Government Assistance

Throughout the pandemic, there have been several government programs announced to assist businesses and individuals. Below is a summary of the Federal and Provincial programs that have been announced to assist businesses and not-for-profit/charitable organizations, as of February 7, 2022. For up-to-date information about these programs, please ensure that you visit the links in this document.

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FINANCIAL SUPPORT PROGRAMS

To determine whether your organization may be eligible for federal subsidies, you can visit this site to help determine your eligibility.

Tourism and Hospitality Recovery Program

Businesses, charities, or non-profit organizations in Canada that have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic may be eligible for a wage subsidy, a rent subsidy, or both through the Tourism and Hospitality Recovery Program (THRP). There are two ways that eligible organizations can qualify for this subsidy:

1) The first way to qualify for the THRP is for organizations to meet the following three conditions:

• • More than 50% of your total eligible revenue for the prior reference periods for claim periods 1 to 13 (but excluding one of either claim period 10 or 11) comes from one or more of the tourism, hospitality, arts, entertainment, or recreation activities this program supports
  • You have a 12-month average revenue drop from March 2020 to February 2021 of at least 40%
  • You have a claim period revenue drop of at least 40%

2) The second way to qualify for the THRP is through the Local Lockdown Program, which is available to eligible organizations regardless of sector. The conditions to qualify depend on which claim period the organization is applying for. For claim periods 24 and 25 (Dec 19, 2021 to Feb 12, 2022), the organization must meet the following two conditions:

• • The organization was subject to either a qualifying public health restriction or a qualifying partial (capacity-limiting) public health restriction
  • The organization had a claim period revenue drop of at least 25%

For claim periods 22, 23, and 26 to 28, the organization must meet the following two conditions:

• • The organization was subject to a qualifying public health restriction
  • The organization had a claim period revenue drop of at least 40%

More information about the THRP can be found here.

Hardest-Hit Business Recovery Program

Eligible organizations may qualify for the Hardest-Hit Business Recovery Program (HHBRP) if they do not qualify for the Tourism and Hospitality Recovery Program (THRP). The HHBRP will provide eligible organizations with wage and rent subsidies. To qualify for the HHBRP, an organization must meet the following two conditions:

• • A 12-month average revenue drop from March 2020 to February 2021 of at least 50%
  • A claim period revenue drop of at least 50%

More information about the HHBRP can be found here.

Canada Recovery Hiring Program

As an employer in Canada who continues to be impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, organizations may be eligible to apply for a subsidy to cover part of their wages as they hire new employees and increase existing employees’ wages or hours.

Each claim period, eligible employers can claim either the higher of the CRHP, or the wage portion of:

• • the Tourism and Hospitality Recovery Program (THRP), or
  • the Hardest-Hit Business Recovery Program (HHBRP)

More information about the CRHP can be found here.

PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT FINANCIAL SUPPORT PROGRAMS

Cash Flow Support

The Province of Ontario is providing businesses with a six-month interest- and penalty-free period to make payments for most provincially administered taxes. The six-month period runs from the January 1, 2022 to July 1, 2022. Businesses will have the option to delay their payments for the following provincially administered taxes: Employer Health Tax; Beer, Wine & Spirits Taxes; Tobacco Tax; Insurance Premium Tax; Fuel Tax; International Fuel Tax Agreement; Gas Tax; Retail Sales Tax on Insurance Contracts & Benefits Plans; Mining Tax; and Race Tracks Tax.