COVID-19 Business Resources | Canadian Franchise Association

The CFA community is here to support you through this difficult time. On this page, you will find Business Continuity Resources and General Resource Materials provided by CFA and CFA members to help you navigate through these turbulent times.

BUSINESS CONTINUITY RESOURCES:

BDC:

Business continuity plan and templates for entrepreneurs

How to cope with the impacts of COVID-19 on your business

BDC Webinar – How to cope with the impacts of COVID-19 on your business (March 25, 2020)
Best practices for retail stores during COVID-19

CANADA REVENUE AGENCY:

Frequently Asked Questions – Temporary Wage Subsidy for Employers

CANADIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE:

Canada’s Leading Business Organizations Call on Government to Protect Jobs and Postpone Non-Essential New Measures

COVID-19 Business Preparedness Plan

Crisis Communications Plan

Business Continuity & Recovery Plan

CANADIAN PAYROLL ASSOCIATION:

PAYROLL AND COVID-19

CBC NEWS:

Got questions about social distancing? Here’s what you need to know

EMPLOYMENT AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT CANADA:

Work-Sharing Program
Employment Insurance

Government of Canada

Work-Sharing program for employers – Temporary Special Measures for COVID-19 overview
Canada Small Business Financing Program (PDF)
Government of Canada Overview of Services for Small Business (PDF )
Government of Canada Managing Your Business During Covid-19

KPMG

Employers — Canada provides details of 75% wage subsidy

ONTARIO CHAMBER OF COMMERCE:

C OVID-19 Pandemic Preparedness Toolkit for Ontario Businesses

THE PLATZ GROUP:

2020 Guide: Expected Stages towards a New Normal

Retail Council of Canada

8 steps for planning your emergency and disaster plan

CFA RESOURCES:

Killing the commercial rent program is going to kill hundreds of small businesses
CFA Letter to Chrystia Freeland to Extend and Amend CECRA

ARTICLES OF INTEREST FROM CFA MEMBERS

AXIS Integrated:

7 Tips On Using Email To Nurture Franchise Leads During The COVID-19 Pandemic

BDO Canada LLP:

DETERMINING YOUR INFECTIOUS DISEASE RISK DURING COVID-19 OUTBREAK
COVID-19: FINANCIAL REPORTING AND AUDIT IMPLICATIONS
Cash Flow strategies and Government Incentives in the time of COVID-19
Tax Considerations for Difficult and Uncertain Times
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FISCAL STIMULUS PACKAGE IN RESPONSE TO COVID-19
TAX ALERT – FEDERAL AND QUÉBEC GOVERNMENTS EXTEND INCOME TAX FILING AND PAYMENT DEADLINES
U.S. PROVIDES 90-DAY EXTENSION TO PAY INDIVIDUAL AND CORPORATE TAXES DUE TO COVID-19
Determining your infectious disease risk during the COVID-19 outbreak

Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP:

COVID-19 Impact: Ontario’s Expanded Infectious Disease Emergency Leave and Implications for Temporary Layoffs and Constructive Dismissals
COVID-19 IMPACT: FURTHER DETAILS ON THE CANADA EMERGENCY COMMERCIAL RENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM FOR SMALL BUSINESSES
WHILE LIMITATION PERIODS HAVE BEEN EXTENDED BY SOME GOVERNMENT ORDERS, THE DEADLINE TO UPDATE YOUR FDD HAS NOT BEEN EXTENDED
COVID-19 Impact: Temporary Special Measures Relating to the Work-Sharing Program
FAQS FOR FRANCHISORS AND FRANCHISEES: COVID-19 AND THE WORKPLACE
COVID-19 Impact: NEW JOB PROTECTED-LEAVES FOR EMPLOYEES
COVID-19 Impact: EXPANSION OF EI BENEFITS AND OTHER FINANCIAL SUPPORT PROGRAMS
COVID-19 Emerging FAQs for Canadian Employers

Dale & Lessmann LLP:

COVID-19 Economic Response Plan
Unique Challenges f or Employers
Canadian Travel Restrictions Due to COVID-19
Template Letter to Landlord for Rent Relief

Dentons

COVID-19: Evolving government orders and recommendations for individuals and businesses

Deloitte:

• This tool is built to ask guiding questions that provide specific funding opportunities that meet your small businesses needs. Let’s find a program
COVID-19 Government financing programs for small to medium-sized Canadian business
COVID-19 – new fiscal measures
COVID-19 – Additional measures to support individuals and businesses businessesCanadian
COVID-19 – Details on the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy released

Fasken:

COVID-19: Workplace Government Updates: A Cross-Canada Review
Pandemic Planning For Employers: Responding to the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19)

Fishman Canada

COVID-19 Crisis Communications Toolkit
COVID-19 Communications FAQ Checklist

FranchiseBlast

How COVID-19 Shot Franchising Three Years into the Future

Gowling WLG:

Layoff and termination provisions of Ontario ESA partially suspended during COVID-19
COVID-19: CCCS CURATES CYBER SECURITY RESOURCES FOR BUSINESSES FACING HEIGHTENED RISK
Lifting the lockdown: Employers, are you ready for the gradual resumption of activities in Québec?
Canadian tax: The new $71-billion wage subsidy
COVID-19, employment insurance and supplemental benefits
Alberta orders closure of non-essential businesses<
Gowling WLG’s COVID-19 resource centre – includes all the latest legal updates for businesses on COVID-19
Cyber insurance in the COVID-19 landscape
Despite current period of COVID-19-related deadline relief, don’t delay new trademark filings
Canadian Tax: the New 75% Wage Subsidy
Guide to COVID-19 federal & provincial relief programs

McCarthy Tetrault LLP:

COVID-19 Hub: Latest Updates and Legal Considerations for Your Business

MNP LLP:

Government and Tax Alerts | Wage Subsidy Program
Business Resilience | Pragmatic, effective strategies to help your business navigate the COVID-19 crisis – Cash Flow
Recovery | What You Need to Know About New Support Programs for Entrepreneurs

Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP:

Restaurant & Foodservice Reopening Guidelines
Retail Reopening Guidelines
The Employer’s COVID-19 Return to the Workplace Playbook
Government announcements reopening businesses across Canada
The Employer’s COVID-19 Return to the Workplace Playbook
Implementing a COVID-19 Health and Safety Policy – Considerations for franchisors
Restaurant franchise systems – Tips for pivoting your business model to focus on delivery and take-out during dine-in prohibitions
Franchise disclosure obligations during a pandemic
Implementing a COVID-19 Health and Safety Policy – Considerations for franchisors
Introducing or expanding third party food delivery services in response to provincial mandatory restaurant closures

Pitblado LLP

COVID-19 and Franchising
Force Majeure, Frustration, Cancellation, Material Adverse Change
Considerations for a Business Owners’ Premises

Sherrard Kuzz & CFA:

COVID-19 Frequently Asked Questions to Assist Employers
Managing Layoffs and Terminations During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Sotos LLP:

Covid-19 Has Interrupted Your Restaurant Operations – Are Your Losses Insured?
Urgent Matters Bulletin
Crisis Management For The Hospitality Industry – Your Plans In Action
Informational Circular for Businesses and Employers – Government Programs to combat challenges during the COVID 19 crisis
COVID-19 and Cybersecurity
Managing the Impact of Coranavirus on your Dealership
Ontario Job-Protected Leave for Employees
Planning Ahead: Coronavirus and Managing its Impact on Franchise Operations
Ontario Announces Emergency Order Regarding Price Gouging
Recission in the Time of COVID-19

Todd Cohen:

Post COVID-19 Revenue Recovery: It’s All About the Culture!

PODCASTS

Dean Blundell Show with John DeHart and Ryan Smolkin
RBC Podcast with Sherry McNeil

CRISIS COMMUNICATION PLAN IN 4 PARTS
DOWNLOAD THE ENTIRE ARTICLE

Sherrard Kuzz LLP Legal Support Program

To help navigate the recovery of COVID-19, CFA members have the opportunity to contact Sherrard Kuzz LLP for one free phone-consultation, once per calendar year, to a maximum of 15 minutes. A member may use their 15 minutes to seek information about any employment, labour or human resources issue related to the User (subject to Sherrard Kuzz LLP successfully completing a conflict check to ensure it may advise on the matter).

HOW TO ACCESS THESE SAVINGS: To take advantage of this CFA member benefit, contact Michael Sherrard at msherrard@sherrardkuzz.com or 416-603-6240.

Telus is Helping CFA Members Stay Connected

TELUS Business is working to keep CFA members stay connected through these turbulent times. Login to your member portal to see exclusive CFA offers to support your business during this time. Find out more.

Franchisor Revenues have been impacted by Gov’t Lockdown

NFI is helping CFA members save on Franchise sales overhead. Many leases will need to be restructured for franchisees to survive, and Operations Manuals need updating to meet COVID-19 Protocols.

Learn more about digital, digital payments with Ascendant

Still sending cheques? Managing cash flows during this time can be challenging, and sending paper cheques remains the more expensive and time-consuming method of making payments. Ascendant is extending the offer to CFA members to access their software with zero onboarding fees, allowing you to use their platform to seamlessly and safely collect banking data from your clients and manage your cash flows more efficiently. Learn more

GetintheLoop is Helping CFA Members on the road to recovery

We are hoping that we can contribute to getting your brand back to driving significant revenue. To help on the road to recovery, we are offering CFA members to join the platform for no cost, with no. obligation, for 3 months.

CRISIS COMMUNICATION PLAN IN 4 PARTS

Part 4: How to Strengthen your Franchise Brand after a Crisis

adminMarch 13, 2020December 16, 2020

Part 3: Dealing with Keyboard Warriors

adminMarch 13, 2020December 16, 2020

Part 2: Is this a Crisis?!

adminMarch 13, 2020December 16, 2020

Part 1: Be Prepared in a Time of Crisis

adminMarch 12, 2020December 16, 2020

DISCLAIMER: The opinions or viewpoints expressed herein do not necessarily reflect those of the Canadian Franchise Association (CFA). Where materials and content were prepared by persons and/or entities other than the CFA, the said other persons and/or entities are solely responsible for their content. The information provided herein is intended only as general information that may or may not reflect the most current developments. The mention of particular companies or individuals does not represent an endorsement by the CFA. Information on legal matters should not be construed as legal advice. Although professionals may prepare these materials or be quoted in them, this information should not be used as a substitute for professional services. If legal or other professional advice is required, the services of a professional should be sought.