1) Commercial Fishing and Seafood Processing Included as “Essential Service”
Essential Services Declaration for Food Industry Essential to Maintain BC’s Food Supply Chain
Link: https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2020PSSG0020-000568 (essential services list at bottom of page)
Summary: The Province, in consultation with the Dr. Bonnie Henry, B.C.'s provincial health officer, has defined essential services British Columbians rely on in their daily lives in the context of COVID-19 response and recovery. This is distinct from essential service designations under the Province's Labour Relations Code.
In consultation with the provincial health officer, any business or service that has not been ordered to close, and is also not identified on the essential service list, may stay open if it can adapt its services and workplace to the orders and recommendations of the PHO.
The PHO has ordered some types of businesses to close. Any business or service that has not been ordered to close, and is also not identified on the essential service list, may stay open if it can adapt its services and workplace to the orders and recommendations of the PHO.
Seafood and Agriculture service providers (summarized list please see link above for full list):
food cultivation, including farming, livestock, aquaculture and fishing, and businesses that support the food supply chain, as well as community gardens and subsistence agriculture;
food processing, manufacturing, storage and distribution of foods, feed products and beverages;
workers essential to maintaining or repairing equipment in food processing and distribution centres;
workers, including temporary foreign workers, to support agricultural operations to enhance food security;
retail: grocery stores, convenience stores, farmers markets and other establishments engaged in the retail sale or provision of food, pet or livestock supply, liquor, cannabis (including producers), and any other household consumer products, such as cleaning and personal care products.
includes stores that sell groceries and also sell other non-grocery products, and products necessary to maintaining the safety, sanitation and essential daily operation of residences. such as home supply, hardware, building material stores, pawn brokers, and garden centres and nurseries;
inspection services and associated regulatory and government workforce and supporting businesses required for slaughter of animals, dairy production and food safety; and
Transportation, infrastructure and manufacturing
supply chain services needed to supply goods for societal functioning, including cooling, storing, packaging, transportation, warehousing and distribution;
workers who support the maintenance and operation of cargo transportation services, including crews, maintenance, operations and other facilities workers;
manufacturers and distributors (to include service centres and related operations) of packaging materials, pallets, crates, containers and other supplies needed to support manufacturing, packaging staging and distribution operations;
truck drivers who haul hazardous and waste materials to support critical infrastructure, capabilities, functions, and municipal and provincial services;
local, regional, and provincial delivery services, including but not limited to businesses that ship or deliver groceries, food, goods or services directly to business and residences and mailing and shipping services;
employees who repair, maintain and overhaul vehicles, aircraft and parts, rail equipment, marine vessels, and the equipment and infrastructure that enables operations that encompass movement of cargo and passengers, as well as vehicle rentals and leasing;
services that facilitate the transportation of essential supplies, personnel and services, including port/waterfront operations, road, air and rail operations;
2) BC Government’s Financial Support for Small Businesses
To help entrepreneurs in B.C. affected by the COVID-19 pandemic find financial support, the B.C. government’s Small Business Branch has compiled the current supports available from across government and the private sector into a single resource. The attached resource is also available online at the link below and will be updated as more information becomes available.
COVID-19: Financial Supports for Small Businesses in B.C.
Small Business BC advisors are ready to answer entrepreneurs’ questions about navigating the challenges of COVID-19. Small Business BC is also hosting daily digital meetups to help small businesses overcome challenges and find solutions.
Current information on COVID-19 can found on the BC Centre for Disease Control website.
Supports for small businesses here: http://canada.ca/covid-19-business
You can ask questions or suggestions with the B.C. government’s Small Business Branch at askus@smallbusinessbc.ca and SmallBusinessBranch@gov.bc.ca.
On Wednesday the Prime Minister and Minister of Finance announced the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB). This will provide $2,000 a month for up to 4 months to Canadians who are not receiving a paycheque due to COVID-19. To make it simpler for people applying two measures previously announced (the Emergency Care Benefit and the Emergency Support Benefit) have been combined– the CERB means Canadian workers, entrepreneurs small business owners will get the financial support they need ten days after applying for this benefit. The Application Portal will be launched in early April. This benefit applies to employees, entrepreneurs, small business owners – and you will qualify for it if you have lost your job, or you’re not being paid because you have to stay home to self-isolate, to watch your kids because of school closures, or to care for someone who is sick. To learn more about the benefit, please read the News Release.
3) WorkSafeBC Deferral of Q1 2020 Premiums
Fish Safe forwarded the following information from WorkSafeBC:
WorkSafeBC is actively monitoring and adjusting to the COVID-19 situation to determine how we can best support our stakeholders around the province.
We know employers are facing a number of challenges and uncertainty at this time, so we have decided to allow employers to defer payment of their Q1 2020 premiums by three months. This means employers who report payroll and make payments on a quarterly basis, as well as Personal Optional Protection (POP) coverage holders, can defer payment until June 30, 2020. Employers who report annually will not be impacted because they do not report payroll or pay premiums until March 2021.
4) Tuna Treaty News
Bilateral contacts are continuing despite the COVID-19 situation. As news becomes available we will distribute it.
US-Canada Albacore treaty data exchange call has been scheduled for April 22 2020.
5) Travel Ban Exemption for Temporary Foreign Workers
Yesterday, the Government announced that the travel ban exemption for Temporary Foreign Workers is now in effect, and employers using all streams of the program are able to make arrangements for workers to enter Canada. Temporary foreign workers, like all travelers arriving in Canada, are subject to a 14-day mandatory quarantine period before they are able to begin work on farms. More information can be found at https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/coronavirus-special-measures.html
We are waiting for final approval on specific measures that employers will need to put in place to respect the 14-day mandatory quarantine period and will share them as soon as available.
6) Temporary Wage Subsidy for Employers
The Temporary Wage Subsidy for Employers is a three-month measure that will allow eligible employers to reduce the amount of payroll deductions required to be remitted to the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA).
You are an eligible employer if you:
are a non-profit organization, registered charity, or a Canadian-controlled private corporation (CCPC);
have an existing business number and payroll program account with the CRA on March 18, 2020; and
pay salary, wages, bonuses, or other remuneration to an employee.
This subsidy is equal to 10 per cent of the remuneration you pay between March 18, 2020, and June 20, 2020, up to $1,375 per employee and to a maximum of $25,000 total per employer.
This could be helpful to some of our members as a supplement during these difficult times. More info here:https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/campaigns/covid-19-update/frequently-asked-questions-wage-subsidy-small-businesses.html?_cldee=YW50aG9ueWZAZmNwYy5jYQ#h1