The Ontario government is partnering with the federal government to provide urgent relief for small businesses and landlords affected by the COVID-19 outbreak. The province is committing $241 million through the new Ontario-Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance Program (OCECRA). The total amount of provincial-federal relief that would be provided is more than $900 million, helping to ensure small businesses are ready to reopen their doors when the emergency measures are lifted.
"The vast majority of Ontario's small businesses and landlords are struggling during this extraordinary public health emergency," said Premier Ford. "That's why we are doing everything we can to support them through these tough economic times, so they can hit the ground running when we are in a position to open up the provincial economy. I want to thank the federal government for partnering with us to help our small businesses and commercial landlords. I look forward to working together to also provide much-needed support to residential renters ahead of May 1."
The Ontario-Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance Program will provide forgivable loans to eligible commercial property owners experiencing potential rent shortfalls because their small business tenants have been heavily impacted by the COVID-19 crisis. To receive the loan, property owners will be required to reduce the rental costs of small business tenants for April to June 2020 by at least 75 per cent and commit to a moratorium on evictions for three months.
"To help stop the spread of COVID-19, businesses have closed their doors and employees have stayed home and that has been working, but it has also created significant financial hardship," said Rod Phillips, Minister of Finance. "By subsidizing rent payments, reducing taxes, extending deadlines, and eliminating penalties and interest, we're helping to ensure businesses can start up quickly when the time is right."
"Ontario's small and medium-sized businesses are vital to our economy and include some of the hardest-working people in the world who have rolled up their sleeves to support our frontline healthcare workers, and beat this virus," said Vic Fedeli, Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade. "This package of supports will help them get through these difficult days and resume normal operations as soon as possible."
