COVID-19 Updates | Daily Workplace Round Up for April 21, 2020
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Below are the key announcements from the Federal, Ontario, and BC governments that touch on workplace issues for April 21, 2020.
Federal
CEWS Calculator for Employers - Launched
As previously reported, the Government is implementing the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS), which will provide a 75% wage subsidy of up to $847 per employee per week, to eligible employers, for up to 12 weeks.
Today, the government launched the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy calculator to support employers as they prepare to apply for the CEWS.
The calculator is located on the CRA's Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy web page, that also includes information and instructions regarding:
- Who can apply for the subsidy
- How eligibility is assessed
- How the subsidy is calculated.
Employers can sign up through My Business Account or Represent a Client. The application process will be opened on April 27, 2020 and funds will begin to be released on May 5, 2020.
For more information, check out this news release from the CRA.
$350 Million Invested in Charities and Non-Profits
Justin Trudeau, today announced an investment of $350 million to support vulnerable Canadians through charities and non-profit organizations that deliver essential services to those in need.
The Emergency Community Support Fund will provide funds to charities and non-profit organizations to support various activities, such as:
- Increasing volunteer-based home deliveries of groceries and medications
- Providing transportation services, like accompanying or driving seniors or persons with disabilities to appointments
- Scaling up help lines that provide information and support
- Helping vulnerable Canadians access government benefits
- Providing training, supplies, and other required supports to volunteers so they can continue to make their invaluable contributions to the COVID-19 response
- Replacing in-person, one-on-one contact and social gatherings with virtual contact through phone calls, texts, teleconferences, or the internet.
For details, check out this news release from the Prime Minister.
News! Ottawa watching food supply chain 'very, very carefully' after Alberta outbreak
Meat prices could go up now that a massive processing plant in Alberta has temporarily shut down after one worker died and more than 484 people fell ill following the COVID-19 outbreak.
The High River plant processes about 4,500 head of cattle per day — more than one-third of Canada's beef-processing capacity. Trudeau says "we are not, at this point, anticipating shortages of beef, but prices might go up. We will, of course, be monitoring that very, very carefully."
Read more about the news story here.
Ontario
$11 Million Invested to Help Deliver Meals & Essentials
Ontario is delivering much-needed support to Ontario's most vulnerable citizens, including seniors and persons with disabilities, during the outbreak of COVID-19. The province is investing $11 million to help deliver meals, medicines and other essentials to those in need and doubling the Guaranteed Annual Income System (GAINS) payments.
The province is working with the Ontario Community Support Association (OCSA) to launch a new Ontario Community Support Program to expand existing Meals on Wheels services to reach low-income seniors and people with disabilities and chronic medical conditions across Ontario.
Learn more from Ontario’s official news source.
British Columbia
$36 Million Invested in Emergency Support for Home Sharing Service Providers
BC is using it's provincial emergency COVID-19 funding to ensure people with developmental disabilities stay supported and safe during the pandemic.
As part of the B.C. Government’s $5-billion COVID-19 Action Plan, up to $35.6 million over three months will be distributed through Community Living BC (CLBC) to support service providers to continue delivering residential services, including group homes, home sharing and supported independent living that about 9,500 adults with developmental disabilities depend on.
Learn more from BC’s official news release.
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Sarah Visca is the Operations Manager at ConnectsUs HR, a company that provides tools & resources to quickly set up a Human Resources department.
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