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2021-05-21 UPDATE: COVID-19 Business Grants, Resources & Adster Creative’s Business Continuity Plan.

Updated 2021-05-21 | 10:30am MST

We understand that you – like many business owners – aren’t sure what to do when a global health pandemic forces you to alter how you are operating. We are here for you, and not just for advertising! We have many processes, tools, and systems that we would be happy to share with you when and if the time comes. Working remote and conducting meetings via screen shares are core to our business and we’ve successfully utilized these systems for over a decade.

As of March 15th, 2020 (to Present) our entire team is working remotely to assist you! All meetings (existing, new) are done remotely using Google Hangouts, Zoom etc. as we’ve utilized this technology for over 10 years.

A few highlights:

  • We are looking for strategic ways to assist you in managing your marketing budget
  • We believe that the way through this will be (and has always been) to consistently demonstrate value to you our clients – we are trying to set the example, and have a plan to help you do the same!

We’ve put together resources here that we’ll update frequently to assist you and your customers (both from a marketing and business lens):

1. *NEW* Alberta Jobs NOW Program

**UPDATED 2021-05-21**

  • Private sector businesses and non-profit organizations across all industries can apply for funding to reduce the costs of hiring and training unemployed or underemployed Albertans. Additional funding is available for hiring persons with disabilities.
  • Employers can:
    • apply for a grant to offset salary or training costs, or both, equal to:
      • 25% of a new hire’s salary up to $25,000 per employee
      • 37.5% of the new hire’s salary up to $37,500 per employee with a disability
    • apply for up to 20 full-time new hires per intake period:
  • first intake: May 20 to August 31, 2021
  • second intake: September 15 to December 31, 2021
  • third intake: to be announced at a later date

2. Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS)

**UPDATED 2021-04-26**

  • 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 12 weeks, retroactive from March 15, 2020, to Present (currently 16 periods).
  • As of July 2020, the subsidy rate ranges, pending your revenue drop and whether your business has curtailed operations, is partially closed or is completely closed to the public.

3. COVID-19 Support for Edmonton Businesses (Edmonton Economic Recovery Grant)

**UPDATED 2021-04-26**

  • Businesses can apply for grant funding in one of two phases:
  • Phase 1: Matching microgrants for businesses adapting to COVID-19 (June–December 2020). Most microgrants will be $1,000.
  • Phase 2: Details on Phase 2 are pending.

4. Canada Emergency Rent Subsidy (CERS formally CECRA)

  • Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance (CECRA) program is for small businesses that, will seek to provide loans and/or forgivable loans to commercial property owners who in turn will lower or forgo the rent of small businesses for the months of April (retroactive), May, and June.

**UPDATED 2021-04-26**

  • Canadian businesses, non-profit organizations, or charities who have seen a drop in revenue due to the COVID-19 pandemic may be eligible for a subsidy to cover part of their commercial rent or property expenses, starting on September 27, 2020, until June 2021.
  • This subsidy will provide payments directly to qualifying renters and property owners, without requiring the participation of landlords.

5. Small and Medium Enterprise Relaunch Grant (SMERG Alberta Government)

**UPDATED 2021-04-26**

  • Starting early the week of December 14, job creators who have experienced a 30% revenue loss due to the COVID-19 pandemic will qualify for the program, lowering the threshold from the existing 40% revenue loss requirement. This 30% threshold will be available to impacted businesses retroactive to March.
  • Alberta businesses affected by the public health orders in effect from November 6, 2020 and later will also be eligible to apply for a second payment through the program.
  • Job creators that meet the program’s eligibility criteria will be able to apply for 15% of their pre-COVID-19 monthly revenue up to a maximum of $5,000 in funding for their first payment, and a maximum of $15,000 for their second payment

**April 2021 Update – 3rd Payment ($10,000)**

  • The Government of Alberta has committed up to $350 million in funding for the spring 2021 payment from the program. Application intake for the program is open until May 31
  • Organizations that commenced operations on or before February 29, 2020, must demonstrate a year-over-year revenue reduction of 30% comparing a month between November 2019 and April 2020 to the same month in the following year
  • New organizations that commenced operations between March 1, 2020, and March 31, 2021, must demonstrate a month-over-month revenue reduction of 30% when comparing a month between April 2020 and April 2021 to a month between November 2020 and April 2021
  • Applicants can choose any month between the stated times to maximize their benefit payment and meet the required 30% revenue reduction.
  • When determining the revenue amount for the chosen months, in addition to sales revenue applicants must also include amounts received from the permitted COVID-19 support programs listed in the Eligibility Criteria. Amounts received from other supports must be prorated and added to the appropriate revenue month used in the application.
  • The spring 2021 payment is calculated as 15% of the eligible organization’s revenue from the chosen month to a maximum of $10,000.

6. Federal Canadian Remittance Subsidy:

  • A remittance subsidy equal to 10% over 3 months, up to a maximum subsidy of $1,375 per employee and $25,000 per employer has been set up for small business owners. Businesses will be able to benefit immediately from this support by reducing their remittances of income tax withheld on their employees’ remuneration.

7. Canadian Emergency Business Account *CEBA* (formally BCAP)

**UPDATED 2021-04-26**

  • Originally launched on April 9, 2020, CEBA is intended to support businesses by providing financing for their expenses that cannot be avoided or deferred as they take steps to safely navigate a period of shutdown, thereby helping to position businesses for successful relaunch when the economy reopens.
  • This $55 billion program provides interest-free loans of up to $60,000 to small businesses and not-for-profits.
  • Repaying the balance of the loan on or before December 31, 2022 will result in loan forgiveness of 25 percent (up to $10,000).
  • As of October 26, 2020, eligibility for CEBA has expanded by removing the previous March 1, 2020, condition for having an active business chequing/operating account. With this removal, eligible businesses can now apply after opening a business chequing/operating account with their primary financial institution. For more information about this new criteria or other criteria established since the launch of CEBA we recommend you visit the FAQs.

8. Corporate Tax Returns:

  • The Canada Revenue Agency will allow all businesses to defer, until after August 31, 2020, the payment of any income tax amounts that become owing on or after today and before September 2020.

9. Personal Tax Returns:

  • For individuals (other than trusts), the return filing due date will be deferred until June 1, 2020.  However, the Agency encourages individuals who expect to receive benefits under the GSTC or the Canada Child Benefit not to delay the filing of their return to ensure their entitlements for the 2020-21 benefit year are properly determined.

10. BDC Small Business Loan:

  • Small business owners can get up a loan, online, for up to $100k for their business.

11. Work-Sharing Program:

  • Allows for eligible employers to retain skilled employees and workers to remain employed during the temporary downturn in business due to COVID-19

12. Facebook Boost Grants:

  • Facebook is offering $100M in cash grants and ad credits for up to 30,000 eligible small businesses in over 30 countries where they operate.

13. COVID 19 Support for Albertans:

  • The Alberta government will provide immediate financial relief to Alberta’s families and vulnerable populations.

14. CFIB COVID Resource Guide:

  • Canadian Federation of Independent Businesses resource guide

Some of the questions our account and strategy team will ask during our calls with you as, we are looking for ways to help YOU and your CUSTOMERS through this!

  1. Tell me a little bit about what you are seeing on your end?
  2. How does this affect you, directly or indirectly?
  3. Are your employees working remotely? If so, can anything Adster uses internally, help you be productive remote (i.e.: Google Hangouts, Google docs, etc.)?
  4. Are you experiencing other disruptions to your business processes?
  5. How does it impact your customers?
  6. Action plan (for our team)

This is an uncertain time for business of all types, and the situation changes by the hour. Let us know how we can helpwe’re in this together!