January 2022 Newsletter

Ah, 2022.

The term ‘unprecedented times’ has been almost the motto. Call it optimism, call it fire, but I still remain optimistic that we together can weather this latest storm and welcome more normal times in the future.

Staffing, financial relief, provincial limitations and added costs and procedures we all wrestle with daily. Kindness, understanding and support however still remain. Let us lead by example! Let your feets hit our streets and let’s make a promise to one another and our community by keeping our bux in the ux.

Despite the current climate, I, and our board executive and directors wish all our BIA members and entrepreneurs a healthy, safe and abundant new year. If you need anything please feel free to reach out to Julia or I, we would be happy to help in any way we can.

B’good!
Christina curry
BIA Chair

Rapid Antigen Testing Kits Available Through Scugog Chamber of Commerce

Uxbridge Chamber of Commerce has partnered with the Scugog Chamber of Commerce to offer workplace Self-Screening, Rapid Antigen Testing Kits. Any Uxbridge business with less than 150 employees is entitled to sign up to receive free kits. Businesses with over 150 employees may order rapid tests directly through the Ontario government portal.
If you would like to be added to a list to be notified when the kits are in stock, please send an e-mail to info@scugogchamber.ca.
You may also check the calendar at www.scugogchamber.ca to schedule your appointment once kits have been received (mid-January).
Pick-ups will be made at the Scugog Chamber office at 250 Queen St. in Port Perry, by appointment only.
PLEASE USE THE REAR ENTRANCE

Ontario Announces New Small Business Relief Grant for Businesses Required to Close Due to Omicron

The Ontario government announced a new Ontario COVID-19 Small Business Relief Grant for small businesses that have been subject to closure under the modified Step Two of the Roadmap to Reopen . The program will provide a $10,000 grant to eligible businesses.

Eligible small businesses include:

Restaurants and bars;
Facilities for indoor sports and recreational fitness activities (including fitness centres and gyms);
Performing arts and cinemas;
Museums, galleries, aquariums, zoos, science centres, landmarks, historic sites, botanical gardens and similar attractions;
Meeting or event spaces;
Tour and guide services;
Conference centres and convention centres;
Driving instruction for individuals; and
Before- and after- school programs.

Eligible businesses that qualified for the Ontario Small Business Support Grant and that are subject to closure under modified Step Two of the Roadmap to Reopen will be pre-screened to verify eligibility and will not need to apply to the new program. Newly established and newly eligible small businesses will need to apply once the application portal opens in the coming weeks. Qualifying small businesses can expect the grant payment in February 2022.

The Ontario government is also providing electricity-rate relief for 21-days starting on January 18, 2022 at 12:01am. Electricity prices will be set 24hrs a day at the current off-peak rate of 8.2 cents per kilowatt-hour, which is less than half the cost of the current on-peak rate. The off-peak rate will apply automatically.

Online applications for the previously-announced Ontario Business Costs Rebate Program will open on January 18. This program will provide eligible businesses that are required to close or reduce capacity with rebate payments for up to 100% of the property tax and energy costs they incur while subject to public health measures.

The provincial government is also providing up to $7.5 billion in cash flow relief through a 6-month interest- and penalty-free period starting January 1, 2022 for businesses to make payments for most provincially administered taxes.

Spreadsheet Error May Have Affected Your Eligibility for the Tourism and Hospitality Recovery Program (THRP)

The federal government is advising that recent applicants for the Tourism and Hospitality Recovery Program (THRP) may have been affected by an error in the calculation spreadsheet for wage and hiring support, which erroneously showed they were ineligible for the THRP when they may have been eligible.

You may have been affected if:

You were applying for period 22 (October 24 to November 20, 2021)
You used a version of the spreadsheet for wage and hiring that was available between Tuesday December 21, 2021 and Friday December 24, 2021
You indicated you are a qualifying tourism and hospitality entity and had both a current-month revenue drop and 12-month average revenue drop over 40%
Step 5 in the spreadsheet showed a zero-dollar amount and gave the message that you were not eligible for the THRP

What to do if you think you have been affected by this error:

If you did not apply for period 22: Download the latest version of the spreadsheet (available here) and do your calculation again for period 22 to check if you are eligible to apply for the THRP – Wage
If you already applied for the Hardest-Hit Business Recovery Program – Wage or Canada Recovery Hiring Program for period 22: Contact the Business Enquiries line at 1-800-959-5525 to make your THRP – Wage application

The THRP supports businesses, charities, and non-profits who have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic through wage and rent subsidies.

The THRP is available to businesses and organizations in the tourism and hospitality industry with a 12-month average revenue drop (March 2020 to February 2021) of at least 40% and a claim-period revenue drop of at least 40%.

REMINDER: From December 19, 2021 to February 12, 2022, businesses with a current-month revenue loss of 25% and who are affected by a capacity-limiting public health restriction of 50% or more are eligible to apply for THRP wage and rent subsidies. Check if you qualify here.