Business Advisory Centre Durham (BACD) Business Advisory and Support Services are currently free of charge

Special support for entrepreneurs from BDC

Export Development Canada supports and capital access

Canadian Federation of Independent Business - COVID-19 Frequently Asked Questions

In partnership with the Government of Canada, the Canadian Chamber of Commerce established the Canadian Business Resilience Network to help Canadian businesses navigate the COVID-19 reality and prepare for recovery.

Details on employment insurance, the temporary foreign worker program, and other Federal employment programs: Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) Employment and Social Development Canada

Durham College/Employment Ontario Community Employment Services- open virtually

Travel Advisory - Government of Canada

Business Continuity Planning & Pandemic Responses - Durham.ca

Pandemic Preparedness for Business - Canadian Chamber of Commerce

Pandemic Preparedness Toolkit for Ontario Businesses - Ontario Chamber of Commerce

Start-up Business Tools and Resources, eg: Cash Flow, Supply Chain -MaRS

BDO Guide to Adapting to COVID-19

BDC has a guides for Business continuity plan and templates for entrepreneurs as well as 8 steps for planning your emergency and disaster plan

April 24: Durham Economic Task Force letter to ask for support for small business

April 20: News Release Durham's business community unites during COVID-19

Prime Minister announces support for farmers and agri-food businesses under Canada's response to COVID-19

Employee Support - Canadian Agricultural Human Resource Council

Government Support/Financial Assistance - Farm Credit Canada

Canadian Agricultural Human Resource Council resources - Ontario Federation of Agriculture

Business Support - Canadian Federation of Agriculture

Health Information - World Organization on Animal Health

Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) - A Guide for Direct Sales to Consumers during COVID-19 and Beyond

Ministry of Health - COVID-19 Guidance for Food Premises

Agriculture and Food Jobs in Ontario

Durham Farm Fresh Press Release: Essential Food Items Available at Many Local Shops, Farms and Markets

Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) - Summary of government financial assistance for Ontario farm businesses

Durham Region recognizes the importance of the agriculture sector - Statement issued on behalf of Regional Chair and CEO John Henry.

Governments Invest $2.5 Million to Grow Agri-food e-Business During COVID-19

Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) - Crisis Management Tools by Farm Life

Province of Ontario: sector-specific guidelines and posters

Advanced Manufacturing Supercluster launches funding program to help scale - announcement, and funding details

Ontario and Canada are looking for help from businesses to make or supply healthcare products and innovative solutions. Learn how your organization can help.

Province of Ontario: sector-specific guidelines and posters

Tourism Industry Association of Ontario - COVID-19 Updates Page

Regional Development Agencies COVID-19 Info sheet

Tourism Industry of Canada - Current situation review and sign up for email updates related to COVID-19 Supports

Destination Canada - COVID-19 Updates

Destination Canada: Visitor Economy Webinar

Festivals and Events Ontario (FEO) - details on Force Majeure Insurance claims

Festivals and Events Ontario - Call for virtual content

Canadian Sport Tourism Alliance (CSTA) - Information for CSTA members during COVID-19

Department of Canadian Heritage - Information for Canadian Heritage grants & contributions recipients related to COVID-19

Central Counties Tourism (CCT) ‐ Information for the CTT (Durham, York, Headwaters) business community

Restaurants are encouraged to join the #TakeOutDay movement - https://canadatakeout.com/

Durham Tourism Monthly Stakeholder Enews: April Edition

Canadian business leaders and tech workers Slack channel: Enabling the sharing of best practices for business continuity amidst disruptions.

Start-up Business Tools and Resources, eg: Cash Flow, Supply Chain - MaRS

Planning Checklist for Retailers: Coronavirus (COVID-19) - Retail Council of Canada

Restaurants are encouraged to join the #TakeOutDay movement - https://canadatakeout.com/

Information and avocacy for those in the Health and Wellness industry (representing coaches, personal trainers, group instructors, yoga instructors, pilates instructors, chiropractors, physiotherapists, massage therapists, acupuncturists and sports and recreation centers and staff.) https://www.healthandwellnessrelief.ca/

Province of Ontario: sector-specific guidelines and posters

Canadian Chamber of Commerce

Ontario Chamber of Commerce

Durham Region Area

Ajax/Pickering Board of Trade

Brock Board of Trade

Clarington Board of Trade

Oshawa Chamber of Commerce

Scugog Chamber of Commerce

Uxbridge Chamber of Commerce

Whitby Chamber of Commerce

Newcastle Chamber of Commerce

For upcoming scheduled webinars, visit the Invest Durham calendar

The below are available to watch on-demand.

• EDC Webinar: Coronavirus (COVID-19): Managing the impact on global supply chains
• Free BDC Webinar: How to cope with the impacts of COVID-19 on your business
• Free BDC Webinar Collection: Marketing and digitizing your content
• Conference Board of Canada: Effective Crisis Communication: Effective Crisis Communication: Moving Crisis to Opportunity
• Conference Board of Canada: You're It: You're It: Crisis, Change, and How to Lead When It Matters Most
• Conference Board of Canada: Creating a Respectful Virtual Workplace
• Conference Board of Canada: Increasing Resilience Through Times of Change
• Destination Canada: Visitor Economy
• Events Industry Council: COVID-19: Moving online: How to transition your live event to an engaging virtual experience
• Events Industry Council: COVID-19: Discussion of critical insurance and legal considerations for event professionals
• Ajax-Pickering Board of Trade - Cash is King ‐ Creating a Cash Forecast
• Ajax-Pickering Board of Trade - Social Distance Marketing ‐ Building Awareness When Your Customers are in Crisis
• Ajax-Pickering Board of Trade - Employers Options and Obligation in Responding to COVID-19 and accompanying slide deck from Christine Ashton, a lawyer and partner with Wilson Vukelich LLP

Webinar Series:

• Centre for Cybersecurity Innovation: Webinar Series on Cybersecurity

Mental Health Resources from the Province of Ontario

You can find information about programs that may be right for you based on your mental health and addictions needs, and the type of support that you prefer. You can:

• find public mental health or addiction programs
• connect with peers for support
• access self-led telephone or online therapy for stress, anxiety and depression
• find services for children and youth
• talk to or text a professional counsellor if you are a post-secondary student
• find culturally appropriate support for Indigenous people
• get support if you are a health care worker

Webinars Available-On-Demand

• Mental Health Commission of Canada: Stress, the Brain and Mental Health Hygiene
• Conference Board of Canada: COVID-10 Job Loss
• Conference Board of Canada: Fear and COVID-19
• Conference Board of Canada: Dealing with Isolation and COVID-19
• Conference Board of Canada: COVID-19 - Self-compassion, empathy, love and fun
• Conference Board of Canada: Mental Health and COVID-19
• Conference Board of Canada: Coping in the age of social distancing

Blog Articles

• Ontario Shores: COVID-19: Supporting Mental Health of Employees is Good Business
• Ontario Shores: COVID-19: Frustration, Guilt and Working from Home in a Pandemic
• Ontario Shores: COVID-19: Tips to Prevent Burnout of Essential Workers

Facts about Coronavirus

How to Home Isolate: Fact Sheet

Practise Physical Distancing: Poster

What is Physical Distancing?

Stop the Spread: Poster

Government of Canada: Infographics

Province of Ontario: sector-specific guidelines and posters

Province of Ontario: Health and Safety Association Guidance Documents for Workplaces During the COVID-19 Outbreak

Canada's COVID-19 Economic Response Plan - Government of Canada

The Federal Response Programming includes support programs for business:

• Avoiding layoffs and rehiring employees
• Access to credit
• Deferred payments
• Support for self-employed individuals
• Indigenous businesses
• Supporting financial stability
• Sector Specific Support

Up-to-date announcements: The Prime Minister's News Releases

Canada Business App - A dedicated COVID-19 tile has been added to the this app providing links to government announcements and information for businesses.

Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy Calculator

Take the Canadian Survey on Business Conditions (Read more about the survey here)

Regional Development Agencies COVID-19 Info sheet and details

Government introduces Canada Emergency Response Benefit to help workers and businesses

Employment Insurance, Work Sharing, and other Employee services - Employment and Social Development Canada

Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance (CECRA) for small businesses

• Guide: How to complete a record of employment
• Guide: How to Apply for Employment Insurance and Service Information Sheet
• Guide: Worksharing guide for Employers
• Handout: COVID-19 Federal Economic Initiatives
• Guide: Federal Relief Measures Guide
• Resources for Canadian Businesses and Employees - Trade Commissioner Service
• Guide: Baker Tilly Guide to CEWS

Ontario's Action Plan: Responding to COVID-19

• Ontario's COVID-19 support for businesses - Tax and financial relief for businesses and other guidance during COVID-19
• Ontario's COVID-19 support for Individuals - learn what other support is available in addition to relief from federal government and employment insurance
• Ontario Providing Electricity Relief to Families, Small Businesses and Farms During COVID-19
• Service Ontario: Ontario extending validation periods for Driver, Vehicles and Carrier Products, Services and Health Cards.

Up-to-date announcements: Ontario Newsroom

List of Essential Businesses

Ontario Enacts Declaration of Emergency to Protect the Public

Ontario Protecting Critical Front-Line Justice Services in Response to COVID-19

Enhanced Measures to Protect Ontarians from COVID-19

Ontario Protecting Supply Chains To Support COVID-19 Emergency Response

Ontario Helping Businesses Overcome the Unique Challenges Created by COVID-19

Ontario Dedicated COVID-19 Website

Ontario Together: Help Fight Coronavirus. Offer emergency products, and innovative solutions or volunteer to support the provincial response to COVID-19.

Reopening Ontario after COVID-19

PDF Guide: A Framework for Opening our Province

Effective immediately, Bank of Montreal, CIBC, National Bank of Canada, RBC Royal Bank, Scotiabank and TD Bank have made a commitment to work with personal and small business banking customers on a case-by-case basis to provide flexible solutions to help them manage through challenges such as:

• pay disruption due to COVID-19;
• childcare disruption due to school closures; or
• those facing illness from COVID-19.

This support will include up to a six-month payment deferral for mortgages, and the opportunity for relief on other credit products.

More information is available at Canada's Six Biggest Banks Take Decisive Action To Help Customers Impacted by COVID-19

Province of Ontario suspends time of use rate

• Oshawa Power & Utilities Corporation assistance and payment flexibility
• Elexicon Energy assistance and payment options
• Hydro One assistance and payment options
• Water Billing assistance and payment options

• Mortgage deferral information from CMHC
• Mortgage deferral information from Canadian Bankers Association
• CMHC Insured Mortgage Program

Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance (CECRA) for small businesses

• Rogers fee assistance and changes
• Bell fee assistance and changes