Provincial Covid Financial Assistance for Businesses

by Rob Sysak, November 23, 2020

Provincial Assistance for Businesses

Ontario’s Main Street Relief Grant: PPE support

• Assistance for small businesses with the unexpected costs of PPE.

Eligibility

• To be eligible, your business must have two to nine employees and be in one of the following sectors:
  • retail
  • accommodation and food services
  • repair and maintenance
  • personal and laundry services

What you’ll get

• Eligible small businesses will get one-time grants of up to $1,000.

What you’ll need to apply

• You will need to submit receipts or proof of costs for PPE purchased since March 17, 2020. This includes:
  • gloves, gowns, face shields, eye protection, masks, sanitizer, sanitizing wipes
  • thermometers, temperature monitors or cameras
  • physical changes, including the installation of hand sanitizer stations and plexiglass dividers
  • signs to guide or inform customers and employees

Property tax and energy bill rebates

• Businesses that were required to shut down or significantly restrict services due to provincial public health measures (in areas with modified Stage 2 restrictions or categorized as control or lockdown) can apply for rebates, provided in the form of grants, to help with their fixed costs.

Eligibility

• Support is available for businesses that were required to close or significantly restrict services as a result of provincial modified Stage 2 public health measures announced on October 9, 2020. Going forward, areas categorized as control or lockdown qualify.

• Types of businesses that are eligible for support include:
  • restaurants and bars
  • gyms, facilities for indoor sports and recreational fitness activities
  • performing arts and cinemas
  • bingo halls, gaming establishments, casinos, conference centres and convention centres
  • community centres, multi-purpose facilities, and museums
  • personal care services (with the exception of oxygen bars)
  • racing venues
  • meeting or event space
  • in-person teaching and instruction

Additional businesses that would become eligible if a region is in lockdown include:

• retail required to close for in-person shopping
• shopping malls
• personal services
• driving instruction
• tour and guide services
• photography services
• outdoor recreational amenities
• campgrounds

What you’ll get

• Eligible businesses could get rebates for:
  • municipal and education property taxes.
  • energy costs, including electricity and natural gas from places similar to kellypropane.com (or where natural gas is not available, propane and heating oil). They can also get discounted oil by going through websites such as bondedoil.com to help business save on their heating.

Funding will cover the entire length of time that regionally targeted public health restrictions are in place.

Most businesses can expect to receive their rebate payments within a few weeks of submitting a complete application.

What you will need to apply

• To apply, you will have to submit proof of costs.
  • For property tax rebates, this includes your property tax bills (or proof of costs associated with property taxes).
  • For energy cost rebates, this includes a digital copy of the first energy bill (including electricity, natural gas, propane or other) you received on or after the day Stage 2 restrictions were put in place in your region.
    • You can also submit other energy bills if your business is heated by propane or heating oil.

How to apply

• Fill out an online application to apply for PPE support, property tax rebates or energy cost rebates.
  • You will be able to complete a single form to apply for any – or all – of these programs.

Apply for support