News

July 3, 2020

Health Canada is advising Canadians that certain hand sanitizers are being recalled from the market because they contain industrial-grade ethanol that has not been authorized for use in hand sanitizers in Canada.Stop using these products.

For a complete list of the recalled brands go to:

https://healthycanadians.gc.ca/recall-alert-rappel-avis/hc-sc/2020/73269a-eng.php 

CUSMA- A new Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (new NAFTA) comes into effect July 1st, 2020.
https://www.international.gc.ca/trade-commerce/trade-agreements-accords-commerciaux/agr-acc/cusma-aceum/index.aspx?lang=eng 
Although there are no anticipated changes for the jewellery and watch sectors, apart from some cosmetic changes to forms, here is a link to the key changes https://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/services/cusma-aceum/overview-survol-eng.html 
Should you experience any issues or have any concerns please contact info@canadianjewellers.com. 

Message from the Federal Government
-Re-opening business workplaces and public spaces and restarting the economy requires clear, fact-based information on how to protect workers and prevent the spread of infection. Employers and employees both have a role to play to keep worksites safe.
Visit the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety website for posters and other practical tools:
Resources to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the workplace
Pandemic tip sheets for specific occupations and industries
 
- All sectors of our communities are partners in rebuilding the economy—and employers and employees both have a role to play to keep worksites safe.  Visit Canada.ca/coronavirus for links to your provincial or territorial advice.
This guidance may change depending on updated advice or recommendations of local or regional public health authority.
 
- The Government of Canada has partnered with the Canadian Chamber of Commerce to provide an information service to businesses. The Business Resilience Service provides tools and links to help employers and employees continue to operate in accordance with public health guidelines. Business audiences can also sign up to receive daily updates on COVID-19 from the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, including the latest network resources and programs to support you and your business.

June 24, 2020

The Canadian Federal Government has extended some COVID-19 relief packages in an effort to help the economy. 

Time periods given to employers to recall employees laid off due to COVID-19 have been extended effective June 22, 2020. 

 -For employees laid off prior to March 31, 2020, the time period is extended by six months or to December 30, 2020, whichever  occurs first.

-For employees laid off between March 31, 2020 and September 30, 2020, the time period is extended until December 30, 2020 unless a later recall date was provided in a written notice at the time of the layoff.

"Without the change announced Tuesday, some of the workers who were issued three-month layoff notices in March or April due to COVID-19 were facing termination as they approached the deadline to be reinstated by their employers.

When a layoff becomes a termination of employment, employees can become eligible for severance and vacation pay, which the government says could become a financial burden employers can’t afford as the pandemic wages on, particularly if their intention is to re-hire staff.

“We know that many employers who have had to temporarily lay off employees intend to bring them back to work. However, there is still a great deal of uncertainty regarding exactly when that will be possible,” Labour Minister Filomena Tassi said in a statement.

The changes, which apply to jobs in the federally-regulated private sector, came into effect on June 22 and will have no impact on any layoffs that occur after September 30."  Rachel Aiello, CTV News

For more details click here

Recalled Hand Sanitizers

Health Canada is advising Canadians that certain hand sanitizers are being recalled from the market because they contain industrial-grade ethanol that has not been authorized for use in hand sanitizers in Canada. As of June 22nd there have been four recalls so far.

Industrial-grade ethanol contains impurities that are not found in the type of ethanol approved for use in manufacturing hand sanitizers, such as technical-grade, food-grade or pharmaceutical-grade ethanol. In addition, chemicals that may not be approved for use in hand sanitizers are added to industrial-grade ethanol.

All of the recalled hand sanitizers contain a contaminant compound called ethyl acetate. 

For an up-to-date list of all recalled hand sanitizers go to https://healthycanadians.gc.ca/recall-alert-rappel-avis/hc-sc/2020/73269a-eng.php 

The Canadian Centre For Occupational Health And Safety Creates A Pandemic Information Sharing Portal 

The Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS) is facilitating  a web site to enable businesses to share their pandemic-related good practices and provide some useful tools related to health and safety during the pandemic.

For more information go to https://www.ccohs.ca/outbreaks/ 

There is also a break down of covid-19 measures by province. https://www.ccohs.ca/outbreaks/topics/#covidTopic 

The Federal Government announced today the extension of the Canada Emergency Response Benefit program (CERB) for another 8 weeks.

CERB provides financial aid to unemployed Canadians a taxable benefit of $2000 every 4 weeks.

https://www.canada.ca/en/department-finance/economic-response-plan.html 

The Canada/US border ban for non-essential travel will remain in place until July 21, 2020.

2020 AML Changes for Dealers in Precious Metals and Stones

June 10, 2020, amendments to the Proceeds of Crime (Money Laundering) and Terrorist Financing Act (PCMLTFA) and its enacted regulations were published in the Canada Gazette.

The amendments create new AML obligations for Dealers in Precious Metals and Stones (DPMS)s, effective June 1, 2021.

PEP

DPMSs will have to make a Politically exposed persons (PEP) determination when they enter into a business relationship with a client. In addition, they will also be required to take reasonable measures to determine whether a client from whom they receive an amount of CAD 100,000 or more is a PEP.

A reminder that a business relationship is defined as:

If a person or entity does not have an account with you, a business relationship is formed once you have conducted two transactions or activities for which you have to:

 verify the identity of the individual; or

 confirm the existence of the entity.

If a positive determination is made, the following records must be kept:

(a) the office or position, and the organization or institution, in respect of which the person is determined to be a politically exposed foreign person, a politically exposed domestic person or a head of an international organization, or a family member of, or a person who is closely associated with, one of those persons;

(b) the date of the determination; and

(c) the source, if known, of the person’s wealth.

Beneficial Ownership

The amendments will require DPMSs to comply with existing beneficial ownership requirements that apply to other reporting entities.

This means when identifying an entity, you will need to collect the following information for all Directors and individuals who own or control, directly or indirectly, 25% or more of the organization:

 Their full legal name;

 Their full home address; and

 Information establishing the ownership, control, and structure of the entity.

A record of the reasonable measures to confirm the accuracy of the information, when it is first obtained and in the course of ongoing monitoring of business relationships, must be retained.

A reminder, as a dealer in precious metals and stones, you are responsible for identifying clients for:

 Large cash transactions; and

 Suspicious transactions.

If you have and questions about the changes please contact info@outliercanada.com.

CJA COVID Recovery update- June 9, 2020

The federal government has announced the launch of  a web-based portal to assist in the procurement of personal protective equipment (PPE) used to help slow the spread of COVID-19.

The online tool will help us figure out what kind of gear we should think about wearing, or will have to wear, as we begin to return to work.

The web hub includes information on:

• Finding personal protective equipment
  
• Consumer Guidance
  
• Provincial and territorial resources.

Go to:  https://www.canada.ca/en/public-services-procurement/services/buying-selling-personal-protective-equipment-covid-19-overview/buying-selling-personal-protective-equipment-covid-19-buyers.html#a1 

CJA COVID-19 UPDATE

Canadian Chamber and the Government of Canada have teamed up with accounting profession to provide free advice to small to medium-sized business, not-for-profits and charities to navigate uncertainty. The program is called the Business Resilience Service (BRS). It provides options for any vulnerable small to medium-sized business, not-for-profit or charity to immediately connect with experienced accounting and tax professionals across the country from professional services firms. This is a FREE service and can be accessed starting today, May 25th for the next 4 weeks by calling 1-866-989-1080. 

http://www.chamber.ca/media/news-releases/200525-business-reslience-service/ 

The Federal Government is also speaking with the Provinces about providing 10 days paid sick leave for workers so that should a worker not feel well or show symptoms of COVID-19 that they are not concerned about taking sick days and losing pay. We will update this as the talks are ongoing.

Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance(CECRA) 

The CECRA application portal will open on May 25. Prime Minister Trudeau promises that applicants will receive their relief quickly.

The program is designed to assist smaller businesses cover their rents between April and June.

Commercial property owners are being offered forgivable loans to cover 50 per cent of three monthly rent payments provided the property owner reduces eligible businesses rent by 75% for these months. Property owners need to agree to buy-in to the program. How successful the program will be is yet to be determined.

For more information https://www.cmhc-schl.gc.ca/en/finance-and-investing/covid19-cecra-small-business 

Masks

The Chief Public Health authorities are recommending, as an extra layer of protection, that the general public wear non medical masks or face coverings where social distancing is not possible or difficult.

https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/2019-novel-coronavirus-infection/prevention-risks/about-non-medical-masks-face-coverings.html 

The Federal Government has expanded the Canadian Emergency Business Account's(CEBA) criteria.

From the link https://pm.gc.ca/en/news/news-releases/2020/05/19/prime-minister-announces-expansion-support-workers-and-small 

"The changes to the CEBA will allow more Canadian small businesses to access interest free loans that will help cover operating costs during a period when revenues have been reduced, due to the pandemic.

The program will now be available to a greater number of businesses that are sole proprietors receiving income directly from their businesses, businesses that rely on contractors, and family-owned corporations that pay employees through dividends rather than payroll.

To qualify under the expanded eligibility criteria, applicants with payroll lower than $20,000 would need:

• a business operating account at a participating financial institution
• a Canada Revenue Agency business number, and to have filed a 2018 or 2019 tax return.
• eligible non-deferrable expenses between $40,000 and $1.5 million. Eligible non-deferrable expenses could include costs such as rent, property taxes, utilities, and insurance.

Expenses will be subject to verification and audit by the Government of Canada. Funding will be delivered in partnership with financial institutions. More details, including the launch date for applications under the new criteria, will follow in the days to come. To date, over 600,000 small businesses have accessed the CEBA, and the government will work on potential solutions to help business owners and entrepreneurs who operate through their personal bank account, as opposed to a business account, or have yet to file a tax return, such as newly created businesses."

Also, Canadian/US border will remain closed to non-essential travel until June 21st.

Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED), formerly known as Industry Canada,  has a tool for calculating what a business can apply for in terms of support from government.

You simply answer a few quick questions and get access to:

• Opportunities to find funding, wage subsidies, loans, tax credits and expert advice offered by government and some not-for-profits too.
• A tailored list of the right supports for their business, delivered to them in under two minutes.
• The option to save their favourite programs to review later.
• The email notification feature, where they can sign up to get emails whenever a program changes, an application deadline approaches or a brand new program is introduced that meets their needs, including new COVID-19 supports.

Here is the link https://innovation.ised-isde.canada.ca/s/?language=en 

The Canadian Chambers of Commerce have written a letter to the Minister of Health, in coordination with provincial/territorial health officers, requesting clear guidance for employers and consumers regarding the proper use of personal protective equipment (PPE) and other health and safety considerations related to COVID-19 in light of businesses reopening.

They are requesting:

• The development of education and awareness materials for both employers and consumers regarding what is appropriate PPE, social distancing, sanitation standards etc...
• Encouraging provincial/territorial harmonization of future health and safety expectations to simplify compliance for those firms that operate across the country; and
• Assisting companies to procure the supplies and implement the practices needed to re-open.
  

https://www.canadianbusinessresiliencenetwork.ca/news-and-insights/2020/05/12/an-open-letter-to-minister-hajdu-from-chamber-ceos/ 

We will keep you updated as this information could be very useful as you emerge from lockdown to open your businesses.