COVID-19

On July 31, the Ontario government, in partnership with the federal government, extended the Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance (CECRA) for small businesses by one month to help eligible small business pay rent for August. To find out how much rent support you may be eligible for, visit Ontario.ca/rentassistance. To learn more and apply for the […]

The Ontario government is encouraging everyone to download the new COVID Alert app on their smart phone from the Apple and Google Play app stores. This app, which is available beginning today, lets users know if they may have been exposed to the virus. It is free, easy and safe to use. The more people who download

The new, federally-developed COVID Alert app is now available in the City of Kawartha Lakes and aims to help stop the spread of the novel coronavirus. The voluntary app tells users if or when they have been in close contact with another user who has tested positivie for the COVID-19 virus. It uses Bluetooth technology,

The Ontario government, in consultation with the Associate Chief Medical Officer of Health, has amended orders O. Reg 364/20: Rules for Areas in Stage 3 and O. Reg. 263/20: Rules for Areas in Stage 2, under the Reopening Ontario (A Flexible Response to COVID-19) Act, 2020, implementing additional measures for restaurants, bars, and other food or drink establishments, as

Child care services and centres will be fully operational again as of September 1. More information on this is available here: https://wardlegal.ca/31596034289334 So, things will soon change for parents who do not attend work due to child care responsibilities – in fact, that ability will end as of September 1. As workplaces re-open, employers are getting

In-class instructions at Ontario schools will resume this fall, with additional protective measures put in place to protect against the spread of COVID-19. Among the plans announced by the Province: Elementary schools (Kindergarten to Grade 8) will reopen provincewide, with in-class instruction five days a week. Secondary schools with lower risk will reopen with a

Today, the Ontario government announced its plan to allow licensed child care centres across Ontario to open at full capacity starting September 1, 2020. EarlyON Child and Family Centres will also be permitted to reopen with in-person programming along with before- and after-school programs for school aged children which will be permitted to operate with

So, what is happening with Ontario’s declaration of emergency for COVID-19? It’s ended, but the containment rules and directives continue. The declaration of emergency was made initially under the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act (“EMCPA”). Recently, the provincial declaration of emergency was extended to July 24, 2020, while existing emergency orders were extended to July 29,

Due to COVID, the CRA is further extending the deadlines for making tax payments, paying interest and for filing returns: Payment deadline extension The CRA is extending the payment due date for current year individual, corporate, and trust income tax returns, including instalment payments, from September 1, 2020, to September 30, 2020. Penalties and interest

Both employers and employees in the CKL need to be aware of their exposure to risk arising from the end of the province’s declaration of emergency. While existing emergency orders will continue under the new, replacement legislation, the end of the emergency declaration will potentially have significant consequences for both employers and employees. For example: