The Government of Saskatchewan announced a major financial support plan for Saskatchewan employers and employees on Friday. Premier Scott Moe 

The financial support plan gives a number of ways to reduce costs for businesses, along with individuals, which provices support to self-employes individuals who are not covered by new federal support measures. The plan also creates a business response team which will support provincial businesses during the current COVID-19 crisis.

SELF-ISOLATION SUPPORT PROGRAM

This program, announced by the government, will provide $450 per week, for a maximum of two weeks. The program is aimed as residents who are forced to self-isolate and who are not covered by the federally announced employment insurance program. The program is estimated to cost around $10 million.

  • The critera for those intersted;
  • They have contracted COVID-19 or are showing symptoms;
  • They have been in contact with an individual infected with COVID-19;
  • They have recently returned from international travel and have been required to self-isolate;
  • If they are not eligible for compensation including sick leave, vacation leave from their employer
  • If they do not have private insurance covering such disruptions

THREE MONTH PST REMITTANCE DEFERRAL AND AUDIT SUSPENSION

The Government of Saskatchewan also announced that businesses who are unable to remit their PST because of the decrease in cashflow, will have relief from penalty and interest charges.

Over the next three months, the government estimates a potential deferral of up to $750 million in PST collections. Those who are unable to file their provincial tax returns by the due date will be able to submit a request for relief from penalty, along with interest charges. 

Other announcements include the Crown Utility Interest Deferral Program, which will wave interest on late bill payments up to six months. 

The Student Loan Repayment Moratorium; a six-month student loan repayment moratorium has been put in place, mirroring a similar federal provision.  This provides individuals with student loans immediate relief, and comes at a $4 million cost to the provincial government.

Changes to Employment Standard Regulations: In addition to changes made to changes to The Saskatchewan Employment Act that introduced a new unpaid public health emergency leave and removed the 13-week employment requirement to access sick leave and the requirement for a doctor’s note to access sick leave, 

The Employment Standard Regulations have been amended to:

  • Ensure that during a public emergency, businesses will not have to provide notice or pay in lieu of notice when they lay-off staff if it is for a period of 12 weeks or less in a 16-week period.
  • And if an employer lays off employees periodically for a total of more than 12 weeks in a 16-week period, the employees are considered to be terminated and are entitled to pay instead of notice as outlined in the Act.  This will be calculated from the date on which the employee was laid off.

These amendments create a balance for employers and employees where the difficult decision may be made to lay-off employees due to public health emergencies.  In this circumstance, employees would have immediate access to new federal employment insurance programs, while keeping employers financially stable to ensure employees have a job to return to.

And finally, the establishment of a Business Response Team.

The government of Saskatchewan will be creating a single window information webpage for businesses to access information, and to recieve timely updateas on the different provincial support initiatives.The team will be lead by the  Ministry of Trade and Export Development, who will work with businesses to indentify program supports which can help particular businesses.

Once the Business Response Team has been established, contact information will be communicated to the public, and to local chambers of commerce for dissemination to chamber membership.