Stage 3 of Reopening & Extension of Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS)

On July 13, 2020, two major updates were announced: Ontario’s regional plan to move into Stage 3 of reopening which will take effect on July 17th as well as the extension to the CEWS program until December 2020.

Stage 3 Reopening

This information was decided based on the regions that had the lowest amount of new COVID-19 cases on a daily basis and will exclude the following regions at this time:

• Durham, Haldimand-Norfolk, Halton, Hamilton, Lambton, Niagara, Peel, Toronto, Windsor-Essex, and York region

Moving to Stage 3 would mean the following:

• Opening of sports facilities, gyms and fitness centres, movie theatres, indoor dining at restaurants, live performing arts shows, playgrounds
• Indoor gatherings of up to 50 people, and outdoor gatherings of up to 100 people. Physical distancing requirements remain in effect.

As an employer, it is important to note that although these changes allow for larger gatherings, it is still strongly recommended to exercise a high degree of caution and avoid these types of settings where possible.

For additional information, please click HERE.

Extension of CEWS Until December 2020

The Federal government urges business owners to utilize this support, which is a wage-subsidy program that covers 75 per cent of wages, up to a weekly maximum of $847, for eligible companies and non-profits. It was suggested by the government last week that as health restrictions roll back and more companies reopen, more people would shift from the CERB to the wage subsidy. The government has pointed to about 1.2 million fewer people receiving the CERB in May in support of that view. At this time, it is unclear if the eligibility criteria will change.

For additional information, please click HERE.