Tips to Take Care of Your Mental Health from the Government of Canada
- Get information from reliable sources, such as Canada.ca/coronavirus.
- Stay informed but follow news coverage about COVID-19 in moderation. Take breaks from watching, reading, or listening to news stories. It can be upsetting to hear about the crisis and see images repeatedly.
- Take care of your body. Take deep breaths, stretch or meditate. Try to eat healthy, well-balanced meals, exercise regularly, and get plenty of sleep.
- Make time to step back and consider how to take advantage of unexpected flexibility in your daily routine.
- Stay connected. Talk to friends or family about your feelings and concerns.
- Maintain healthy relationships and respect other people’s feelings and decisions.
- Show support and empathy to those dealing with difficult situations.
- Identify what is within your control and try to direct your energy towards what most worries you within your own control.
Resources & Supports
- Peterborough Public Health:
- Canadian Mental Health Association: COVID-19 and Mental Health
- Local Food Ptbo: Find locally grown food
- Community Counselling Resource Centre
- New Canadians Centre: COVID-19 Resources for Newcomers
- BDC: Mental Health & Well-Being Resources for Entrepreneurs
- Government of Canada: COVID-19 and Mental Health at Work
- Government of Ontario: Find Mental Health Support
- The Staffing Connection: LIFT Resources
- Centre for Addiction & Mental Health: Mental Health & the COVID-19 Pandemic
- Workplace Safety & Prevention Services: Psychological Safety Blog
- Ottawa Public Health: How to Support Your Employees' Mental Health
- Mental Health Commission of Canada:
- Agricultural Health & Safety Network and University of Saskatchewan: Handling Stress on the Farm
- RBC: Managing Mental Health as a Canadian Business Owner
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Wellness Together
Wellness Together Canada provides tools and resources to help Canadians get back on track. These include modules for addressing low mood, worry, substance use, social isolation and relationship issues. Connect |
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Members Who Can Help
Find a Chamber Member who can help you with your physical and mental health:
Find a Chamber Member who can help you with your physical and mental health:
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Avoid Burnout in Business
With Dr Ange Wellman of the Wellman Clinic In this webinar, Dr. Ange Wellman talks about burnout and the pillars that are foundational for your health to help you manage and prevent burnout. Dr. Wellman is a Chiropractor in Peterborough, Ontario. She has developed 7 Strategies to Stay Healthy during the Coronavirus Pandemic. Find the strategies here. There is more info on her website and social media channels: wellmanclinic.ca |
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COVID-19 Self-Assessment Tool
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Ontario COVID-19 Worker Income Protection Benefit
Learn about the Ontario Government’s plan to offer paid leave for COVID-19
On April 29, 2021, the Ontario Government amended the Employment Standards Act, 2000 to require employers to provide employees with up to three days of paid leave for reasons related to COVID-19.
Paid leave is available for certain reasons related to COVID-19, including:
The government will continue to update this page with current information. For more information please call the Ontario COVID-19 Worker Income Protection Benefit Information Centre 1-888-999-2248 ( TTY: 1-866-567-8893).
Employers will be required to pay employees up to $200 a day for up to three days. The three days would not need to be taken consecutively.
Eligibility
The three days of paid leave would only be available to employees who:
Doctor’s note not required
Employers cannot require an employee to provide a certificate from a doctor or nurse as evidence.
Employer reimbursement for paid leave
Eligible employers would be able to apply for a reimbursement of up to $200 per employee day taken, from the Ontario government. If the employee’s regular rate of pay is less than $200 day, the employer will only be eligible for a reimbursement of the employee’s regular rate of pay.
Eligible employers would need to make their application for reimbursement within 120 days of the paid leave. More information on how employers can apply will be available on this page soon.
Effective Period
This program will be retroactive to April 19, 2021 and effective until September 25, 2021, the date the CRSB will expire.
Example
Sofia works in a grocery store stocking shelves. She normally makes $16 an hour and works 8-hour shifts, which is $128 per day. Her employer does not already offer paid leave. If Sofia is feeling unwell and takes a day off work to go for a COVID-19 test, her employer would be required to pay her regular rate of pay for that day and could apply for a reimbursement of $128 from the Ontario government for the wages she was paid while off work, if the legislation is passed.
Financial support for longer term absences
If an eligible worker learns that they must isolate for longer than 50 per cent of the time they would have otherwise worked for the week, whether because of a positive COVID-19 test or risk of exposure, they may apply for the Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit if they haven’t taken a paid leave day under this proposal.
The Ontario government continues to work with the federal government to further support vulnerable workers by doubling payments made through the Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit program. If this change is accepted, it would provide an additional $500 per week to eligible individuals for a total of $1,000 per week.
Employers and their workers can call a dedicated COVID-19 Sick Days Information Centre hotline at 1-888-999-2248 or visit Ontario.ca/COVIDworkerbenefit to get more information and updates about the proposed Ontario COVID-19 paid leave days.
The province continues to visit workplaces to ensure they are adhering to COVID-19 safety requirements.
Learn about the Ontario Government’s plan to offer paid leave for COVID-19
On April 29, 2021, the Ontario Government amended the Employment Standards Act, 2000 to require employers to provide employees with up to three days of paid leave for reasons related to COVID-19.
Paid leave is available for certain reasons related to COVID-19, including:
- going for a COVID-19 test
- staying home awaiting the results of a COVID-19 test
- being sick with COVID-19
- going to get vaccinated
- experiencing a side effect from a COVID-19 vaccination
- having been advised to self-isolate due to COVID-19 by an employer, medical practitioner or other authority
- taking care of a dependent who is:
- sick with COVID-19 or has symptoms of COVID-19
- self-isolating due to COVID-19
The government will continue to update this page with current information. For more information please call the Ontario COVID-19 Worker Income Protection Benefit Information Centre 1-888-999-2248 ( TTY: 1-866-567-8893).
Employers will be required to pay employees up to $200 a day for up to three days. The three days would not need to be taken consecutively.
Eligibility
The three days of paid leave would only be available to employees who:
- are covered by the Employment Standards Act (ESA) (independent contractors or federally regulated employees would not qualify for these days. Learn more about who is an employee under the ESA.)
- do not already receive paid sick time through their employer
Doctor’s note not required
Employers cannot require an employee to provide a certificate from a doctor or nurse as evidence.
Employer reimbursement for paid leave
Eligible employers would be able to apply for a reimbursement of up to $200 per employee day taken, from the Ontario government. If the employee’s regular rate of pay is less than $200 day, the employer will only be eligible for a reimbursement of the employee’s regular rate of pay.
Eligible employers would need to make their application for reimbursement within 120 days of the paid leave. More information on how employers can apply will be available on this page soon.
Effective Period
This program will be retroactive to April 19, 2021 and effective until September 25, 2021, the date the CRSB will expire.
Example
Sofia works in a grocery store stocking shelves. She normally makes $16 an hour and works 8-hour shifts, which is $128 per day. Her employer does not already offer paid leave. If Sofia is feeling unwell and takes a day off work to go for a COVID-19 test, her employer would be required to pay her regular rate of pay for that day and could apply for a reimbursement of $128 from the Ontario government for the wages she was paid while off work, if the legislation is passed.
Financial support for longer term absences
If an eligible worker learns that they must isolate for longer than 50 per cent of the time they would have otherwise worked for the week, whether because of a positive COVID-19 test or risk of exposure, they may apply for the Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit if they haven’t taken a paid leave day under this proposal.
The Ontario government continues to work with the federal government to further support vulnerable workers by doubling payments made through the Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit program. If this change is accepted, it would provide an additional $500 per week to eligible individuals for a total of $1,000 per week.
Employers and their workers can call a dedicated COVID-19 Sick Days Information Centre hotline at 1-888-999-2248 or visit Ontario.ca/COVIDworkerbenefit to get more information and updates about the proposed Ontario COVID-19 paid leave days.
The province continues to visit workplaces to ensure they are adhering to COVID-19 safety requirements.
Federal Support for Employees & Self-Employed Individuals
Canada Recovery Benefit (CRB)
The CRB provides $500 per week for up to 26 weeks for workers who have stopped working or had their income reduced by at least 50% due to COVID-19, and who are not eligible for Employment Insurance.
Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit (CRSB)
The CRSB provides $500 per week for up to a maximum of two weeks, for workers who:
Canada Recovery Caregiving Benefit (CRCB)
The CRCB provides $500 per week for up to 26 weeks per household for workers:
Canada Recovery Benefit (CRB)
The CRB provides $500 per week for up to 26 weeks for workers who have stopped working or had their income reduced by at least 50% due to COVID-19, and who are not eligible for Employment Insurance.
Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit (CRSB)
The CRSB provides $500 per week for up to a maximum of two weeks, for workers who:
- Are unable to work for at least 50% of the week because they contracted COVID-19
- Are self-isolated for reasons related to COVID-19
- have underlying conditions, are undergoing treatments or have contracted other sicknesses that, in the opinion of a medical practitioner, nurse practitioner, person in authority, government or public health authority, would make them more susceptible to COVID-19.
- Apply for the CRSB
Canada Recovery Caregiving Benefit (CRCB)
The CRCB provides $500 per week for up to 26 weeks per household for workers:
- unable to work for at least 50% of the week because they must care for a child under the age of 12 or family member because schools, day-cares or care facilities are closed due to COVID-19
- because the child or family member is sick and/or required to quarantine or is at high risk of serious health implications because of COVID-19.
- Apply for the CRCB
