Below are the key government announcements made on May 12, 2020 that touch on workplace issues. Our daily (weekday) and weekend overviews of previous government announcements, employment analyses and other COVID-19 information are available here.
The Federal Government
The government updated its Questions and Answers on the Canada Emergency Response Benefit ("CERB") to specify that employers cannot use a supplemental unemployment benefit plan registered with Service Canada to top up CERB payments to employees. While eligible employees may earn up to $1,000 in income in each of their benefit periods from March 15, 2020 to October 3, 2020 while continuing to receive the CERB, any amounts received from any employer in excess of the $1,000 threshold would create an obligation for the employees to repay CERB amounts they received for the same benefit period.
Alberta
There were no major government updates as of 5:00 p.m. E.D.T. on May 12, 2020.
British Columbia
There were no major government updates as of 5:00 p.m. E.D.T. on May 12, 2020.
Manitoba
The government announced up to $10-million in funding to support community organizations, municipalities, and provincial parks delivering Green Team projects this upcoming summer. Green Team grants are awarded to non-profit organizations and municipal governments to cover wages of 15 to 29 year olds hired to work between May and August 2020. The government expects this funding will support over 2,000 summer jobs.
New Brunswick
The government announced its plans to reopen various provincial parks and other major tourism attractions in accordance with Phase 2 of New Brunswick's Recovery Plan. Further information regarding the reopening of sites and services is available here.
Newfoundland and Labrador
There were no major government updates as of 5:00 p.m. E.D.T. on May 12, 2020.
Nova Scotia
There were no major government updates as of 5:00 p.m. E.D.T. on May 12, 2020.
Ontario
The Legislative Assembly extended the provincial Declaration of Emergency until June 2, 2020. The order extending the Declaration of Emergency is available here.
The Legislative Assembly also passed the COVID-19 Response and Reforms to Modernize Ontario Act, 2020, which, among other things, enacted or made changes to the following legislation to provide for certain remote activities and/or delays as a result of COVID-19:
- Alternative Filing Methods for Business Act, 2020;
- Business Corporations Act;
- Business Names Act;
- Commissioners for Taking Affidavits Act;
- Condominium Act, 1998;
- Co-operative Corporations Act;
- Corporations Act;
- Corporations Information Act;
- Education Act;
- Extra-Provincial Corporations Act;
- Limited Partnerships Act;
- Métis Nation of Ontario Secretariat Act, 2015;
- Notaries Act;
- Not-for-Profit Corporations Act, 2010; and
- Succession Law Reform Act.
Premier Ford announced that the government will unveil the next stage of its reopening plan on Thursday, May 14, 2020.
Prince Edward Island
There were no major government updates as of 5:00 p.m. E.D.T. on May 12, 2020.
Quebec
Premier Legault confirmed that wearing a mask in public is not a legal requirement in Quebec, though it is strongly recommended where individuals cannot maintain a physical distance of 2-metres (except for inside a household).
The Premier also confirmed that the currently scheduled reopening of businesses and schools in Montreal on May 25, 2020 may be further postponed.
Saskatchewan
There were no major government updates as of 5:00 p.m. E.D.T. on May 12, 2020.
Northwest Territories, Nunavut, and the Yukon
In the Northwest Territories, the government announced that the Support for Entrepreneurs and Economic Development (SEED) program will be used to help the Territories' businesses recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. Funding approvals will be made in accordance with new guidelines that are available online.
There were no major government updates in Nunavut or the Yukon as of 5:00 p.m. E.D.T. on May 12, 2020.
