EC3 COVID-19 Bulletin: Financial Resources for the Arts, Culture, and Heritage Sector

March 23rd, 2020

EC3 continues to monitor the situation regarding COVID-19 and particularly the impact on the local, arts, culture and heritage community. We are posting information about closures, alternative activities, plans and ideas constantly. Please check our Twitter account and Facebook page for the most up to date information.

EC3 has been in communication with City Hall staff about the Community Investment and Projects Grants and you should have heard from them by now that the Province has adapted the Municipal Act to allow City Council to do this kind of business now, even if it can’t meet face to face for votes, and that they expect these grants to be out shortly.

The impact of the Covid virus is hitting the ACH sector particularly hard, so we are providing two documents that we hope will help you to navigate the new federal government financial aid packages. One comes from the Canada Council for the Arts and the other from the Centre for Small Business. We will also make these available as aFacebook post that you can share.

Action

We are retweeting (@ECThreePtbo) updates from multiple cultural service organizations.

If you have ideas on how the City of Peterborough or EC3 can help meet the current challenges, please get in touch.

Let us know how you or your organization is being affected, especially financially.

What action could the City take that would make a difference? What relief/recovery initiatives would help?

Contact EC3 at: electriccitycc@gmail.com.

Please keep monitoring our Twitter account and Facebook page. Website updates coming ASAP. Also, please let us know if you have alternative plans for your programs, just in case we aren’t getting your Facebook posts etc.

Any fun ideas for arts or heritage activities that respect “social distancing” guidelines? Let us know and we will promote. Call us if you just need to talk.

EC3 is mindful that the health and well-being of all ACH workers, artists, staff and audiences is everyone’s foremost concern. Please take care of yourselves, friends, colleagues and loved ones, and don’t hesitate to get in touch.


Update from the Canada Council for the Arts

COVID-19 : Info update Federal government package in response to COVID-19
March 18, 2020

On March 18, 2020, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced an $82B aid package aimed at helping Canadians financially through the COVID-19 crisis.

It is well understood that the health and livelihood of many Canadian artists and arts organizations are being directly affected by the global spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19). Those in our community who are considered self-employed, may not have access to employment insurance (EI) or paid sick leave. Among those employed by an organization, many will face similar financial challenges, as their employers are being similarly impacted financially by the COVID-19 pandemic. A number of measures announced today will alleviate the mounting economic difficulties being experienced by artists, culture workers and arts organizations. In the meantime, artists and arts organizations may look to the following for support:

Emergency Care Benefit

Temporary income support for workers and parents without paid sick leave (or similar workplace accommodation) who are sick quarantined, or forced to stay home to care for children. As announced on March 11, the mandatory one-week waiting period for EI sickness benefits has been waived, as has the requirement for a medical certificate.

Those who are ineligible for EI and don’t have access to paid sick leave will be able to receive up to $900 every two weeks, for 15 weeks. This applies to those who fall ill, are quarantined, self-isolated, or who have to care for a family member with COVID-19, or who must stay home with their children due to school closures.

These funds will be available in early April through an online application, and funds will be dispersed through direct deposit. No medical documentation will be required.

Emergency Support Benefit

For longer-term income support to workers who lose their jobs or face reduced hours as a result of COVID’s impact, an Emergency Support Benefit delivered through the Canada Revenue Agency will provide up to $5B in support to workers who are not eligible for EI. Included are:

GST Credit: a one-time special payment by early May 2020 through the Goods and Services Tax credit. The average boost to income for those benefitting from this measure will be close to $400 for single individuals and close to $600 for couples.

Canada Child Benefit

the maximum annual Canada Child Benefit (CCB) payment amount will increase for the 2019-20 benefit year by $300 per child as part of the May payment. Wage subsidy: the Government announced a 10% wage subsidy that will be available for small businesses for three months, up to a maximum of $2K per employer. This applies to not-for-profit organizations and charities.

Personal finances

The deadline to file taxes for 2019 has been extended to June 1. Canadians who have filed their taxes already, and owe money, will not have to pay until September 1, 2020. Targeted assistance is expected for more vulnerable groups affected by COVID-19.

The six largest financial institutions will work with individuals and small businesses to provide flexible solutions on an individual basis.

The Canada Council for the Arts and Canadian Heritage are working in collaboration to provide options to the government for additional support for artists and arts organizations We will continue to keep you informed and updated as we learn more.

Click for updates on how the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak is affecting our programs and services.


Via The Small Business Centre:

All the best,
Su Ditta
Executive Director
Electric City Culture Council (EC3)
electriccitycc@gmail.com
www.ecthree.org
705 749 9101

See our News & Information page for all the latest COVID-19 updates.

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partnerships
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arts awareness
representation
arts awards
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creative programming ideas
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convening
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professional development workshops
advocacy
research
partnerships
networks promotion
education
arts awareness
representation
arts awards
forums
knowledge sharing
support services
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creative programming ideas
planning
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convening
connecting
capacity building
cultural incubators
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professional development workshops
advocacy
research
partnerships
networks promotion
education
arts awareness
representation
arts awards
forums
knowledge sharing
support services
strategic leadership
creative programming ideas
planning
solutions
convening
connecting
capacity building
cultural incubators
artsweek
professional development workshops
advocacy
research
partnerships
networks promotion
education
arts awareness
representation
arts awards
forums
knowledge sharing
support services
strategic leadership
creative programming ideas
planning
solutions
convening
connecting
capacity building
cultural incubators
artsweek
professional development workshops
advocacy
research
partnerships
networks promotion
education
arts awareness
representation
arts awards
forums
knowledge sharing
support services
strategic leadership
creative programming ideas
planning
solutions
convening
connecting
capacity building
cultural incubators
artsweek
professional development workshops
advocacy
research
partnerships
networks promotion
education
arts awareness
representation
arts awards
forums
knowledge sharing
support services
strategic leadership
creative programming ideas
planning
solutions
convening
connecting
capacity building
cultural incubators
artsweek
professional development workshops
advocacy
research
partnerships
networks promotion
education
arts awareness
representation
arts awards
forums
knowledge sharing
support services
strategic leadership
creative programming ideas
planning
solutions
convening
connecting
capacity building
cultural incubators
artsweek
professional development workshops
advocacy
research
partnerships
networks promotion
education
arts awareness
representation
arts awards
forums
knowledge sharing
support services
strategic leadership
creative programming ideas
planning
solutions
convening
connecting
capacity building
cultural incubators
artsweek
professional development workshops
advocacy
research
partnerships
networks promotion
education
arts awareness
representation
arts awards
forums
knowledge sharing
support services
strategic leadership
creative programming ideas
planning
solutions
convening
connecting
capacity building
cultural incubators
artsweek
professional development workshops
advocacy
research
partnerships
networks promotion
education
arts awareness
representation
arts awards
forums
knowledge sharing
support services
strategic leadership
creative programming ideas
planning
solutions
convening
connecting
capacity building
cultural incubators
artsweek
professional development workshops
advocacy
research
partnerships
networks promotion
education
arts awareness
representation
arts awards
forums
knowledge sharing
support services
strategic leadership
creative programming ideas
planning
solutions
convening
connecting
capacity building
cultural incubators
artsweek
professional development workshops
advocacy
research
partnerships
networks promotion
education
arts awareness
representation
arts awards
forums
knowledge sharing
support services
strategic leadership
creative programming ideas
planning
solutions
convening
connecting
capacity building
cultural incubators
artsweek
professional development workshops
advocacy
research
partnerships
networks promotion
education
arts awareness
representation
arts awards
forums
knowledge sharing
support services
strategic leadership
creative programming ideas
planning
solutions
convening
connecting
capacity building
cultural incubators
artsweek
professional development workshops
advocacy
research
partnerships
networks promotion
education
arts awareness
representation
arts awards
forums
knowledge sharing
support services
strategic leadership
creative programming ideas
planning
solutions
convening
connecting
capacity building
cultural incubators
artsweek
professional development workshops
advocacy
research
partnerships
networks promotion
education
arts awareness
representation
arts awards
forums
knowledge sharing
support services
strategic leadership
creative programming ideas
planning
solutions
convening
connecting
capacity building
cultural incubators
artsweek
professional development workshops
advocacy
research
partnerships
networks promotion
education
arts awareness
representation
arts awards
forums
knowledge sharing
support services
strategic leadership
creative programming ideas
planning
solutions
convening
connecting
capacity building