Is it Time to Incorporate Your Business?
At some point in time, every business owner considers whether or not his or her business should be incorporated. The structure of a business is fluid and may change with time. Often small businesses initially take the form of a sole proprietorship or partnership but, as they evolve, a corporate structure is adopted to grow […]
Update on Temporary Ban on Evictions of Commercial Tenants
Below is an update to my previous blog, Temporary Ban on Evictions of Commercial Tenants Extended, posted on October 20, 2020. The temporary ban on commercial evictions, which was originally introduced in June 2020, has been further extended. In December 2020, the Protect, Support and Recover from COVID-19 Act (Budget Measures), 2020 (the “Act”) received […]
Upcoming Changes to Ontario’s Franchise Legislation
The Ontario government recently confirmed that the long-awaited amendments to the Arthur Wishart Act (Franchise Disclosure), 2000, and the General Regulation, O. Reg. 581/00, made under the Act will be coming into force on September 1, 2020. Franchisors are welcoming these changes, which provide clarity to certain provisions of the legislation. In general, these amendments: […]
Ontario Government Proposes Temporary Ban on Evictions of Commercial Tenants (Updated June 19, 2020)
On June 8, 2020, the Ontario government announced its intention to introduce changes to the Commercial Tenancies Act in order to protect commercial tenants from being locked out or having their assets seized by their landlords as a result of the impact of COVID-19. The news release can be found here. If passed, the proposed […]
Small Business Relief Fund Launched by the Canadian Chamber of Commerce (updated on June 2, 2020)
The Canadian Chamber of Commerce’s Canadian Business Resilience Network, in collaboration with Salesforce, recently launched the Small Business Relief Fund, which will provide grants of $10,000 each to 62 small Canadian businesses in order to assist their recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and support their resilience. Businesses can use the grant funds to pay salaries, […]
Business Resilience Service Launched to Advise Businesses on Government Relief Programs
The Canadian Chamber of Commerce’s Canadian Business Resilience Network, in partnership with the Government of Canada, in collaboration with EY, and with support from the Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada and Imagine Canada recently launched the Business Resilience Service. The Business Resilience Service helps small- and medium-sized businesses, not-for-profits, and charities navigate the available government […]
City of Ottawa Releases Business Reopening Toolkit
On May, 20, 2020, the City of Ottawa released the Business Reopening Toolkit to offer guidance to businesses that prepare to recommence operations safely as Ontario begins reopening the economy. The toolkit provides sector-specific information with respect to: restaurants and food services; construction; retail; arts, culture, festivals, and events; manufacturing; office; healthcare providers and personal […]
Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance Program (Updated September 23, 2020)
On April 16, 2020, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced the creation of a new program, the Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance, to help small businesses that are commercial tenants with paying their rents for the months of April, May, and June 2020. This program “will seek to provide loans, including forgivable loans, to commercial property […]
Property Management Services Deemed Essential
On March 23, 2020, the Province of Ontario issued a list of essential workplaces that may stay open as of Wednesday, March 25, 2020. The list of essential workplaces can be found here. All non-essential workplaces were ordered to be closed as of March 24, 2020, at 11:59 pm, although they are not being precluded […]
