COVID Supports and Info Business
The Government of Canada is taking immediate, significant, and decisive action to support Canadian businesses facing financial hardship as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Service Canada Business Support Brochure
BDC HASCAP Guarantee
Government of Canada CERS Funding
Government of Alberta Request for PPE Form
Government of Alberta Critical Worker Benefit
Government of Alberta Stabilize Program
Government of Canada Economic Response Plan
Government of Canada SME Relaunch Grant (recently expanded and updated)
Avoiding layoffs, rehiring employees and creating new jobs
- Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS)
- Extending the Work-Sharing program
- Creating new jobs and opportunities for youth
- Extension of lay-off periods
Taxes and tariffs
- Waiving tariffs on certain medical goods
Financial support, loans and access to credit
- Canada Emergency Business Account (CEBA) interest-free loans
- Canada Emergency Rent Subsidy (CERS)
- Loan Guarantee for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises
- Co-Lending Program for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises
- Regional Relief and Recovery Fund (RRRF)
- Mid-Market Financing Program
- Mid-Market Guarantee and Financing Program
- Large Employer Emergency Financing Facility (LEEFF)
- Additional support by sector
Targeted support
- Supporting Black-led business organizations through the National Ecosystem Fund
- Supporting Black business owners and entrepreneurs through the Black Entrepreneurship Loan Fund
- Young entrepreneurs
Support for self-employed individuals
- Canada Recovery Benefit (CRB)
- Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit (CRSB)
- Canada Recovery Caregiving Benefit (CRCB)
Indigenous businesses
- Relief measures for Indigenous businesses
- Supporting business through the pandemic and into recovery
- Supporting the Indigenous tourism industry
- Indigenous peoples can also access all other benefits.
Supporting financial stability
- Relief for federally regulated pension plan sponsors
- Launching an Insured Mortgage Purchase Program
- Bank of Canada's actions
- Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions actions
Find the support you need for your business
Answer a few questions to get a personalized list of support
Support for Sectors
Agriculture and agri-food
- Keeping workers in the food supply chain safe
- Increasing credit availability
- Protecting the health and safety of farm workers
- Helping producers faced with additional costs incurred by COVID-19
- Increasing the Canadian Dairy Commission borrowing limit
- Increasing interim payments from 50% to 75% through AgriStability
- Expanding AgriInsurance to include labour shortage
- Additional support for your business
Aquaculture and fisheries
- Keeping workers in the food supply chain safe
- Increasing credit availability
- Assisting the fish and seafood processing sector
- Changes to Employment Insurance (EI) fishing benefits
- Additional support for your business
Culture, heritage and sport
- Emergency Support Fund for Cultural, Heritage and Sport Organizations
- Support for Independent production companies
- Supporting Canada's six national museums and the National Battlefields Commission
- Helping the National Arts Centre continue its operations
- Waiving payments for Part I licence fees
- Additional support for your business
Air transportation
- Supporting essential air access to remote communities
- Continuing the supply of essential goods and services to remote and fly-in communities
- Waiving ground lease rents
- Additional support for your business
Tourism
- Additional support for your business
Energy
- Cleaning up orphan and inactive oil and gas wells
- Launching the Emissions Reduction Fund
- Additional support for your business
Academic and research
- Providing wage support for universities and health research institutes
- Covering eligible costs to maintain research activities
Infrastructure
- Funding for communities
- Flexible funding for community resilience
- Supporting communities: new ways to adapt spaces and services
Mining
- Protecting jobs and safe operations of junior mining exploration and other flow-through share issuers
Construction
- Helping address urgent housing needs of vulnerable individuals
Support for organizations helping Canadians
People who need it most
- Helping address urgent housing needs of vulnerable individuals
- Supporting people experiencing homelessness
- Supporting women and children experiencing violence
- Providing youth with mental health support
- Supporting public health efforts through the Canadian Red Cross
- Additional support for your organization
Services to those in need
- Improving access to essential food support
Seniors
- Supporting the delivery of items and personal outreach
- Providing immediate and essential services to seniors
People with disabilities
- Providing resources to improve workplace accessibility and access to jobs
- Investing in projects through the Accessible Technology Program
Government of Alberta Supports for Employers and Employees
- Educational Property Tax Deferral
- WCB Payment Deferral
- Utility Payment Deferral
- Tourism Levy Deferral
- Job Protected Leave
- Vacation pay, leave or banked time
- Business Continuity Plans
Canada-Alberta Job Grant
The Canada-Alberta Job Grant helps to cover training expenses for existing employees and new hires. If hiring and training an unemployed Albertan, up to 100% of training costs could be covered, to a total of $15,000 per trainee or if training an existing staff member, up to 70% of training costs could be covered, up to $10,000 per trainee. This grant can be used by an employer to train an individual from a class 5 or 3 to a class 1, employed or unemployed. More info here.
Alberta's Relaunch Strategy
Premier Jason Kenney has released the Government of Alberta's Relaunch Strategy. Click here to see it.
Alberta's Recreation Relaunch Guidelines
The Government of Alberta has provided guidelines for the recreation sector. They are available below;
- Relaunch Guidelines for Day Camps
- Relaunch Guidelines for Outdoor Recreation
- Relaunch Guidelines for Private and Municipal Campgrounds
Banks and Credit Unions
Credit unions
- Business members should contact their credit union directly to work out a plan for their personal situation
ATB Financial
- ATB small business customers can:
- apply for a payment deferral on loans and lines of credit for up to 6 months
- access additional working capital for ATB customers
- Other ATB business and agriculture customers can access support on a one-on-one basis. Further solutions are being considered at this time
Business Link
Businesslink.ca has resources for small businesses related to COVID-19. They will update the website as new information and resources become available.
Economic Developers Alberta Needs Assessment Survey
The Economic Developers Alberta (EDA) has created an online survey to collect data on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic to businesses, to ensure we all have the best and most relevant information possible. The primary goal is to identify immediate and emerging business needs and trends, in order to ensure all of our economic development partners, and key stakeholders are able to provide the best response possible. If you are a business owner and are interested in providing feedback, please take the survey here.
Institute for Sustainable Development
Tip sheet for Alberta Businesses and Community Leaders on addressing the Social and Economic Fall-Out from the Coronavirus. You can view it here.
Canadian Chamber of Commerce
The Canadian Chamber of Commerce has launched a micro-site regarding COVID-19 and supports/resources available for Canadian small & medium-sized businesses. There are other resources currently available on the website as well as a COVID-19 related newsletter.
Alberta Chamber of Commerce
The Alberta Chamber of Commerce provides a daily update regarding Provincial and Federal Government responses and news releases about the economic recovery plan for COVID-19.
Community Futures Peace Country
Community Futures Peace River can assist businesses in navigating and applying for Provincial and Federal business benefits. For more info, contact Community Futures Peace River at 780.624.1161
Canadian Business Resilience Network
In partnership with the Government of Canada, the Canadian Chamber of Commerce established the Canadian Business Resilience Network to help Canadian businesses navigate the COVID-19 reality and prepare for recovery. More information in the coming weeks.
CBNR Reopening Toolkit
This toolkit prepared by the Canadian Chamber of Commerce’s Canadian Business Resilience Network is designed to provide guidance, or access to guidance, for business owners and senior managers responsible for re-establishing their operations while ensuring the health and safety of operators, staff, customers and the general public is at the forefront.
City of Leduc Informative Guide
The City of Leduc has created a very handy and informative guide regarding business supports during COVID-19, check it out here.
Webinars & Articles for Businesses
- Canadian Business Resilience Network Videos
- Community Futures Peace Country
- Futurpreneur Alberta
- International Chamber of Commerce: SOS (Save Our SMEs)
- Facebook for Business Webinar Series
- BDC Webinars
Updated February 12th, 2021