The Ontario government is supporting businesses that are required to shut down or significantly restrict services due to provincial public health measures. Businesses can apply for the new Ontario Small Business Support Grant and the property tax and energy cost rebates to help offset their costs.

Applications for the Ontario Small Business Support Grant opened on January 15. Small businesses facing challenges due to the necessary Provincewide Shutdown can apply for the grant on the Transfer Payment Ontario portal. Starting at $10,000 for all eligible businesses, the grant will provide businesses with a maximum of $20,000 to help cover decreased revenue as a result of the Provincewide Shutdown.

Businesses can also apply for the property tax and energy cost rebates provided in the form of grants on the Transfer Payment Ontario portal. The rebates include municipal and education property taxes, and energy costs, including electricity and natural gas (or where natural gas is not available, propane and heating oil).
Most businesses can expect to receive their grant payments within a few weeks of submitting a complete application. A detailed list of eligible businesses can be found at Ontario.ca/covidsupport.

The property tax and energy cost rebates will cover the entire length of time that businesses are required to temporarily close or significantly restrict services as a result of the Provincewide Shutdown or previously under Control, Lockdown, or modified Stage 2 public health restrictions. Property tax rebates for extended public health restriction periods will be automatically processed. That means eligible businesses will not have to re-apply for the property tax rebate grant if public health restrictions are extended by the Province.

To apply for the Ontario Small Business Support Grant, businesses will need a business number and will have to attest to information on revenue decline and the number of employees. For the property tax and energy cost rebates, businesses will have to submit proof of costs. For property tax rebates, this includes property tax bills (or proof of costs associated with property taxes). For energy cost rebates, this includes a digital copy of the first energy bill (including electricity, natural gas, propane or other) they received on or after the day new restrictions were put in place in their region. They can also submit other energy bills if their business is heated by propane or heating oil.
Applying is simple via an online application for the Ontario Small Business Support Grant and a single online form to apply for any – or all – of the programs, including property tax rebates, energy cost rebates and the PPE grant on the Transfer Payment Ontario portal.

Questions? Please contact Transfer Payment Ontario Client Care at: Tel: 416-325-6691 or Toll-free: 1-855-216-3090.

Music Canada has partnered with Abacus Data to get a renewed understanding of how artists’ perspectives continue to be impacted, ten months into the COVID-19 pandemic. The survey will hear directly from artists on the financial implications they are experiencing, how the pandemic is impacting their ability to create music, and how they are building or evolving skill sets to help them get by.
Canadian artists are encouraged to add their voice by completing the survey linked at https://musiccanada.com/artist-survey-2021. The survey is available in English and French.

Music Canada has partnered with Abacus Data to get artists’ perspectives on returning to work during the COVID-19 recovery phase. We believe that it is important for governments and the industry as a whole to understand how you feel about returning to venues and festivals while COVID-19 remains a health concern.

Data from this study will be added to consumer data that Music Canada is gathering to give all decision makers a complete picture of the recovery phase.
Music Canada has partnered with Abacus Data to get artists’ perspectives on returning to work during the COVID-19 recovery phase. We believe that it is important for governments and the industry as a whole to understand how you feel about returning to venues and festivals while COVID-19 remains a health concern.
Data from this study will be added to consumer data that Music Canada is gathering to give all decision makers a complete picture of the recovery phase.

Music Canada & Abacus Data – Return to Work Survey
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The COVID-19 pandemic has created an unprecedented impact on the music community. As a passionate advocate for music and those who create it, Music Canada has been in contact with all levels of government regarding the impact of COVID-19 on the music community and created a resource page to support artists and other industry members in obtaining credible information about government programs and other music-specific resources.The resource page will be updated regularly as more information and support programs become available. Click here to access the page.

We’re proud to join our allies in the music community in signing the Canadian Creative Industries Code of Conduct. On Saturday, March 16 at the Allies in Action event hosted by CARAS, it was announced that 42 music community groups had signed on to the Code, acknowledging their responsibility to build safe, respectful workplaces, and committing to improving and implementing policies to keep the music community safe.
It was also announced that Unison Benevolent Fund has committed to hosting education and training resources on its website at no cost. The resources are intended to enable community members to identify, confront and prevent harassment, bullying and violence in any workplace.
Music community groups who have not yet signed the Code are encouraged to join. More information and instructions to sign on can be found here.