Below are the key government announcements made on April 21, 2020 that touch on workplace issues. Our daily and weekend overviews of previous government announcements, employment analyses and other COVID-19 information are available here.
The Federal Government
The government launched a new Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (the "CEWS") calculator on the Canada Revenue Agency website. The calculator is meant to help employers determine the specific items that they will need for a CEWS application once applications are open.
Applications for the CEWS will begin on April 27, 2020. The government expects that 90% of the CEWS applications will be processed by May 5, 2020, with payments made soon after.
Further, the government announced an investment of $35-million to support charities and non-profit organizations that deliver essential services to vulnerable populations during the COVID-19 pandemic. The investment will flow through national organizations that have the ability to rapidly distribute the funds to local organizations.
Alberta
No major government updates as of 5:00 p.m. E.D.T. on April 21, 2020.
British Columbia
No major government updates as of 5:00 p.m. E.D.T. on April 21, 2020.
Manitoba
No major government updates as of 5:00 p.m. E.D.T. on April 21, 2020.
New Brunswick
The government announced new funding for non-profit organizations under the Community Investment Fund. Under this program, eligible small to medium-sized non-profit organizations affected by COVID-19 will be eligible for grants ranging from $500 to $10,000. Additional information and the program application may be accessed online.
The government also launched a new online portal for all individuals receiving a test for COVID-19 as of April 21, 2020. The results may be accessed with a registration code online, and results should be posted within 48 hours.
Finally, the government confirmed that all interprovincial border restrictions remain in place.
Newfoundland and Labrador
No major government updates as of 5:00 p.m. E.D.T. on April 21, 2020.
Nova Scotia
The government and the Nova Scotia Health Authority (the "NSHA") established an emergency response plan focused on a COVID-19 outbreak at a Halifax-based long-term care facility. This plan includes establishing a recovery unit at a local hotel for residents who have recovered from COVID-19. Measures are also being put in place to ensure sufficient staffing for resident care, current staff relief, and operations management with the assistance of college and university students in related programs, the Victorian Order of Nurses, the Red Cross, provincial emergency health services, government staff, and staff from other long-term care facilities.
Ontario
The government announced $11-million dollars in funding to help deliver meals, medicines and other essentials to seniors and persons with disabilities during the pandemic. It also announced a doubling of payments under the Guaranteed Annual Income System (GAINS), which will assist seniors for a period of 6 months at an estimated cost of $75-million.
Prince Edward Island
No major government updates as of 5:00 p.m. E.D.T. on April 21, 2020.
Quebec
Premier Legault announced that 1,000 out of 2,000 of the doctors (general practitioners and specialists), nurses, beneficiary attendants and students he called on to assist with the province's COVID-19 outbreak at long-term care facilities have already stepped forward, and that he expected a further 1,000 volunteers by tomorrow. With the exception of 80 long-term care facilities among the 2,600 being monitored by the government, Premier Legault announced that the COVID-19 situation has been fairly stable for a number of days both in Montreal and elsewhere in Quebec.
Premier Legault also confirmed that the government is planning how it will gradually reopen the economy while maintaining this stability. He confirmed the government's plan should be unveiled soon.
Saskatchewan
No major government updates as of 5:00 p.m. E.D.T. on April 21, 2020.
Northwest Territories, Nunavut, and the Yukon
No major government updates from the Northwest Territories, Nunavut or the Yukon, as of 5:00 p.m. E.D.T. on April 21, 2020.
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