Vital updates:

• The government of Ontario is providing up to $10 million to Indigenous-owned small and medium sized businesses to help them with much needed capital as the province begins to safely and gradually reopen the economy. Loans of up to $50,000 will be available to businesses that are either ineligible for, or unable to access, existing federal and provincial COVID-19 response initiatives for small businesses. The funding is being delivered through the Support for People and Jobs Fund. Loans will be available through Aboriginal Financial Institutions. Up to 50% of each loan will be in the form of a non-repayable grant, with no interest due on the loan portion until December 31, 2022.
• The Ontario government is allowing more businesses and services to open and getting more people back to work by moving the City of Toronto and Peel Region into Stage 2 on Wednesday, June 24, 2020 at 12:01 a.m. Windsor-Essex will remain in Stage 1 and the situation in the region will continue to be assessed on an ongoing basis.
• The Chief Medical Officer of Health has also strongly recommended that local medical officers of health use their authority under section 22 of the Health Protection and Promotion Act to issue class orders to ensure that employers of temporary workers take actions to decrease the risk of transmission of COVID-19 on farms. These actions could include:
  • All foreign workers self-isolate for 14 days from the date of their arrival, with the resources and supports they need to avoid any contacts with others and notification to public health unit if they have any COVID-19 symptoms;
  • All workers coming from any area where there is community transmission have tested negative for COVID-19 within 48 hours prior to beginning work;
  • Daily active screening;
  • Accurate and updated contact information of permanent, temporary and contract employees available to the public health unit within 24 hours and ensuring employees are assigned to the same group to support effective case management and contact tracing;
  • Physical distancing maintained between workers as best as possible and personal protective equipment to be provided based on risk assessment; and
  • All legislative requirements to protect worker health and safety are followed.
• On June 25, the GNCC will host its 15th episode of the Espresso Live webinar series. Join GNCC CEO, Mishka Balsom and guests Jeffrey N. Halpern, CPA, CA, TEP, FEA, Business Succession Advisor for TD Wealth and Aaron Gillespie, CPA, CA, Partner, Enterprise Tax for KPMG as we examine succession planning and the potential impacts COVID-19 might have on those looking for change in their business. Register here for free.

Reading recommendations:

• Customer experience will help retailers overcome the financial hit from coronavirus, Frederic Dimanche, The Conversation
• The battle over masks in a pandemic: An all-American story, Lori Rozsa, Chelsea Janes, Rachel Weiner and Joel Achenbach, The Washington Post
• We Can Protect the Economy From Pandemics. Why Didn’t We? Evan Ratliff, Wired