• Today, the Government of Ontario announced new financial supports to help during the province-wide shutdown which takes effect on December 26. Premier Doug Ford, Christine Elliott, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health, Stephen Lecce, Minister of Education, and Bill Walker, Associate Minister of Energy offered the following details:
  • To assist parents and guardians with remote learning, students aged 13 through Grade 12 will be eligible for funding under an expanded Support for Learners program. Parents or guardians will receive a one-time payment of $200 per eligible student to help offset education expenses. Support will be available for those who attend a public or private school or who are homeschooled. Application instructions will be available on the Support for Learners web page starting in January 2021. The application deadline for Secondary school students will be open January 11, 2021 – February 08, 2021. The application deadline for Support for Learners for children or youth aged 0 to 12 and for children or youth aged 0 to 21 with special needs is being extended to February 8, 2021.
  • The government will hold electricity prices to the off-peak rate of 8.5 cents per kilowatt-hour for all time-of-use and tiered customers on a temporary basis starting January 1, 2021. This rate will be available 24 hours per day, seven days a week for a 28-day period. The off-peak price will automatically be applied to bills of all residential, small business, and farm customers who pay regulated rates.
  • Any residential, small business, or registered charity customer with an overdue electricity or natural gas bill will be eligible to apply to get support to pay their energy bills through the COVID-19 Energy Assistance Program (CEAP) . A residential customer can receive up to $750 to help cover their electricity bill and an additional $750 for their natural gas bill. Small businesses can receive up to $1500 for each. Newly eligible customers can apply for these enhanced benefits through their local utility, starting in January 2021.
• Today, the Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Economic Development and Official Languages and Minister responsible for FedDev Ontario, highlighted nearly $490 million in FedDev Ontario investments made this year. Details on some of the key investments can be found here. Businesses and organizations that have not been able to access sufficient relief, or are in need of complementary support to the measures they have already accessed, are encouraged to contact FedDev Ontario   or their CFDC Community Futures Ontario for more information on the RRRF or for help navigating other Government of Canada relief measures. Those looking to grow or expand are encouraged to contact us for more information on available funding opportunities.
• Canada’s newly appointed Taxpayers’ Ombudsperson, François Boileau, issued a statement on the response from Canadians regarding the service provided by the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) on the emergency benefit programs throughout the pandemic. Individuals are encourage to first try to resolve service issues with the CRA, or  formally through CRA’s Service Feedback Program.
• The City of St. Catharines has announced their holiday closures set to begin December 24, with several facilities remaining closed after the holiday break as part of the province-wide COVID-19 shutdown.
• The Town of Pelham announced their administrative and facility closures during the holiday break here.

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