COVID-19 Resources

Local Support

Work BC

For local assistance with Work BC, contact their Sea to Sky location: call 604-639-1743, or email centre-squamish@workbc.ca.

Village of Pemberton

The Village of Pemberton is also available for local support:
call 604-894-6135, or email admin@pemberton.ca.

Tourism Pemberton

The Pemberton App Now Includes Currently Open Listings! The currently open listing includes new hours of operation and service options. Download the FREE Pemberton app Google play download or App store download. Contact info@tourismpembertonbc.com to update your information.

Small Business BC (SBBC) Support Service

The BC and the Canadian government have partnered with Small Business BC (SBBC) to launch a new B.C. Business COVID-19 Support Service.

Advisors can be reached by phone toll-free at 1-833-254-4357 by email covid@smallbusinessbc.ca and live chat. Hours of operation: Monday to Friday:  8 AM to 6 PM | Saturday: 10 AM to 4 PM

As part of the support service, a dedicated website: B.C. Business COVID-19 Support Service. This website feature announcements from industry and community partners, as well as a variety of essential resources, including webinars and practical tools.

Government COVID-19 Response Information

Government of Canada

• COVID-19 Resources for Canadian Businesses
• Canada’s COVID-19 Economic Response Plan

Government of BC

• COVID-19 Supports for BC Business

Wage & Income Support

The Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS)
CEWS covers 75% of an employee’s wages – up to $847 per week – for employers of all sizes and across all sectors who have suffered a drop in gross revenues of at least 15% in March and 30% in April and May.

Temporary 10% Wage Subsidy
The 10% Temporary Wage Subsidy for Employers is a three-month measure that will allow eligible employers to reduce the number of payroll deductions required to be remitted to the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA).

Credit & Financing Programs

Speak to your lender for more information. Canada’s largest financial institutions, as well as some credit unions, like are working with small business banking customers on a case-by-case basis to provide flexible financing solutions such as:

Lender Adjustments to Your Account

Payment deferrals, reduced interest rates on credit cards and temporary limit increases.

Canada Emergency Business Account (CEBA)

Interest-free loans of up to $40,000 through the Canada Emergency Business Account (CEBA). The CEBA includes a loan forgiveness amount of 25%, up to $10,000, if repaid on or before December 31, 2022.

Canadian Emergency Commercial Renta Assistance (CERCA)

Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance (CECRA) to help lower rents by 75% for small businesses affected by COVID-19. Announced on April 24, 2020

• The program will provide forgivable loans to qualifying commercial property owners to cover 50 per cent of three-monthly rent payments that are payable by eligible small business tenants who are experiencing financial hardship during April, May, and June.
• The loans will be forgiven if the mortgaged property owner agrees to reduce the eligible small business tenants’ rent by at least 75 per cent for the three corresponding months under a rent forgiveness agreement, which will include a term not to evict the tenant while the agreement is in place. The small business tenant would cover the remainder, up to 25 per cent of the rent.
• Impacted small business tenants are businesses paying less than $50,000 per month in rent and who have temporarily ceased operations or have experienced at least a 70 per cent drop in pre-COVID-19 revenues. This support will also be available to non-profit and charitable organizations.

Business Credit Availability Programs

Term loans of up to $6.25 million through the Business Credit Availability Program’s co-lending and guaranteed loan option.

Farm Credit Canada

Farm Credit Canada (FCC) is offering loan payment deferrals and other financing products to the agriculture and food industry.

Western Economic Diversification Canada

Western Economic Diversification Canada can help businesses access federal funding and provide advice on other federal programs and services. Tourism operators or small- or medium-sized organizations that are impacted by COVID-19 and have received RDA funding may be eligible to receive additional funding or flexible arrangements.

Tax Flexibility from Government

Tax flexibility: Businesses can defer paying income tax until September 1, 2020. GST payments, duties, and other remittances can be deferred until June.

Support for Indigenous Businesses

On April 18, the federal government announced funding to support Indigenous-owned businesses in Canada through the COVID-19 crisis. The $306.8 million fund will be administered via 59 Aboriginal Financial Institutions, providing short-term, interest-free loans, and non-repayable contributions to First Nations, Inuit, and Métis businesses.

Other Supports & Resources Available to Businesses

ICBC

ICBC is offering payment plan deferrals for up to 90 days with no penalties.

BC Hydro

BC Hydro: The COVID-19 Customer Assistance Program allows customers to defer bill payments or arrange for flexible payment plans with no penalty. Call 1 800 BCHYDRO (1 800 224 9376)

FortisBC

FortisBC is waiving late payment fees and ensuring no customer is disconnected and will discuss flexible payment options.

WorkSafeBC

WorkSafeBC will be allowing employers to defer payment of their Q1 2020 payments by three months.

Whistler Chamber of Commerce

Recordings of COVID-19 Webinars hosted by the Whistler Chamber of Commerce.

Vancouver, Coast & Mountains (VCM)

Vancouver, Coast & Mountains Tourism Resiliency Program: Destination BC has launched the Vancouver, Coast & Mountains (VCM) Tourism Resiliency Program to provide tourism businesses in the region with meaningful, one-on-one support to navigate government resources which will help our industry work towards eventual recovery. Included is a digital resource hub – Featuring webinars, information bulletins, and additional resources specific to the needs of BC’s tourism businesses. For more information on Destination BC’s COVID-19 overall response, please visit Destinationbc.ca/covid-19.

HR & Employment Standards

go2HR 

Responding to COVID-19 in the Workplace offers HR advice from go2HR.