Local and Regional
The Mississauga Board of Trade (MBOT) is the voice of business at the City of Mississauga and Region of Peel orders of government.
COVID19 Response
Both the City of Mississauga and Region of Peel governments have established support programs and services for business because of the COVID19 pandemic.
The City of Mississauga, predominantly through the Mississauga Economic Development Office, has a dedicated portal for business support. Their programs include promotion of the Digital Main Street program, development of economic recovery plans in various sectors of the economy, health, safety and re-openings measures and sector specific resources to assist in business re-openings.
Mississauga By-law Enforcement continues active inspections of businesses and workplaces and although they are adopting a public education approach first, fines are being laid when deemed appropriate. Most offences continue to be community gatherings although workplace outbreaks of COVID have been reported in businesses like manufacturing and warehouse operations.
The Region of Peel, which has specific responsibility for public health, has the responsibility for acting on public health directives established by the Province of Ontario.
Peel Public Health has been the main operator and coordinator of Mass Vaccinations Clinics throughout the Region and more than 70% of Peel’s adult population has had at least one dose of a COVID vaccine. It has also participated in supporting a number of workplace vaccination sites which MBOT advocated for to ensure workers can get easy access to vaccines.
In April 2021, Peel’s Medical Officer of Health announced that he would be invoking Section 22 of the Health Protection & Promotion Act to partially or fully close businesses if they had five or more cases of COVID linked to the workplace within a 14-day period. The closures have lasted at least ten days.
Mandatory Mask Wearing By-law
The City of Mississauga continues to have an indoor mandatory face covering by-law which lasts until December 2021.
2021 Mississauga Property Taxes – A Decrease for Business
The City of Mississauga and Region of Peel set property tax rates for 2021 resulting in a 1.38% increase to commercial and industrial property taxes. However, the Government of Ontario has reduced the Business Education Tax for 2021 by 6.85% which makes up about 50% of the property tax bill. Therefore, Mississauga businesses will see a property tax reduction in 2021.
Outdoor Business Operations
The City of Mississauga recently approved a by-law that will permit some businesses to have outdoor operations. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the City received several requests for outdoor uses which are not permitted in the zoning by-law. To support Mississauga’s businesses and charitable ventures, the City has decided to permit outdoor retail sales and display and temporary outdoor recreational and entertainment establishments in appropriate zones until December 2021.
Outdoor Patios
City Council has extended Mississauga’s temporary patio program and amended the Temporary Use By-law to allow restaurants, bars and other food and drink establishments to operate their temporary outdoor patios until December 31, 2021. As part of the extension, these businesses can also install temporary tents/covered areas and heating devices as part of their patios, in accordance with provincial and City regulations, to ensure they can continue to serve patrons during the winter months.
City Sign By-law Provisions Extended for Portable Signs and Sidewalk Signs
To assist with hardships and challenges faced by businesses from the COVID-19 pandemic, Council approved the extension of sign by-law provisions to December 31, 2021. The sign by-law provisions apply to portable signs, including business improvement area boards with sidewalk signs inside planters and on City boulevards within business improvement areas.
Tourism Mississauga
The City of Mississauga has established Tourism Mississauga and appointed a Board of Directors to oversee tourism activities in the city. The Mississauga Board of Trade is part of the corporation to ensure the voice of business at large is included in its work.
The Corporation is funded through the Municipal Accommodation Tax which is a 4% charge on overnight hotel and motel stays and is remitted to the City of Mississauga.
Recently the City of Mississauga and the Board of Tourism Mississauga appointed Victoria Clare as the new Director of Tourism and CEO of Tourism Mississauga.
More can be found at www.visitmississauga.ca.
Business Licensing Fees
Mississauga City Council has approved fee reductions in 2021 for business hardest hit by the COVID pandemic. MBOT had advocated for the fees to be fully waived in 2021 given the significant economic impact to these businesses.
Business licences renewal fees will be reduced by 50% for 2021 with a cap of $300 for:
Personal Services, Body Rub Parlours, Adult Entertainment, Driving School Services, Restaurants and Related Food Service and renewal fees will be reduced by 25% with a cap of $300 for: Taxi, Limousine and Airport Transportations Services and Tow Truck Services.
Provincial Government
MBOT works very closely with our partners at the Ontario Chamber of Commerce (OCC) on issues with the Ontario Government. Our Committees work hard looking at resolutions, policy documents, government announcements on consultations to ensure the voice of Mississauga businesses is advanced on provincial issues. Members of MBOT are automatic members of the Ontario Chamber of Commerce.
For more information on the OCC, please visit www.occ.ca.
Ontario’s Roadmap to Re-open
The Government of Ontario has announced the Roadmap to Re-Open which is a Three Step Process to gradually re-opening businesses and activities throughout the Province. The new program came into effect after the Stay-at-Home Order expired on June 2, 2021.
Roadmap to Reopen outlines three steps to easing public health measures, guided by the following principles:
Step One An initial focus on resuming outdoor activities with smaller crowds where the risk of transmission is lower, and permitting retail with restrictions. This includes allowing outdoor gatherings of up to 10 people, outdoor dining with up to four people per table and non-essential retail at 15 per cent capacity.
Step Two Further expanding outdoor activities and resuming limited indoor services with small numbers of people where face coverings are worn. This includes outdoor gatherings of up to 25 people, outdoor sports and leagues, personal care services where face coverings can be worn and with capacity limits, as well as indoor religious services, rites or ceremony gatherings at 15 per cent capacity.
Step Three Expanding access to indoor settings, with restrictions, including where there are larger numbers of people and where face coverings can’t always be worn. This includes indoor sports and recreational fitness; indoor dining, museums, art galleries and libraries, and casinos and bingo halls, with capacity limits.
COVID Vaccine Roll Out
Getting people fully vaccinated is the key to business re-openings and economic recovery. Mass vaccination clinics have been highly successful in the Region of Peel through the support of the Ontario Government through vaccine supply and logistics.
Ontario Small Business Support Grant/Tourism & Travel Support Grant
The Government of Ontario created these programs as a direct result of the work of MBOT and the Ontario Chamber Network to provide direct support of up to $40,000 to businesses hardest hi by the COVID pandemic. They also provided a portal to apply for relief for property taxes and electricity costs for small businesses. Details on all the Government’s programs are at www.ontario.ca.
Worker Income Protection Benefit
The Ontario Government created a program to allow for workers to take up to three paid sick days during the COVID pandemic which would be re-imbursed to the employer through the WSIB. To participate in the program, go to Ontario COVID-19 Worker Income Protection Benefit | Ontario.ca.
Workplace Education and Enforcement Campaigns
The Ontario Government has launched a series of education and enforcement campaigns to ensure businesses across the province are taking the necessary steps to keep employees, consumers and the public safe. These campaigns support the current efforts of police, municipal by-law officers, and public health inspectors to educate businesses and enforce the COVID-19 health and safety requirements. Officers will be asking employers to produce their workplace safety plans.
The Government also made changes to the Workplace Safety & Insurance Board Act to protect employers from unexpected premium increases due to COVID claims while maintaining an increase to the maximum earnings cap for worker benefits.
Fast Antigen Screening Tests and Provincial Antigen Screening Program
MBOT has been involved in creating and administering the FAST and PASP programs to assist business and their employees to participate in COVID rapid testing at their places of business to keep workplaces healthy and safe. More information on these programs and how to participate is at www.mbot.com.
Federal Government
MBOT members are also members of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce (CCC) which is the national voice of business to the federal government. MBOT staff and Committees examine issues and resolutions of the CCC and provide Mississauga’s input. More information on the CCC is at www.chamber.ca.
COVID19 Federal Response
Established and renewed several support programs for both businesses and workers to provide financial assistance. The programs most relevant to business are detailed below. Access to the programs is available at www.canada.ca.
Canada Recovery Hiring Program
This program provides a subsidy of up to 50% of eligible salary or wages. It would be available to eligible employers who have experienced qualifying revenue declines so they can hire more workers, increase workers’ hours, or increase wages. This support affords businesses with certainty that they can take on the extra costs needed to rehire and be ready to return to growth.
The Hiring Program is designed to interact with the Wage Subsidy. The programs overlap so that, as Wage Subsidy rates gradually decline, eligible employers would still be able to receive the maximum support from the Hiring Program this summer if they hire more workers or increase workers’ hours or wages. This will make it easy for businesses to quickly hire new workers and do so at a pace that works best for them, as different jurisdictions reopen their economies at different paces.
Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy
The CEWS is a program designed to cover up to 75% of wages for employees to a maximum of $847 per week and has now been extended to September 25, 2021. However, the amount of the subsidy will continue to decrease from June 2021 until the program is ended.
Canada Emergency Business Account
The CEBA is a low interest business loan of up to $60,000 administered by your local bank or financial institution. It was due to expire on June 30, 2021 but may be renewed. If the loan is fully re-paid by December 31, 2022, up to $20,000 of the amount will be forgivable.
Canada Emergency Rent Subsidy
The CERS is a tenant-driven rent supplement program that has also been extended until September 25, 2021. The new program provides up to 65% of rent eligible expenses and another 25% for businesses in lockdown regions but will also decline in support from June to September 2021.
Highly Affected Sectors Credit Availability Program
This is a program designed for the hardest hit businesses, including those in sectors like tourism, hospitality, hotels, arts, and entertainment. This stream will provide 100% government guaranteed financing for heavily impacted businesses and provide low-interest loans of up to $1 million over extended terms of up to ten years. It has been extended until December 31, 2021.
