Canada Emergency Business Account (CEBA) expansion
The federal government announced an expansion to the eligibility criteria for the CEBA to include many owner-operated small businesses today. The program will now be available to a greater number of businesses that are sole proprietors receiving income directly from their businesses, businesses that rely on contractors, and family-owned corporations that pay employees through dividends rather than payroll.
To qualify under the expanded eligibility criteria, applicants with payroll lower than $20,000 would need:
- a business operating account at a participating financial institution
- a Canada Revenue Agency business number, and to have filed a 2018 or 2019 tax return.
- eligible non-deferrable expenses between $40,000 and $1.5 million. Eligible non-deferrable expenses could include costs such as rent, property taxes, utilities, and insurance.
Funding will be delivered in partnership with financial institutions. The launch date for new applications and more details will follow in the days to come.
Canada Emergency Wages Subsidy (CEWS) extended
The Government of Canada will extend the CEWS by an additional 12 weeks to August 29, 2020. As a Canadian employer whose business has been affected by COVID-19, you may be eligible for a subsidy of 75% of employee wages for up to 24 weeks, retroactive from March 15, 2020, to August 29, 2020. This wage subsidy will enable you to re-hire workers previously laid off as a result of COVID-19, help prevent further job losses, and better position you to resume normal operations following the crisis. Find more information here.