Author name: jonkersdw

On April 11, 2020, the COVID-19 Emergency Response Act, No. 2, which includes the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (the “CEWS”), received Royal Assent and is now available to employers. Am I eligible? The CEWS is available to all “eligible employers,” which includes individuals, corporations, partnerships, non-profits and registered charities. In order to qualify for the CEWS, […]

On April 14, 2020, the local Medical Officer of Health issued the following Class Order under Section 22 (5.01.1)  under the Health Protection and Promotion Act. This order is designed to protect the health of local residents by reducing the spread of COVID-19 in the City of Kawartha Lakes.  The order applies to ALL persons in the City of

Commercial tenancy relationships in Ontario are governed by Ontario’s Commercial Tenancies Act (the “CTA”) and the lease agreement itself. They are largely a matter of contract, in terms of rights and obligations, rather than statutory rules. During Ontario’s State of Emergency (as of Mar. 17, 2020), many businesses in the City of Kawartha Lakes (“CKL”) have been

The Canada Emergency Response Benefit (the "CERB") has been expanded, now offering more financial/wage support to low-income, essential workers. The CERB eligibility rules have been changed to: allow people to earn up to $1,000 per month, while collecting the CERB; extend the CERB to seasonal workers who have exhausted their EI regular benefits and are unable to

Today the federal Government announced: [1]      CEBA: Eligibility for this interest-free line of credit (loan) has been expanded. The previously announced program, which offers businesses up to $40,000 in a government-backed loan, will now be available to businesses with payrolls worth between $20,000 and $1.5 million. Previously, the interest-free loan was only for those with

Some CLK businesses have been deemed non-essential and, therefore, cannot operate during the emergency. Other essential businesses, despite being legally permitted to operate, have had to consider or undertake downsizing, restructuring, or otherwise cost-cutting. Either way, as a result, local businesses have had to consider or have implemented temporary or permanent layoffs. While temporary layoffs

While essential workplace employers have a statutory duty to take reasonable steps to protect the health and safety of employees, privacy laws still apply during the pandemic. Privacy laws impact what employers are permitted to do in terms of screening and monitoring employees during the COVID-19 crisis. Ontario’s Privacy Commissioner has not yet provided any

Many employers in the City of Kawartha Lakes, particularly those designated as “non-essential” have been forced to scale-down or cease operating, including by provincial emergency order. Even “essential” workplaces have been forced to lay off, place on infectious disease leave or terminate employees due to the pandemic. Uncertainty abounds for everyone, in terms of the

To offer more assistance to CKL employers who are enrolled, the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (“WSIB”) has now announced a “relief package”, permitting employers to defer premium reporting and payments until August 31, 2020. The WSIB has also announced that the costs for COVID-19 claims will be allocated on a Schedule-wide basis and, therefore, will not

If you need urgent financial help and you live in the City of Kawartha Lakes, you could be eligible for approximately $733 for a month if you are a single person and need help paying for food and shelter. More if you have children. Up to 48 days of support is available depending on your