COVID-19 Resource Centre
Reminder: Deadline for CEWS Applications Quickly Approaching – If you haven’t applied (and are eligible) for the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS), then you need to act soon, as the deadline for applications is January 31, 2021 for periods 1-5 (ending August 1, 2020). Read the details in this short article.
Stay-at-home Order: What Businesses Need to Know – Effective January 14, 2021 at 12:01 a.m., the Provincial Government is implementing a stay-at-home order requiring Ontarians to remain at home with exceptions for essential purposes. All businesses must ensure that any employee who can work from home, does work from home. This article details what is expected of businesses and employers during this time.
Province-wide Lockdown – What Businesses Need to Know – The Ontario government announced that all regions of the province will be placed in lockdown (grey stage) as of December 26, 2020. This article details what is expected of businesses and employers during this time.
New 2020 T4 Reporting Requirements – All Canadian employers must report certain income amounts on their 2020 T4 slips, using new information codes that correlate to defined periods due to the COVID-19 government relief initiatives like CERB, CESB, and CEWS.
Infectious Disease Emergency Leave (IDEL) Extension – The Ontario government has updated its regulations under the Employment Standards Act, 2000 (ESA) to further extend Ontario’s COVID-19 period to July 3, 2021. The previous extension was set to expire on January 2, 2021.
WORKING FROM HOME DURING COVID-19: Home Office Expenses – Given that the COVID-19 pandemic has required many to work from home, many more will likely be eligible to claim home office expenses than in previous years. Read this article to understand what is deductible and who is eligible. (Article Updated: Dec 16, 2020)
Canada Emergency Rent Subsidy – On October 9, 2020, the Federal Government announced a new rent payment assistance program (replacing the former CECRA) entitled the Canada Emergency Rent Subsidy. This article summarizes the program details, eligibility requirements, application process, and relevant deadlines. (Article Updated: Dec 16, 2020)
Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy – The CEWS will be extended until June 2021 and the subsidy remains at a rate of up to a maximum of 65% of eligible wages until December 19, 2020. Deadlines for applications have also been introduced (the later of January 31, 2021 or 180 days after the relevant CEWS period). This article summarizes the program and provides helpful links to government resources. (Article Updated: Dec 16, 2020).
Could COVID-19 Have an Affect on Your Automobile Benefits?
With more people working from home or not working at all, travel was limited to trips to the grocery store and other essential places. If you have a company car how might your automobile benefit look this year compared to the past?
Tax Planning Guide and Rate Information –
For help with tax planning for businesses and individuals, download these helpful guides, updated yearly provided by RSM Canada.
The guides include help with analyses, tips, rate charts, and other useful data.
5 Strategies to Consider for Generating Tax Relief During COVID-19 – With the markets being down as a result of COVID-19, we’ve provided some tax planning options that you may wish to consider. (Article updated: Dec 10, 2020)
Tax Planning in this Unusual Year of 2020 – We all know that 2020 has been a very unusual year. You may be one of many Canadians who have experienced a significant change in income. If your income has gone down significantly, you may be thinking that your tax bill, next April, will be less or your refund more. This article will look at some reasons why your tax bill may change.
Canadian Tax Recap – This article (Updated by RSM Canada: Nov 24, 2020) provides a helpful recap of all tax updates from the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) and Provincial governmental authorities related to COVID-19.
Funding Support for Farmers and Food Processors Amidst COVID-19 Pandemic – $50 million in federal funding has been made available to help employers cover the costs incurred during the mandatory 14-day quarantine required for all temporary foreign workers arriving from abroad. (Article Updated: November 3, 2020)
COVID-19 Screening Requirements – On September 25, 2020, the Ontario Government announced amendments to O Reg 364/20: Rules for Areas in Stage 3 under the Reopening Ontario (A Flexible Response to COVID-19) Act, 2020 that will require workplaces to comply with any advice, recommendations, and instructions issued by the Office of the Chief Medical Officer of Health on screening for COVID-19. Read the details and our recommendations in this short article.
Did you Know that the Temporary Wage Subsidy has a Reporting Requirement with the CRA? – Entities that are eligible to receive the 10% Temporary Wage Subsidy (TWS) need to be aware of their reporting requirements with the CRA.
CERB Transitions to EI and Government Announces Three New Benefit Programs – Three new temporary Recovery Benefits have been announced to support Canadians who are unable to work for reasons related to COVID-19. (Article Updated: September 25, 2020)
Updates to the Infectious Disease Emergency Leave (IDEL) – On September 4, 2020, the Ontario government announced the extension of IDEL for laid off employees to January 2, 2021. Read our summary of the rules in this short article.
Financial Planning During a Pandemic – Now may be a good time to meet with your Advisory Team: Financial Planner, Portfolio Manager, and Accountant to take stock of where you are at now and how the events of the past six months may have affected your planning,
Meet the Government Relief Team – We recognize that sorting through all of the Provincial and Federal Government Support Programs for businesses and employers during the COVID-19 pandemic can be overwhelming. In response, we have assembled an expert team of subsidy and support professionals that can assist and navigate you through the complexities of the programs.
What You Need to Know About Masks in the Workplace – Face coverings are required in all enclosed public places in most cities across Ontario, including the areas of your workplace that are accessible to the public. Most local by-laws (Including Halton, Hamilton, and Niagara) require a standard process be put in place.
Guideline Income – The determination of Guideline Income must take into account the impact COVID-19 has on net income, cash flow, and the ongoing operations of businesses and passive investments owned by one or both of the spouses.
Tax Payment and Filing Deadlines for Personal Tax Returns – The CRA has announced that there will now be no late-filing penalties on a personal tax return as long as it is filed by September 30 and the payment of taxes owing must also be received by September 30, 2020.
Frequently Asked Questions – Our FAQ Centre was created to assist with the common COVID-19 questions that our client’s are asking. We are updating this page regularly (Updated: July 29, 2020).
Foreign Entities Sharing COVID-19 Assistance VIA Transfer Pricing – The Transfer Pricing Memorandum (TPM)-17 policy states that when a Canadian taxpayer receives government assistance and participates in a cross-border controlled transaction, it should not share all or part of that assistance with non-arm’s length non-resident persons.
Agribusiness Government Programs: Quick Reference – Visit this reference page for a number of recent updates to the Agribusiness Government programs. (Article Updated: July 21, 2020)
Changes to Layoffs in Ontario: What Does This Mean for Your Business? – Infectious Disease Emergency Leave (IDEL) is a new job-protected leave that applies retroactively to all non-unionized employees whose hours were temporarily reduced or eliminated on or after March 1, 2020, as a result of COVID-19. We’ve created a helpful resource to explain how IDEL impacts non-unionized employees in Ontario.
Funding Guide – A handy reference guide developed by RSM Canada (Updated: May 27, 2020) detailing the various funding and supports available to businesses through the Federal government (e.g. CEWS, Temporary Wage Subsidy, EI Work-Sharing Program, Business Loans etc.)
Optimizing Your Estate Planning Through a CDA in the Wake of COVID-19 – The Capital Dividend Account (CDA) is a key part of the estate plan for owners of private corporations. By following the steps in the right order, a business owner can maximize both the corporation’s ability to survive tough economic times and the shareholder’s ability to access cash without incurring tax.
HR COVID-19 Audit: Proactive Planning for Employers – On May 14, 2020, Premier Doug Ford announced the plan to phase out its semi-lockdown starting on May 19, 2020. We can help walk you through the critical steps you should consider for the return to work and re-opening of your business.
Government Announces Additional Support for the Agribusiness Sector – On May 5, 2020, the Federal Government announced an investment of more than $252 million to support farmers, food businesses, and food processors who provide essential services.
Finding Creative Solutions for Commercial Tenancies during COVID-19 – An article that examines some creative ways in which commercial real estate landlords and tenants are working together during the pandemic.
Agri-Food Open for E-Business initiative – On April 24, 2020, the governments of Canada and Ontario announced that they are investing up to $2.5M to help the agri-food sector expand online. The program is available to food producers, farmers markets, retailers, garden centres, greenhouses, nurseries, and agricultural associations.
Labour Inspections for Temporary Foreign Agricultural Workers – Starting April 21, 2020, the Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development (MLTSD) will begin to conduct workplace inspections with a focus on workplaces that employ temporary foreign agricultural workers across Ontario.
2020-2021 Ontario’s Action Plan Commentary – On March 25, 2020, Finance Minister Rod Phillips released Ontario’s Action Plan: Responding to COVID-19 (March 2020 Economic and Fiscal Update). We’ve created a summary of the key points.
Update – Federal Government Economic Response Plan – On March 25, 2020, the Federal Government announced an update to their previous Economic Response Plan. We’ve created a helpful resource for workers affected by COVID-19 to help determine eligibility for the various government supports.
Federal Government Economic Response Plan Summary – In response to COVID-19, the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) and certain provincial governmental authorities released new tax measures for Canadians yesterday (March 18, 2020). Article outlines CERB and EI.
COVID-19: Best HR Practices – There is a lot of information circulating regarding the COVID-19 pandemic. In this time of uncertainty, we want to ensure you have the most accurate and up to date best HR practices.
Important Tax Update – Response to COVID-19 – In response to COVID-19, the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) and certain provincial governmental authorities released new tax measures for Canadians on March 18, 2020. Article covers the 10% wage subsidy.
