COVID-19
Please check the links below for information about government support for business, community resources, and health updates.
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Canada's Economic Response Plan
Support for business
Call to action
Allowable services
Community resources
Health information
COVID-19 and the economy:
A group of Canadian agriculture economists has published a collection of COVID-19 related papers on a variety of topics. The papers are available on the
Wiley Online Website and free to access, however you do need to
register on the site.
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Canada's COVID-19 Economic Response Plan
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Government extends the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy
The Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS) helps businesses keep employees on the payroll and encourages employers to re-hire workers previously laid off, and better positions businesses to bounce back following the crisis. (updated May 15)
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Canada’s Emergency Response Benefit (CERB)
If you have stopped working because of COVID-19, the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) may provide you with temporary income support.
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COVID-19: Information for small businesses
NEW April 17, 2020:
The Government of Saskatchewan has launched the Saskatchewan Small Business Emergency Payment, which provides financial assistance to small businesses that have been ordered to temporarily close or significantly curtail operations during this pandemic.
Government of Saskatchewan support for Saskatchewan businesses and workers.
- Provincial Sales Tax relief from penalty and interest charges
- Crown utilities bill-deferral programs
- Self-Isolation Support Program
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COVID-19 Information for Producers and Agribusiness
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Government of Canada resources for Canadian businesses
On March 18, 2020, the Prime Minister announced the Government of Canada’s COVID-19 Economic Response Plan to help stabilize the economy. These measures will provide up to $27 billion in direct support to Canadian workers and businesses.
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Additional federal support for businesses and their employees:
- a new Business Credit Availability Program to make more than $10 billion available to Canadian businesses in financing and credit insurance solutions through:
- the Canada Revenue Agency will defer tax payments until August 31, 2020, to help businesses with cash flow
- immediate relief for small businesses with a 10% wage subsidy for the next 90 days, up to a maximum of $1,375 per employee and $25,000 per employer
- a new Emergency Care Benefit of up to $900 biweekly for up to 15 weeks for self-employed people and others who are not eligible for EI sickness benefits
- increased credit available to farmers and the agri-food sector through Farm Credit Canada
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Assistance for tourism operators, small businesses or organizations
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Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada updates
AAFC is closely monitoring developments related to COVID-19 and its effect on the Canadian agricultural industry.
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Can your business manufacture or supply products and services in support of Canada's response to COVID-19?
See below for areas where you may be able to help.
Supplies and services needed: Saskatchewan
If you are a Saskatchewan business, innovator, or supplier and you think you have a solution that can help us fight COVID-19, you may direct your submission to
procurement@gov.sk.ca.
Items like masks, gloves, gowns, hand sanitizer, and services such as security, nursing, food, laundry, accommodation maintenance and IT support are all needed.
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Health Canada has released an Interim Order for the importation and sale of Class-IV medical devices used to diagnose, treat, or prevent COVID-19.
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Canadian manufacturers needed to help combat COVID-19
Canadian manufacturers or businesses can assist Canada in meeting the need for medical supplies:
If you:
- manufacture in Canada and/or have ready access to necessary inputs through your supply chain.
- have equipment or facilities that can be rapidly re-tooled to meet medical needs, including for personal protective equipment (PPE) such as gloves, masks and surgical gowns; sanitizers; wipes; ventilators; and other medical equipment and supplies.
- have skilled workers who are able to respond and who could be available for work in the current circumstances.
The Plan to Mobilize Industry to fight COVID-19 directly supports businesses to rapidly scale up production or re-tool their manufacturing lines to develop products made in Canada that will help in the fight against COVID-19.
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The National Research Council COVID-19 response
The COVID-19 Challenges Procurement Program: NRC Industrial Research Assistance Program and Innovative Solutions Canada
This program will post challenges seeking near-to-market solutions from small and medium-sized businesses (fewer than 500 staff) that need financial support from the National Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC IRAP) to refine and sell their product or solution to meet a COVID-19 related need.
The Pandemic Response Challenge Program: National Research Council of Canada
This program will build teams to address challenges requiring further research and development for solutions to meet COVID-19 related. The Pandemic Response Challenge Program is currently structured around 3 main research areas:
- Rapid detection and diagnosis
- Therapeutics and vaccine development and
- Digital health
Biomanufacturing capacity at Royalmount: NRC Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre
This initiative will result in a Good Manufacturing Practices platform to develop and scale up COVID-19 Canadian vaccine and therapy candidates.
NRC IRAP Innovation Assistance Program (IAP)
On April 17, 2020, the Government of Canada announced $250 million in funding for the Innovation Assistance Program (IAP) to assist Canadian small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). IRAP IAP provides a wage subsidy to eligible employers for up to 12 weeks.
SMEs pursuing technology-driven innovation who have been unable to secure funding under the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS) are eligible and can apply for financial assistance under IRAP IAP.
The call for applications will close Wednesday, April 29, 2020 at 11:59 pm EDT.
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Allowable Services
The Saskatchewan government is releasing a comprehensive list of critical public services and business services that will be allowed to continue operating during the COVID-19 response and maintaining critical services to the public and industry to prevent supply chain disruption.
Download the full list (pdf)
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Saskatchewan community resources
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