Leeds-Grenville–Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes
Business Survey: COVID-19
Leaders from municipal economic development offices, Chambers of Commerce, Employment Services, Community Futures Development Corporations, Small Business Enterprise Centres, Business Improvement Areas, and local business support organizations are working together to identify how the impact of COVID-19 will be felt by our business community.
Ontario’s Action Plan: Responding to COVID‑19 outlines the Province’s first steps to tackle the COVID‑19 outbreak head on.
The Province will continue to closely collaborate with its partners, including the federal government and Ontario’s municipalities, to protect the economy. Experience has shown this is most effective when governments work together. And this is exactly what the province has done.
Ontario Ministry of Finance
Interest and Penalty Relief for Businesses
On March 25, 2020, the Ontario government announced a five-month relief period for Ontario businesses who are unable to file or remit select provincial taxes on time, due to the special circumstances caused by the coronavirus (COVID‑19) in Ontario.
Beginning April 1, 2020, penalties and interest will not apply to Ontario businesses that miss any filing or remittance deadline under select provincial taxes:
Employer Health Tax
Retail Sales Tax on Insurance Contracts and Benefit Plans
Starting Tuesday, hydro rates will be temporarily lowered to the off-peak rates – which are typically reserved for evenings, overnights and weekends – meaning homeowners will be charged a steady rate of 10.1 cents per kilowatt hour.
Currently, Ontarians are charged between 14.4 cents and 20.8 cents per kilowatt hour between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. as part of the provincial Time of Use energy conservation program.
Families will save an estimated $20 per month, while businesses will save $150 and cost the provincial treasury $162-million.
COVID-19
Pandemic Preparedness Toolkit for Ontario Businesses
The coronavirus disease (COVID-19), previously known as the 2019 novel coronavirus, is a pandemic that already has or will imminently disrupt the operations of employers, the health care system, and public institu- tions. It is critical that businesses are equipped with the knowledge, skills, and resources needed to respond to protect public health and ensure the continued essential operations of their organizations.
