The federal government’s Canada Emergency Rent Subsidy (“CERS”) opened for application on November 23, 2020.  The CERS program replaces the Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance program (CECRA) and is designed to subsidize businesses, charities and non-profits that have suffered a revenue drop due to COVID-19.

The developments on the COVID-19 pandemic have been numerous and developing rapidly since the Government of Canada passed the first COVID-19 Emergency Response Act approximately one month ago.

This Tax Update looks at some of the more recent measures intended to provide relief to Canadian small businesses and taxpayers:

1. the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy
2. the Canada Emergency Business Account loan program
3. the Business Credit Availability Program
4. Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance