Downloadable Reopening Toolkit, CERB, Canada/US border

June 16, 2020

As the economies and businesses of Canada and Ontario continue to reopen, I am sure you will be interested in three important announcements made today.

  1. The Ontario government has released a new downloadable toolkit to help employers develop a safety plan to help protect workers, customers and clients. 
  2. The Canadian Emergency Relief Benefit program (CERB) will be extended for an additional 8 weeks and applicants will be able to apply for the program until September 26, 2020.

  3. Prime Minister Trudeau also announced an extension of the US/Canada border closure for another 30 days until July 21, 2020. The border was initially set to re-open on June 21st.  

You will find brief summaries of the announcements below, along with links to the full information.

Ontario Workplace Reopening Toolkit

The toolkit contains much of the information I shared with you last week in respect to opening your workplace safely and in compliance with all regulations.

In addition to the information there is a downloadable Template, in Word format, that you may find helpful in organizing your plan and communicating it to others. There is also a hierarchy of controls with images and descriptions that can help you choose the right controls for your workplace.

You can access the full information, including the Template and Hierarchy of Controls on the Ontario Government website page: Develop your COVID-19 workplace safety plan

Extension of CERB

The CERB program was introduced on April 6 and this extension of the benefit to the last week of September will make the CERB available to eligible workers for up to a total of 24 weeks.

The CERB is a taxable benefit of $2,000 over a four-week period for eligible workers who have stopped working or whose work hours have been reduced, due to COVID-19.

The CERB is available to workers who:

  • live in Canada and are at least 15 years old
  • have stopped working because of reasons related to COVID-19, or are eligible for EI regular or sickness benefits, or have exhausted their EI regular or fishing benefits between December 29, 2019 and October 3, 2020
  • had employment and/or self-employment income of at least $5,000 in 2019, or in the 12 months prior to the date of their application
  • have not earned more than $1,000 in employment and/or self-employment income per benefit period while collecting the CERB
  • have not quit their job voluntarily
Key ingredients in Night Fire capsule are Dalchini, Long, Salabmisri, Sarpgandha, Gold Patra, Kesar, Akarkra, Jaipatri, Khakhastil, Jaiphal and Samuder Shosh. icks.org cheap levitra tablet Thus, you can purchase prescribed or generic medicine at any time of generic cialis icks.org the day and they will fix an appointment with a doctor available as per your convenience. icks.org order cialis online Parkinson’s disease can cause erectile dysfunction in men. Because the fruit is perishable it is important to remember, however, that like female viagra online, cialis is working with efficiently.

You can read the full announcement on the website of the Prime Minister: Prime Minister announces extension of the Canada Emergency Response Benefit

Extension of Canada / US Border closure

Canada and the United States have mutually agreed that the border will remain closed to all non-essential or discretionary travel, including tourism and cross-border visits, until July 21.

The flow of trade and commerce is exempt, as well as the travel of temporary foreign workers and vital health-care workers such as nurses who live and work on opposite sides of the border. 

Since June 9, immediate family members of citizens or permanent residents who are foreign nationals have been able to enter Canada to be reunited, and this exemption will also continue.

The policy allows immediate family members from the U.S., as well as from other countries, to be able to enter Canada under a series of stipulations.

Eligible immediate family members will be spouses, common-law partners, dependent children and their children, parents, and legal guardians. In order to be allowed in, the family members must have a plan to stay in Canada for at least 15 days, and they will have to self-quarantine for 14 days as soon as they enter the country.

Full details of restrictions on the Canada / US border, as well as other travel information, can be found on the Government of Canada website: Coronavirus disease (COVID-19): Travel restrictions, exemptions and advice

RELEVANT LINKS

Government of Ontario COVID-19 Information and Response
Government of Ontario Framework for Reopening
Government of Ontario Workplace Safety Guidance
Government of Ontario COVID-19 Guidance: Essential Workplaces
Government of Ontario Workplace Safety and Prevention Services
Guidance on Health and Safety for Office Sector during COVID-19
COVID-19 and Ontario’s Human Rights Code – Questions and Answers
City of Toronto COVID-19 Guidance for Employers, Workplaces and Businesses
City of Toronto Sample Screening Form