Community Resources

• 211: 211’s award-winning telephone helpline (2-1-1) and website provide a gateway to community, social, nonclinical health and related government services. 211 helps to navigate the complex network of human services quickly and easily – 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, in over 100 languages. 
• The Help Centre: provides programming and supports for unemployed and disadvantaged residents in Northumberland County.Clients are encouraged to contact the Legal Centre by phone at 1-888-698-3382 to make an appointment. 
• The Legal Centre: provides legal advice and information for unemployed and disadvantaged residents in Northumberland County. Clients are encouraged to contact the Legal Centre by phone at 1-800-850-7882 to make an appointment.  

Cornerstone Family Violence Prevention Centre

• Shelter: remains open for existing clients, however - in response to recommendations around social distancing - admissions are restricted to only high risk cases at this time, based on the organization's Risk Assessment. Enhanced cleaning measures have been implemented onsite acrsoss the organization to prevent the spread of germs.
• 24-hour support line: remains available - 905-372-0746 
• Community Resource Centre: closed to in-person appointments.  All support will be provided via phone or video call. All existing appoitments will be virtual. If you are a new client seeking support, please call the office:
  • Monday to Friday, 9a.m. to 4p.m.: 905-372-1545
  • After-hours: call the 24-hour support line  

Learn more about Cornerstone services.

Thrive Northumberland Coalition to End Violence
For information about local violence against women COVID-19 support services, visit the Thrive Northumberland COVID-19 Support page.

Income Support

Emergency Assistance may be available via Ontario Works

Complete an application online or call Northumberland County Community & Social Services to learn more: 1-800-354-7051 ext. 2468

Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB)

The Federal Government has announced a new benefit to help people who have been impacted by COVID-19: the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB).

CERB is a new benefit which combines the two previously announced benefits: The Emergency Care Benefit and the Emergency Support Benefit. All Canadians who have stopped working due to COVID-19, whether they are EI-eligible or not, will be able to receive CERB to ensure they have timely access to the income support they need.CERB access portal will be available in early April. 

CERB is a simpler and more accessible taxable benefit which will provide $2,000 a month for up to four months for workers who lose their income because of the COVID-19 pandemic.  This benefit will provide support to Canadians who:

• have lost jobs;
• are quarantined;
• are taking care of someone who is sick with COVID-19;
• working parents who must stay home and lose pay to care for children at home due to school closures;
• wage earners, contract workers and self-employed workers who would not otherwise be EI eligible;
• workers who are still employed but not receiving income because of disruptions to their work due to COVID-19.

Those already on EI regular and sickness benefits will continue to receive those benefits and should not apply for CERB.  If EI ends before Oct 3, 2020 they can apply for CERB once EI benefits end if they are unable to return to work due to COVID-19.

If you have already applied for EI and your application is not yet processed, you do not need to reapply.

Canadians who are eligible for EI Regular and Sickness benefits would still be able to access their normal EI benefits, if still unemployed, after the 16-week period covered by CERB. 

Canadians would begin to receive their CERB payments within 10 days of application. CERB will be paid every 4 weeks and will be available from March 15, 2020 until Oct 3, 2020.

EI-eligible Canadians who have lost their job can continue to apply for EI online, as can Canadians applying for other EI benefits. The dedicated phone lines for these inquiries related to EI and COVID-19 are 1-833-381-2725 (toll-free) or teletypewriter (TTY): 1-800-529-3742.

GST and CCB Boosts in May

The Federal Government is boosting the GST credit payment and Canada Child Benefit payment in May. The GST will be increased to almost $400 for singles and $600 for couples, and the CCB payment will increase by $300 per child for the month of May.

Old Age Security and Guaranteed Income Supplement

The Federal Government has assured seniors that OAS and GIS income will not be interrupted.

Assistance with bills

• Mortgage payments and lines of credit: contact your bank to inquire about assistance with mortgage deferrals and relief on other credit products.
• Utility bills: contact your utility company for information about relief and other options. 

Filing Income Tax

The personal income tax deadline has been extended to June 1. 

Municipal Financial Relief Initiatives

The following financial relief will be provided for taxpayers:

• A waiver of penalties and interest charges on unpaid property taxes which would normally have been applied on April 1st and May 1st.
• The due date for the second instalment of Commercial, Industrial and Multi-Residential property taxes due May 29, 2020 be deferred until June 25, 2020.
• The due dates for the Residential final tax bills which have not yet been issued will be set as June 25, 2020 and October 29, 2020.

Any taxpayers on the pre-authorized payment plan with concerns about paying their next payment due April 10, 2020 may contact the Finance Department at 905-372-8944 to discuss payment arrangements.

Read the press release: Council Approves Financial Relief Initiatives for Residents during COVID-19 (March 24, 2020)

Meals on Wheels is available through Community Care Northumberland. This program is currently delivering frozen meals only: 1-866-514-5774.

Northumberland Fare Share Food Bank, Cobourg

700 D'Arcy Street, Building #19, Cobourg
Wednesdays, 10:00 am - 1:00 pm and 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm; Fridays 10:00 am - 1:00 pm
Phone: 905-372-5308

Salvation Army Community Drop-in and Food Cupboard
66 Swayne Street, Cobourg
January – September, closed on statutory holidays
1st & 3rd Thursday of the month, 4:00 to 5:30 pm (Please bring your own bags)
Note: Only allowing one person into the office at a time. People will have to wait outside until their turn.

Salvation Army Emergency Food Assistance
66 Swayne Street, Cobourg
By appointment only; Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays, 9:00 am – 1:00 pm
Note: Only allowing one person into the office at a time. People will have to wait outside until their appointed time.
Phone: 905-373-9440
Email: safamser@cogeco.net
Text: 905-375-7862

Society of St. Vincent de Paul, Emergency food
Cobourg, call 905-373-9391
Grafton, call 905-377-3263

Community Outreach
Northumberland County Community and Social Services
People in crisis can call the Centralized Intake Unit (CIU) at: 905-372-6846 or 1-800-354-7051 ext. 2468

If you have fever and/or cough, have traveled outside of Canada in the past 14 days, or have had close or confirmed contact with a probable case of COVID-19, self-isolate at home and contact the HKPR District Health Unit (1-866-888-4577 ext. 5020) or Telehealth Ontario (1-866-797-0000) for additional direction.

If you think you may have COVID-19 symptoms or have been in close contact with someone who has it, use the Ministry of Health's self-assessment to help determine if you need to seek further care. 

If you are having difficulty breathing or experiencing other severe symptoms, call 911.

Provincial Resources

You can find information about COVID-19 in multiple languages from the Ontario government website.

• Ontario Health Cards: The Ontario government has extended validation periods for Ontario Health Cards. Anyone with an expiring or expired health card will continue to have access to insured health services.
• OHIP Coverage: The Ontario government is waiving the three-month waiting period for Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP) coverage and will cover the cost of COVID-19 services for any uninsured people who do not meet the criteria for OHIP coverage.    

Access to a physician

Virtual doctor appointments for those with and without a family physician: Northumberland Care - a new website - has launched in Northumberland County to ensure our community knows the best way to get in touch with their family doctor, and for those without a family doctor to get the care they need.

Mental health and addiction supports

• Northumberland Hills Hospital Community Mental Health Services: the Walk-In Community Mental Health Counselling Clinic is temporarily closed to walk-in clients, however phone support for clients will continue on regular walk-in days (Tuesdays from 8AM - 4PM and Thursdays from 10AM to 6PM). Call 905-377-7784 for walk-in supports.
• Rebound Child & Youth Services: community-based programs and services for children, youth, and families. Group programs are temporarily suspended however intakes, assessments and appointments continue by phone.
• FourCAST: community-based addiction treatment provider. All office locations are currently closed, however clients can still access phone supports by calling 705-876-1292 or 1-800-461-1909.
  • In lieu of the regular Walk-in Counselling Clinic, telephone support will be provided Tuesdays from 8am-4pm and Thursdays from 10am-6pm: 905-377-7784. 
  • For support Monday-Friday from 9am-5pm: call Rebound at 905-372-0007 and leave a confidential message containing your first and last name, phone number, and date of birth. A staff member will respond to you as soon as possible to provide telephone mental health support. 
• For individuals in crisis:
  • Call Four County Crisis at 1-705-745-6484 or 1-866-995-9933,
  • Reach out to the Community and Social Services Help Line by dialing 211
  • Or - go to the closest Emergency Department

Other Wellness Supports

Contact Community Care Northumberland (1-866-514-5774) for more about the following services:  

• Personal Distress Alarms: allows older adults and people with disabilities to call for assistance using a help button. 24-hour emergency response.
• Telephone Security Checks: provides isolated persons with regular contact in order to provide reassurance and, if necessary, to arrange for assistance. These calls are usually short - about five minutes - and are made at regular, prearranged times or when family and friends are away.
• Visiting Hospice Services: all visiting and assessments will be completed by telephone.
• Friendly Visiting: companionship for seniors or adults with disabilities. All friendly visiting is currently being completed by telephone. 

In light of the social distancing measures during COVID-19, ConnexHealth Inc. has partnered with Pharmalinx Medical Centre to provide an online service that allows our clients to request and confirm medical prescriptions online. The prescriptions will be filled by the team of professional pharmacists at Pharmalinx delivered by dedicated team of drivers for free to your doorstep.

Place your order at www.connexmatch.ca/medication-delivery or call 1-833-545-7211 for assistance.

In order to access the pharmacy services, you will be routed to the pharmacy website. Once the intake form has been completed, it will be processed by the pharmacy team and delivered. Note, that all orders must be placed before 1pm for the same day delivery. In case of emergencies, pharmacy may allow exceptions. This information will need to be discussed directly with the pharmacy team member. Medications will be delivered from Monday to Saturday, note pharmacy is closed on Sundays.

Services are currently being provided within the Greater Toronto Area, Bowmanville, Cobourg, Peel, Halton and Niagara Regions.

Learn more: Read the press release

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic the Town of Cobourg has launched a new, town wide Public Information Hotline (1-289-677-0585), established to assist community members and vulnerable high-risk population with any needs they may have. 

COVID-19 Public Information Hotline

OPEN: Monday-Sunday from 9-4 p.m.

The hotline will serve as an information and referral service aimed to link individuals and families to vital services throughout the community including food, financial relief initiatives, information on the virus and how to get tested, along with other forms of aid. 

Read the press release: Town Launches COVID-19 Phone Hotline & Municipal Staffed Coordination Group

Cobourg's Conventional and WHEELS Public Transit will be free in Cobourg until May 31st in an effort to help stop the spread of COVID-19 by reducing interaction with drivers, other transit commuters and the passing of change and tickets.

The Town of Cobourg would like to remind citizens to only use public transit if absolutely necessary (medical appointments, groceries, pharmacy visits, etc.) as the entire community practices social distancing in an effort to stop the spread of COVID-19.

Conventional Transit — Effective immediately, the following changes will be implemented:

• Limit of eight (8) people maximum per bus to allow for sufficient social distancing.
• Passengers must sit at least two (2) meters away from others, including the driver.
• Riders must have a destination drop-off within one (1) hour that is not the location they got on the bus.
• The windows on the bus will be kept open to promote air circulation.

WHEELS Transit — Effective immediately, the following changes will be implemented:

• Limit of transporting one (1) person per trip or multiple people from same household.
• Reoccurring (prescription) bookings will temporarily be canceled.
• Bookings can only be made up to two (2) days in advance.
• Members will be asked the pre-screening questions upon booking

Citizens who need to book an appointment with WHEELS Transit are asked to only call during the hours of Monday to Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at (905) 373-0582. Bookings for Saturday, Sunday or Monday must be made by Friday at 5 p.m. until further notice. Please avoid leaving a message as staffing may be reduced and response times delayed.

Read the press release: Town Makes Changes to Conventional and WHEELS Transit during COVID-19 (March 31, 2020)

JOB PORTAL

Minister Hardeman announced on Saturday, April 4th that the Government of Ontario has launched a new website aimed at connecting people with good quality jobs in the agri-food sector. Ontario.ca/agfoodjobs is a new, one stop site featuring a number of useful online resources and employment openings in the agri-food sector for job seekers. This online portal provides access to information on exciting job opportunities right across Ontario’s food supply chain – from grocery retailers, to bakeries and cheese factories, to opportunities on farms and in transportation, and many more.

Learn more at ontario.ca/agfoodjobs

OPEN FOR E-BUSINESS

Minister Ernie Hardeman announced the Agri-Food Open for E-Business initiative will help food producers, farmers markets, retailers, garden centres, greenhouses, nurseries, and agricultural associations increase online sales and provide Ontario families with greater access to a wide variety of foods and agriculture products.

Through the Canadian Agricultural Partnership (the Partnership), the federal and provincial governments are investing up to $2.5 million to help businesses and organizations quickly expand their marketing channels and grow e-business opportunities.

This targeted application intake features two funding streams:

1. Bring Your Business Online. Eligible organizations and businesses can apply for a grant of up to $5,000 to establish an online e-business and marketing presence. Funding under this stream will be quick and responsive for those needing immediate solutions.
2. Develop Online Business Opportunities. Eligible organizations, businesses and collaborations can apply for cost-share funding for up to $75,000 to implement high-impact projects.

OMAFRA will immediately accept applications and expedite the approval process to help businesses and organizations to develop new online presences or to expand and enhance their current one.

Learn more at omafra.gov.on.ca/english/cap/ebusiness.htm

Ensuring that cannabis stores can continue to provide people with safe, convenient access to legal cannabis is the best way to help Ontario continue its fight against the illegal market.

Retailers will continue to be required to have measures in place to protect the health and safety of Ontarians, including youth, and delivery and curbside pick-up must be done by cannabis store licence holders and/or staff who have taken the CannSell training program. 

On Tuesday, June 9, 2020, the Ontario government announced its plan to reopen child care centres across the province to support the next stage of the province's reopening framework. Developed in consultation with Ontario's Chief Medical Officer of Health and medical leaders at The Hospital for Sick Children, the plan will require child care operators to follow strict health protocols to ensure the safety of child care staff and children.

As the province continues to implement its Framework for Reopening the Province, child care centres and home care providers across Ontario will be able to reopen with strict safety and operational requirements in place, similar to the safety guidelines required for emergency child care centres. Centres will be required to adopt specific rules, including:

• Cohorting ― putting children and staff in groups of 10 or less day over day;

• COVID-19 response plan ― all child care settings will be required to have a plan in place if a child, parent or staff member/provider is exposed to COVID-19;

• Screening ― all staff and children must be screened prior to entry to the child care setting.  Anyone feeling unwell must stay home;

• Daily attendance records ― child care settings must keep daily records of all attendees in order to support contact tracing;

• Cleaning ― child care settings must be thoroughly cleaned before opening and frequently thereafter;

• No visitors ― only essential visitors are permitted entry into the child care setting;

• Implementing drop-off and pick-up protocols in a way that facilitates physical distancing.

Effectively immediately, staff can re-enter child care facilities and begin preparation for reopening. When these operators have met all the strict and stringent guidelines for reopening, they will be permitted to reopen.

Based on the advice of the Chief Medical Officer of Health and with strict health and safety protocols in place, the government is now enabling summer day camp programs across the province to reopen this summer. Strict health and safety guidelines were developed by the Ministry of Health in partnership with public health, the Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development, and municipalities, and distributed to local public health teams earlier this month. At this time, overnight camps are not permitted to operate in the summer of 2020.

Ontario Energy Board Update: Electricity disconnection ban extended, residential & small business

On March 19, 2020, the Ontario Energy Board (OEB) extended the winter ban on electricity disconnections for non-payment for residential customers to July 31, 2020. Low-volume, small business customers (those who pay time-of-use or tiered electricity prices) will now also be protected by the ban during this period.

There is currently a great deal of uncertainty as to the severity and duration of the current COVID-19 pandemic. There has already been a significant amount of disruption in the lives and livelihoods of residential and small business electricity customers in Ontario, and the OEB believes that the risk of loss of electricity service on account of arrears should not be an added source of uncertainty at this time.

A number of electricity distributors have taken additional steps to support their customers by waiving certain charges and making special payment arrangements during this difficult time. Contact or visit your distributors website for more information about programs it may have put in place. 

Visit oeb.ca for the latest updates from the Ontario Energy Board on measures it’s taking in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Ontario government has extended all emergency orders currently in force under s.7.0.2 (4) of the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act. This extension will be in effect until June 15, 2020.

The following emergency orders have been extended until June 15, 2020:

• Closure of Establishments
• Prohibiting Organized Public Events, Certain Gatherings
• Work Deployment Measures for Health Care Workers
• Drinking Water Systems and Sewage Works
• Electronic Service
• Work Deployment Measures in Long -Term Care Homes
• Closure of Places of Non-Essential Businesses
• Traffic Management
• Streamlining Requirements for Long-Term Care Homes
• Prohibition on Certain Persons Charging Unconscionable Prices for Necessary Goods 
• Closure of Outdoor Recreational Amenities
• Enforcement of Orders
• Work Deployment Measures for Boards of Health
• Work Deployment Measures in Retirement Homes
• Access to COVID-19 Status Information by Specified Persons
• Service Agencies Providing Services and Supports to Adults with Developmental Disabilities
• Pickup and Delivery of Cannabis
• Signatures in Wills and Powers of Attorney
• Use of Force and Firearms in Policing Services
• Agreements Between Health Service Providers and Retirement Homes
• Temporary Health or Residential Facilities
• Work Deployment Measures for Service Agencies Providing Violence Against Women Residential Services and Crisis Line Services
• Limiting Work to a Single Long-Term Care Home
• Work Deployment Measures for District Social Services Administration Boards
• Deployment of Employees of Service Provider Organizations
• Work Deployment Measures for Municipalities
• Limiting Work to a Single Retirement Home
• Work Deployment Measures for Mental Health and Addictions Agencies
• Congregate Care Settings
• Access to Personal Health Information by Means of the Electronic Health Record
• Certain Persons Enabled to Issue Medical Certificates of Death
• Hospital Credentialing Processes
• Education Sector
• Management of Long-term Care Homes in Outbreak

The following orders have also been extended:

• Electricity Price for RPP Consumers (until May 31, 2020)
• Global Adjustment for Market Participants and Consumers (until June 1, 2020)

Those providers include retired or non-active health care professionals, internationally educated health care professionals, students, and volunteers with health care experience. Whether you’re retired or in training, we can’t afford to have people with professional health care skills who want to help sitting on the sidelines during this crisis.The portal will efficiently match the availability and skillsets of frontline health care workers to the employers in need of assistance to perform a variety of public health functions, such as case and contact management.

Employers and interested health care professionals can visit the portal and create a profile. Once registered, professionals can add their availability and employers can enter their request for support. Registrants will receive an email notification if matched.

Visit the new Health Workforce Matching Portal or read the press release for more information.

As COVID-19 continues to quickly evolve, we want to ensure that we respond in a way that prioritizes public safety and the well-being of our visitors and staff in Ontario’s provincial parks. In order to assist the province to further those efforts to keep Ontarians safe during this time, the ministry closed all provincial parks to the public until April 30, 2020.

Ontario Parks is now offering a penalty-free refund to reservation holders who wish to cancel their 2020 camping reservation, regardless of arrival date and will waive fees for making changes to any 2020 campsite reservation.

Please continue to check OntarioParks.com regularly for the most up-to-date information.

The Provincial government amended O. Reg. 52/20 to allow Ontarians to attend religious gatherings on the condition of respecting prescribed safety measures and precautions. Moving forward individuals can gather to attend religious gatherings if they comply with the following precautions:

• individuals who attend must remain in a motor vehicle designed to be closed to the elements;
• individuals may only be in vehicle with others if they are part of the same household;
• drivers must ensure that vehicles are at least two metres apart; 
• gatherings can only be performed by a maximum of five people and physical distancing of two metres must be followed;
• persons conducting the gatherings must ensure that any buildings at that place that are intended for religious gatherings are closed during the service, except where the persons conducting the gatherings themselves reasonably require access; and
• no materials can be passed between participants or the individuals performing the service.   

STAGE TWO

On Monday, June 8, 2020, The Ontario Government announced that we’re getting more people back to work and more recreational activities open by moving forward with a regional approach to Stage 2 of reopening the province.

In consultation with the Chief Medical Officer of Health and local health officials, the government is easing restrictions in communities where it is safe to do so, based on trends of key public health indicators such as lower rates of transmission, increased capacity in hospitals, and progress made in testing. This includes allowing additional businesses and services to reopen with restrictions, including restaurants for patio dining and personal care services such as hairdressers and barbershops.

Effective Friday, June 12, 2020 at 12:01 a.m. the province will increase the limit on social gatherings from five to 10 people across the province, regardless of whether a region has moved to Stage 2.

Additionally, all places of worship in Ontario will also be permitted to open with physical distancing in place and attendance limited to no more than 30 per cent of the building capacity to ensure the safety of worshippers.

HKPR Health Unit and Peterborough Public Health are moving into Stage 2. 

For a full list of businesses and services reopening in Stage 2, visit: www.ontario.ca/page/reopening-ontario-whats-each-stage#s-31

In addition, Attorney General Doug Downey has announced new actions our government is taking to support the businesses and workers who have built Ontario’s vibrant hospitality sector. To help this important segment of the economy hard hit by the COVID-19 outbreak, we have made changes to allow restaurants and bars to temporarily add or increase the size of their patios once they are permitted to welcome patrons on-site.

Full details regarding this action to support local restaurants, bars and establishments are available here : www.agco.ca/blog/alcohol/jun-2020/ontario-extending-outdoor-patios-allow-social-distancing-during-covid-19

With over 100 guidance documents available on how to operate safely amidst COVID-19, we’ll continue to offer clear public health advice and guidance. The province will reassess local trend in public health indicators on an ongoing basis to determine the impact of the Stage 2 reopening and if additional public health unit regions can progress to this next stage.

For more information about reopening Ontario: www.ontario.ca/page/reopening-ontario

STAGE ONE

Workplaces and services that may reopen in stage one are well-positioned to adopt workplace safety measures and get more people back to work, while not overburdening public transit and other services. A full list of the workplaces permitted to reopen can be found in the attached backgrounder.

We are taking a cautious, practical and reasonable approach to reopening the economy, guided by the advice of health and science experts. This approach will allow business owners and service provider’s time to ensure workplaces are safe for staff, consumers and the general public.

We also announced that some additional seasonal services and activities will be able to reopen as soon as 12:01 a.m. on Saturday, May 16th, in time for the Victoria Day long weekend:

• Golf courses will be able to open, with clubhouses open only for washrooms and restaurants open only for take-out.
• Marinas, boat clubs and public boat launches may open for recreational use.
• Private parks and campgrounds may open to enable preparation for the season and to allow access for trailers and recreational vehicles whose owners have a full season contract.

Ontario will proceed cautiously and in consultation with the Chief Medical Officer of Health. With key public health measures in place and workplace safety guidance available, we will continue to make decisions with healthy and safety of people as the top priority.

SURVEY: Impacts of COVID-19

The Government of Ontario wants to hear directly from people, businesses and organizations to help inform the reopening of our province and to set Ontario up for success once it’s safe to lift restrictions following COVID-19.

An online survey has been launched as part of our consultation, which seeks feedback on the impacts of COVID-19 on personal finances, business supports, and government relief measures. The survey will be open until June 2020 and the insights will be used by the members of the Ontario Jobs and Recovery Committee to help inform the province’s restart and recovery plan.

Please find the link to the survey here: ontario.ca/form/survey-economic-impacts-covid-19

May 14: Ontario Announces Additional Workplaces that Can Reopen

As soon as 12:01 a.m. on Saturday, May 16, 2020:

• Golf courses will be able to open, with clubhouses open only for washrooms and restaurants open only for take-out.
• Marinas, boat clubs and public boat launches may open for recreational use.
• Private parks and campgrounds may open to enable preparation for the season and to allow access for trailers and recreational vehicles whose owners have a full season contract.
• Businesses that board animals, such as stables, may allow boarders to visit, care for or ride their animal.

Assuming trends in key public health indicators continue to improve, Ontario's first stage of reopening will begin on Tuesday, May 19, 2020 at 12:01 a.m. and will include:

• Retail services that are not in shopping malls and have separate street-front entrances with measures in place that can enable physical distancing, such as limiting the number of customers in the store at any one time and booking appointments beforehand or on the spot.

• Seasonal businesses and recreational activities for individual or single competitors, including training and sport competitions conducted by a recognized national or provincial sport organization. This includes indoor and outdoor non-team sport competitions that can be played while maintaining physical distancing and without spectators, such as tennis, track and field and horse racing.

• Animal services, specifically pet care services, such as grooming and training, and regular veterinary appointments.

• Indoor and outdoor household services that can follow public health guidelines, such as housekeepers, cooks, cleaning and maintenance.

• Lifting essential workplace limits on construction.

Allowing certain health and medical services to resume, such as in-person counselling and scheduled surgeries based on the ability to meet pre-specified conditions as outlined in A Measured Approach to Planning for Surgeries and Procedures During the COVID-19 Pandemic, as well as resuming professional services such as shifting Children's Treatment Centres from virtual to in-person.

The government and health and safety associations have released more than 90 safety guidance documents to assist employers in multiple sectors, including construction, retail, facilities maintenance and manufacturing. As new sectors of the economy begin to reopen, additional resources will be made available to help protect the safety of workers and the general public.

Read the press release

New legislation will allow for more virtual and remote transactions

The Ontario government is extending the Declaration of Emergency under the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act. This additional time will ensure the province has the necessary tools and health care capacity to contain COVID-19, while gradually reopening businesses, services, and amenities safely.

The Declaration of Emergency has been extended until June 2. The declaration will allow Ontario to continue to enforce current emergency orders, such as restricting retirement and long-term care home employees from working in more than one facility and prohibiting events and gatherings of more than five people. Since the emergency was first declared on March 17, the government has taken over 150 actions to help protect individuals, families, and businesses from the impacts of COVID-19.

A full list of emergency orders can be found on the e-Laws website.

Read the press release

The Ontario government is allowing all retail stores with a street entrance to provide curbside pick-up and delivery, as well as in-store payment and purchases at garden centres, nurseries, hardware stores and safety supply stores. The business owners should review the health and safety guidelines developed by the province and its health and safety association partners.

Beginning Friday, May 8 at 12:01 a.m., garden centres and nurseries and Saturday, May 9 at 12:01 a.m. hardware stores and safety supply stores will be able to open for in-store payment and purchases, operating under the same requirements as grocery stores and pharmacies. On Monday, May 11 at 12:01 a.m., retail stores with a street entrance can provide curbside pick-up and delivery.

In addition to easing restrictions on retail, the government is also expanding essential construction to include below-grade multi-unit residential construction projects like apartments and condominiums to begin and for existing above-grade projects to continue. This will help clear the way for the housing and jobs our economy will need to support economic recovery from the impacts of the COVID-19 outbreak. 

Read the press release

As we work towards reopening the economy, the health and safety of Ontario's workers continues to be our government's top priority. The Hon. Monte McNaughton, Minister of Labour, Training and Skills Development, released new safety guidelines to protect workers, customers and the general public from COVID-19 as we prepare for a gradual reopening of the provincial economy.

These measures will provide direction to those working in numerous sectors, including manufacturing, food manufacturing and processing, restaurant and food service and agriculture. They build on the 60+ guidelines developed by Ontario’s Health and Safety Associations in response to COVID-19 for various sectors such as retail, health care, construction, transportation, police services, firefighters, and transit employees.  These guidelines offer practical advice to help businesses operate safely in our new environment.

By providing clear guidelines on how to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the workplace and adding new inspectors, we are preparing for a responsible reopening of the province that balances health and safety of the people of Ontario.

You can find these documents at: www.ontario.ca/page/resources-prevent-covid-19-workplace

More information on Support for Businesses can be found here: www.ontario.ca/page/covid-19-support-businesses.

Premier Ford and Minister Bethlenfalvy announced Pandemic Pay in the Broader Public Sector. This is a payment increase that would provide four dollars per hour worked on top of existing hourly wages, regardless of the qualified employees’ hourly wage. In addition, employees working over 100 hours per month would receive lump sum payments of $250 per month. Both of these payments would be in effect for 16 weeks. Those eligible to receive the payment would be frontline staff working in long-term care homes, retirement homes, social services congregate care settings, corrections institutions and youth justice facilities, those providing home and community care and some staff in hospitals.

This temporary pandemic premium pay will provide additional support and relief, encouraging staff to continue working and attracting prospective employees to help maintain safe staffing levels and the operation of critical frontline services. These workers are delivering critical services that support all Ontarians, including the most vulnerable members of our communities. This will ensure essential workers on the frontlines are being compensated adequately, while safeguarding the sustainability and viability of the health and social services sectors. 

Now in effect, families can complete a simple online application to receive a one-time payment of $200 for each child aged 0 to 12, or $250 for children 21 years old or younger with special needs. Through this program the government is providing over $300 million in relief to parents in Ontario.

This initiative is part of Ontario’s Action Plan: Responding to COVID‑19 to support parents by directly to offering immediate relief during this difficult time.

More information and the application can be found at https://www.ontario.ca/page/get-support-families. 

Small businesses are experiencing real financial pressures during the COVID-19 outbreak and are struggling to pay rent as a result. The Ontario government is acting to ease the financial pressures faced by small business and property owners during the COVID-19 outbreak.

The Province of Ontario is committing $241 million to partner with the federal government and deliver more than $900 million in urgent relief to small businesses and their landlords through a new program, the Ontario-Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance Program (OCECRA). This investment is part of Ontario’s Action Plan: Responding to COVID-19, a $17 billion response package to provide support to people and businesses.

The OCECRA will provide forgivable loans to eligible commercial property owners experiencing potential rent shortfalls because their small business tenants have been heavily impacted by the COVID-19 crisis.

The OCECRA would be administered by the federal government, under the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), which will provide more details on application process. To receive the loan, property owners will be required to reduce the rental costs of small business tenants from April to June 2020 by 75 per cent and commit to a moratorium on evictions for three months. The support program would be retroactive to April 1, covering actions from April, May and June 2020.

For more information, view the Small Business Rent Relief Q&A or visit news.ontario.ca.

Ontario commercial landlords can apply for urgent rent assistance through Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance for small businesses

All commercial landlords in Ontario can now apply for rental assistance to help their small business tenants impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. This initiative will keep more small businesses in operation and more people employed as the province gradually and safely restarts the economy.

The Ontario government, in partnership with the federal government, has launched the Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance (CECRA) for small businesses. The province is committing $241 million to the program, which will provide more than $900 million in support for small businesses across Ontario during this difficult time.  To find out how much rent support you may be eligible for, visit Ontario.ca/rentassistance.

As a result of the COVID-19 outbreak, the Province recognizes that many residents and businesses are facing challenges in making their scheduled property tax payments. To support unincorporated area residents and businesses, the government is extending the amount of time that taxpayers have to pay their property taxes without interest or penalties. Each of the four property tax installments due in 2020 will be deferred 90 days for those taxpayers that need more time. For example, taxpayers who would be required to pay the April 7 property tax installment now have until July 6 to pay this installment without interest or penalties. 

This deferral of unincorporated area property tax payments applies to all of the levies that are collected through the consolidated Provincial Land Tax (PLT) bill. This includes PLT, education property tax, and any Local Road Board and Local Service Board levies that are paid through the PLT bill.

The Ontario government is delivering much-needed support to Ontario’s most vulnerable citizens, including seniors and persons with disabilities, during the outbreak of COVID-19. The province is investing $11 million to help deliver meals, medicines and other essentials to those in need.

The province is working with the Ontario Community Support Association (OCSA) to launch a new Ontario Community Support Program to expand existing Meals on Wheels services to reach low-income seniors and people with disabilities and chronic medical conditions across Ontario. The program will also develop the capacity of community organizations and others to help deliver medication and other essentials.

To identify a Meals on Wheels provider in your local community and request service, visit www.ontariocommunitysupport.ca.

Those without Internet access or who require service in a language other than English or French, can dial 211 or 1-877-330-3213 (toll free). TTY service is also available by calling 1-888-340-1001.

Also, volunteer organizations can now visit www.sparkontario.ca to post volunteer opportunities available in their communities. Ontarians interested in volunteering are also encouraged to check the website for opportunities to make a difference where they live.