COVID Supports For Business

How Canadians do business has changed. To stay competitive and grow, small and medium-sized businesses need to adopt new digital tools.

The new Canada Digital Adoption Program (CDAP), which will provide $4 billion over four years to support up to 160,000 small businesses and create good middle-class jobs across the country, including thousands of jobs for young Canadians.

Under the CDAP, Canadian small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) will be able to assess their digital readiness and apply for grants and loans online. This funding will help them: leverage e-commerce opportunities, upgrade or adopt digital technologies, and digitize their operations to stay competitive and meet their customers’ needs in the digital marketplace.

Funding opportunities

• Grow Your Business Online
  Apply for a micro-grant and access e-commerce advisors to help you go digital and take advantage of e-commerce opportunities.
  
  Apply Now

The Canada Small Business Financing Program makes it easier for small businesses to get loans from financial institutions by sharing the risk with lenders.

The maximum loan amount for a borrower is $1.15 million up to a maximum of $1,000,000 for term loans for any one borrower, of which no more than $500,000 can be used for purchasing leasehold improvements or improving leased property and purchasing or improving new or used equipment and of that amount, a maximum of $150,000 could be used for intangible assets and working capital costs.

Up to a maximum of $150,000 for lines of credit.

Financial institutions deliver the program and are solely responsible for approving the loan.

For more information

Aimed squarely at the tourism and hospitality sector, the Propel Student Work Placement Program is helping the hardest-hit sector recover from the devastating impacts of the pandemic.

Funded by the Government of Canada’s Student Work Placement Program, Propel offers post-secondary students opportunities to develop the work-ready skills required to secure meaningful employment upon graduation. Propel offers registered Canadian businesses, startups, and not-for-profits related to the tourism and hospitality sector a subsidy on each qualifying student’s wages.

The wage subsidy is available for employers who hire students enrolled at a recognized post-secondary institution for a paid position to fulfil the co-op or internship component of their program. The wage subsidy can be accessed by businesses from all facets of the visitor economy: accommodations, food and beverage services, recreation and entertainment, transportation, and travel services.

How Does It Work?

Employers register on the Propel online portal, post the position they wish to fill, hire a student, and then apply for a wage subsidy.

The goal is to accelerate the integration of new graduates with high-growth job prospects, as well as foster improved and sustainable partnerships between employers and the post-secondary education system.

Learn More

The Tourism Industry Association of Ontario (TIAO) is now accepting applications for the Tourism Workforce & Sustainability (TWSP) program - a program designed to build a truly sustainable workforce by introducing tangible tools, including Ontario Living Wage top-ups, to attract and retain workers from underrepresented groups: BIPOC (black, Indigenous, person of colour), Indigenous Peoples, Justice Involved Individuals, New Canadians, Persons with Disabilities, Racialized Groups, Women, & Youth (15-29). 

The Tourism Workforce Sustainability Program aims to expand and diversify Ontario’s tourism workforce while helping employers retain employees for the long-term sustainability of their businesses and the industry. TIAO will support employers in attracting and retaining 200 new tourism employees across the province. All tourism industry employers and positions are eligible. Employees in the program will also have access to unique mentorship opportunities to support their individual lifestyle and career goals.

Who is eligible?

Employers who register for the program will receive tools and support to fill vacant positions, targeting job-seekers from new, diverse and inclusive labour pools.  Once an eligible person is hired, participating employers will:

• Offer the new hire a roadmap to career advancement as a guide, (template is available)*
• Pay the Ontario Living Wage applicable in the region (the gap between the historic wage for the position and the Ontario Living Wage will be reimbursed by TIAO for 6 months, and we also accept applicants that are only hiring seasonally; additional financial support is available in limited quantity for Indigenous employees through the Three Fires program)*
• Offer access to skills development and training resources offered through the program by OTEC and other TIAO partners
• Participate in financial coaching and training to build the capacity to sustain higher wages in the long term

The Intake period for employers is now open.

Learn More