Canada Emergency Student Benefit

On May 1, 2020 legislation authorizing $9 billion in financial aid for Canadian students and recent graduates was passed by royal assent. The legislation creates the Canada Emergency Student Benefit (CESB) which will provide income support to post-secondary students who have lost work opportunities as a result of COVID-19 and...

Education-School Closure Extension

School Closures Extended On April 26, 2020, the Education Minister Stephen Lecce announced that publicly-funded schools will be closed until May 31, 2020.If schools are allowed to be reopened in the future, employees will have access as of May 29, 2020.Private schools, First Nation schools, licensed child care centres and...

COVID-19 – Education (iPads & Internet Access)

The Government of Ontario announced on April 17, 2020 that they have partnered with Rogers Communications and Apple to assist students in obtaining access to online learning by providing iPad devices to Ontario school boards for distribution. The iPad devices will be pre-equipped with free Rogers LTE wireless data for...

COVID-19 Issues Update – Indigenous Business Supports

The Government of Canada has announced up to $306.8 million in funding to help small and medium-sized Indigenous businesses, and to support the 59 Aboriginal Financial Institutions that offer financing to these businesses. It is estimated that these measures will help 6,000 Indigenous-owned businesses. It was acknowledged that many Indigenous...

COVID-19 Issues Update – First Nations By-Law Enforcement

Solicitor General Sylvia Jones and Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) Commissioner Thomas Carrique have responded to a number of concerns Ontario First Nations leadership have raised related First Nations policing and COVID-19. PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT First Nations Policing Program constables will be provided full access to Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) by...

COVID-19 Supports for Families-Education

Ontario resident parents are now able to apply for financial support while Ontario schools and child care centres are closed. This support was created to allow parents to access additional tools for kids to learn at home while they start to learn remotely. This is a one-time payment of $200...