Canada’s Wage Support Claims are Ending

Retroactive claims for three important pandemic wage supports will end in October and November, for Periods 27 and 28.  The programs were first introduced on October 24, 2021 with an end date of May 7, 2022; however retroactive claims were still allowed. Specifics appear below: 

Business owners who have not yet made claims for the CRGP – Canada Recovery Hiring Program, the CRGP – Canada Recovery Hiring Program and the HHBRP – Hardest-Hit Business Recovery Program will be out of luck after November 6.

Here’s a brief description of the programs below:

CRGP – Canada Recovery Hiring Program – Canadian employers impacted by the pandemic may be eligible to apply for a subsidy to cover part of the wages for new hires, plus increase existing employees' wages or hours.

In each claim period, eligible employers can claim either the higher of the CRHP, or the wage portion of:

• the Tourism and Hospitality Recovery Program (THRP), or
• the Hardest-Hit Business Recovery Program (HHBRP)

HHBRP – Hardest-Hit Business Recovery Program – Designed for businesses, charities and non-profits in Canada that faced deep losses during the COVID-19 pandemic. Wage or rent subsidy, or both, may be available to you through the HHBRP. According to the government, two conditions must be met to apply for HHBRP:

• You have a 12-month average revenue drop from March 2020 to February 2021 of at least 50%
• You have a claim period revenue drop of at least 50%

THRP – Tourism and Hospitality Recovery Program – Also, designed for businesses, charities and non-profits in Canada that faced deep losses during the COVID-19 pandemic, you may be eligible for a wage subsidy, a rent subsidy, or both through the THRP.

You may qualify if you are either:

• part of the tourism, hospitality, arts, entertainment, or recreation sectors, or
• affected by a qualifying public health restriction

Thank you for reading the Knowledge Bureau Report as we continue to cover current issues on tax and finance and how it relates to you.