Resources for Canadian hosts during COVID-19 travel restrictions
With the current global crisis, many hosts are experiencing a significant loss of bookings and a large number of cancellations. Before the announcement on March 18 from the Government of Canada regarding additional supports for individuals and families across the country, Airbnb Canada’s team sent a letter to officials requesting consideration and support for our host community (see below).
As our founders said, “we are going to get through this crisis as partners—our success is dependent on the success of you, our hosts. We are working day and night on a plan of action that will help you get through this extremely difficult time. We will share this with you as soon as possible in the coming weeks.”
We have compiled the following resources for the benefit of our hosts who are experiencing difficulties due to these very unusual circumstances. We will endeavour to update this page regularly as we learn of additional resources which may be available to you.
All hosts and guests should be aware of travel restrictions and advice from the Government of Canada
Government response
Learn more about how governments across Canada are responding to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Canada
British Columbia
Alberta
Saskatchewan
Manitoba
Ontario
Ontario restrictions on short-term rentals
Québec
Quebec restrictions on short-term rentals
New Brunswick
Nova Scotia
Prince Edward Island
Newfoundland and Labrador
Yukon
Northwest Territories
Nunavut
Mortgage support
On March 18, Canada’s six largest banks announced plans to provide financial relief to Canadians impacted by the economic consequences of COVID‑19.
The Bank of Montreal, CIBC, National Bank of Canada, RBC Royal Bank, Scotiabank and TD Bank have made a commitment to work with personal and small business banking customers on a case‑by‑case basis to provide flexible solutions to help them manage through challenges such as pay disruption due to COVID‑19; childcare disruption due to school closures; or those facing illness from COVID‑19.
You can learn more on the Canadian Bankers Association website.
Bank of Montreal
CIBC
National Bank of Canada
RBC Royal Bank
Scotiabank
TD Bank
Employment insurance
On March 18, the federal government announced support for businesses and individuals, including self-employed individuals who may not be eligible for Employment Insurance (EI). What follows are selected items from the federal government website that may be of specific interest to the host community. Please review the website linked below for full and complete information.
Temporary Income Support for Workers and Parents
For Canadians without paid sick leave (or similar workplace accommodation) who are sick, quarantined or forced to stay home to care for children, the federal government is:
- Waiving the one-week waiting period for those individuals in imposed quarantine that claim Employment Insurance (EI) sickness benefits. This temporary measure is in effect as of March 15, 2020.
- Waiving the requirement to provide a medical certificate to access EI sickness benefits.
- Introducing the Emergency Care Benefit providing up to $900 bi-weekly, for up to 15 weeks. This flat-payment Benefit would be administered through the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) and provide income support to:
- Workers, including the self-employed, who are quarantined or sick with COVID-19 but do not qualify for EI sickness benefits.
- Workers, including the self-employed, who are taking care of a family member who is sick with COVID-19, such as an elderly parent, but do not quality for EI sickness benefits.
- Parents with children who require care or supervision due to school closures, and are unable to earn employment income, irrespective of whether they qualify for EI or not.
For Canadians who lose their jobs or face reduced hours as a result of COVID’s impact, the federal government is:
- Introducing an Emergency Support Benefit delivered through the CRA to provide up to $5.0 billion in support to workers who are not eligible for EI and who are facing unemployment.
The new Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB)
The Federal Government will provide a taxable benefit of $2,000 a month for up to 4 months to:
- workers who must stop working due to COVID19 and do not have access to paid leave or other income support.
- workers who are sick, quarantined, or taking care of someone who is sick with COVID-19.
- working parents who must stay home without pay to care for children that are sick or need additional care because of school and daycare closures.
- workers who still have their employment but are not being paid because there is currently not sufficient work and their employer has asked them not to come to work.
- wage earners and self-employed individuals, including contract workers, who would not otherwise be eligible for Employment Insurance.
Additional Federal supports
Please check this link for additional federal programs
Tax Deadline Extended
In order to provide greater flexibility to Canadians who may be experiencing hardships during the COVID-19 outbreak, the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) will defer the filing due date for the 2019 tax returns of individuals, including certain trusts.
For individuals (other than trusts), the return filing due date will be deferred until June 1, 2020.
However, the CRA encourages individuals who expect to receive benefits under the GSTC or the Canada Child Benefit not to delay the filing of their return to ensure their entitlements for the 2020-21 benefit year are properly determined.
For trusts having a taxation year ending on December 31, 2019, the return filing due date will be deferred until May 1, 2020.
The CRA will allow all taxpayers to defer, until after August 31, 2020, the payment of any income tax amounts that become owing on or after today and before September 2020. This relief would apply to tax balances due, as well as installments, under Part I of the Income Tax Act. No interest or penalties will accumulate on these amounts during this period.