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On April 2, 2020, government announced two new programs valued at an estimated $40 million to further support small businesses and workers impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. 

COVID 19 Worker Emergency Bridge – for workers ($20 million)

Nova Scotians have a long and proud history of helping each other in tough times. For some workers, Covid-19 has meant job losses and lay-offs and trouble paying bills and meeting basic needs like food and shelter. While we already have programs in place to help many people in need, we want to prevent others from falling through the cracks.  

The Worker Emergency Bridge will help people who are no longer working and need help as soon as possible. Nova Scotians laid off or out of work on or after March 16, 2020 due to Covid-19, and ineligible for Employment Insurance, are eligible for a one-time, $1,000 payment to help them meet their basic needs. 

Eligibility for the program is not affected by a person or business being enrolled in another provincial program or the federal initiatives. For example, this can be combined with the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB).  .

Application portal will be available later next week.

Those eligible for Employment Insurance are not eligible for this program.

Small Business COVID 19 Impact Grant – for employers ($20 million)

Small businesses are highly valued in Nova Scotia. Their recovery from interruptions caused by Covid-19 is important for our economy and our communities. Small businesses ordered to close or with operations substantially curtailed by the Public Health orders can access support through the new Small Business Sustainability Grant.

This flexible, onetime, upfront grant can be used by the business owner as they determine, for their business to weather this unprecedented period. 

Eligible small business can receive a grant of up to 15 per cent of their revenue from sales for either February 2020 or April 2019, at the option of the business owner, to a maximum of $5,000 per enterprise.

The Covid 19 Small Business Impact Grant can be combined with all other federal and provincial support for small business. 

Application portal will be available later next week.

Role of Dalhousie University

The province has partnered with Dalhousie University’s and its Faculty of Management so the university can implement the two programs announced today – the Small Business COVID 19 Impact Grant program and the COVID-19 Worker Emergency Bridge.

Dalhousie and its partners in post secondary education throughout NS are well positioned to provide expertise and extra capacity during these unprecedented times. 

There will be accountability and government oversight through a Contribution Agreement.

The following is an excerpt from a release issued by Halifax Water on Wednesday, April 1, 2020, regarding special measures and service updates amid COVID-19.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has many Halifax Water customers concerned about the future and their ability to pay bills in these uncertain times.

To further support customers, Halifax Water is taking additional measures to assist those facing financial hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

• Customers may defer payments on accounts from March 13th – July 31st.
• No interest will be charged on overdue accounts from March 13th – July 31st.
• Halifax Water fees for dishonoured payments will be waived from March 13th – July 31st.
• Disconnection for non-payment of service is suspended until July 31st. 
• Customers facing economic impacts due to the COVID-19 situation that will cause them to struggle with paying their accounts are asked to please contact Halifax Water’s Customer Care Centre at customercare@halifaxwater.caor 902-420-9287 to discuss payment arrangements.”

For more information on Halifax Water, please check www.halifaxwater.ca, or call our Customer Care Centre at 902-420-9287.

Please note: All in-person Service Canada Centres are closed to the public. Service Canada call centres are open and agents are available to assist with critical services. Call volumes are expected to be high for the foreseeable future. Please visit Canada.ca for information. If you have difficulty getting through, please try again later.

EI Updates (For Individuals) —

The online EI application (Appliweb) has been updated to include additional reasons that individuals can choose from for separation options. The following changes have been made in response to the question “Why are you no longer working?”

• Shortage of work option:  Now indicates “includes closure due to COVID-19” in the explanation.
• Sick Leave option:  Now includes “quarantine” in the explanation.

Need more help? Clients can call the 1-800 for urgent requests or submit a request via their online channel.

ROE Updates (For Employers) —

If your employees are directly affected by the coronavirus (COVID-19) and they are no longer working, you must issue a Record of Employment (ROE). These are one of the key pieces of information needed for the automated claims processing system. Without this from the employer, it will delay individuals’ claims.

• When completing ROE for those off-work due to COVID-19, please use the following codes, (concerning Box 16 – Reason for Separation)
  • When the Employee is sick or quarantined: Code D (illness or Injury)
  • When the Employee stops working due to shortage of work or shutdown due to COVID-19: Code A (Shortage of Work)
  • When the Employee is not sick or quarantined but not working due to other reasons related to COVID-19: Code E (Quit) or Code N (Leave of Absence)
• IMPORTANT: add comments only when required. Doing so causes the ROE to be pulled from the automatic processing queue for manual review. 

Need more help? Contact Service Canada’s Employer Contact Centre.

For more information about Service Canada updates related to COVID-19, please click here.

Prime Minister Trudeau announced the Canada Emergency Wage Benefit on March 30, 2020. While we are pending the technical details and roll-out of the program, here is an overview of the details we know so far:

• It is open to corporations, businesses, partnerships and non-profits – no matter how large or small
• Your business must have seen a revenue reduction of 30% due to COVID-19
• The benefit will cover up to 75% of workers’ salaries on the first $58,700 earned annually
• The maximum benefit will be $847 per week, per worker
• The subsidy will be backdated to March 15
• This benefit will be available for at least three months
• It will take time for this money to reach companies; in the meantime, there are business credit programs available (click here).

CANS “COVID-19 FAQs for Construction” was updated on Tuesday, March 31, 2020, per a correction issued by the province. See below for the specific section in question as well as a link to the newly updated document.

Q: Which government department is administering provincial border checks and who is the contact person for further questions as they arise?
The border checks process is a multi-department effort.  The contact if further questions arise is 902-424-0285, and email is environmental.health@novascotia.ca

Click here to access the updated ‘COVID-19 FAQs for Construction’ document.