic meetings.

Learn more from BC’s official news release.

BC Provides more Online Options to Support Social and Emotional Well-Being

New, free virtual educational programs for students, parents and educators are available to support social and emotional well-being.

The free, virtual WE Well-being program was recently launched as part of the new WE Schools @home program. The resource is aimed towards youth (grades K-12) who are experiencing anxiety and social isolation during the pandemic.

Learn more from BC’s official news release.

News! New modelling released by B.C. health officials shows virus rates are slowing down in the province

The new data, released by Dr. Bonnie Henry this morning considers what next steps might be taken in the province's response.

Henry says "we are experiencing a slowing of our rate and we want that to continue. We need that to continue for us to move to the next stage."

Learn more from this news release.