This is a very challenging time for everyone and our Canadian music industry is facing some incredibly challenging times, especially for many of whom are dealing with canceled performances, and loss of work.
We’ve compiled a list of helpful resources for the Canadian music industry both music-makers and music professionals to help navigate these unprecedented times
(Check back for regular UPDATES)
PUBLIC SAFETY
Canada Public Health: Government of Canada regular updates and variety of resources
Canada’s Response: Prime Minister outlines Canada’s COVID-19 response
Provincial and Territorial resources for COVID-19
Alberta | British Columbia | Manitoba | Ontario | Quebec – English | Quebec – French | New Brunswick | Northwest Territories | Nova Scotia | Newfoundland and Labrador | Nunavut | Prince Edward Island | Saskatchewan | Yukon
Be prepared (COVID-19): Plan ahead – There are simple, practical things you can do to prepare in case you or someone in your household becomes ill or if COVID-19 becomes common in your community. Make a plan that includes: Essential supplies, Alternative arrangements, Reducing your exposure. Read More Here For more information on coronavirus: 1-833-784-4397 | canada.ca/coronavirus
MENTAL HEALTH/COMMUNITY SUPPORT
UNISON offers emergency relief assistance and is a critical safety-net for members of our Canadian music industry deeply affected by the COVID-19 virus itself and the precautions and protocols surrounding it.
For counselling inquiries and support to help deal with the financial or emotional impact of COVID-19, please contact 1-855-986-4766.
As a response, Unison is proud to launch the Unison COVID-19 Relief Program. This initial $500,000 for the Unison COVID-19 Relief Program will help our community for the short-term, however in order to meet the growing demand for support, they need partners to ensure a future for our Canadian music community. As the story continues to unfold, Unison will be there for the music community every step of the way and they hope you will too. If you work in the Canadian music industry and require assistance, please REGISTER for Unison’s services asap. For emergency financial assistance inquiries, please review the application process HERE.
CENTRE FOR ADDICTIONS AND MENTAL HEALTH (CAMH) Offers tips, coping strategies and resources to manage your mental health during the pandemic. For more information about CAMH, visit here
CANADIAN MENTAL HEALTH ASSOCIATION (CMHA) provides advocacy, programs and resources that help to prevent mental health problems and illnesses, support recovery and resilience, and enable all Canadians to flourish and thrive. Mental Health Resources / Mental Health Tips during COVID-19
BOUNCEBACK is a free skill-building program managed by the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA). It is designed to help adults and youth 15+ manage low mood, mild to moderate depression and anxiety, stress or worry. Delivered over the phone with a coach and through online videos, you will get access to tools that will support you on your path to mental wellness.
OVER THE BRIDGE is a lifeline for the music industry’s long-term success. Using the music industry as a conduit, Over The Bridge assists people in cultivating and achieving long-term mental health and addiction recovery goals.
Team BACKLINE and THRIV have created “Come Together” COVID-19 Crisis” music industry support groups, sharing virtual space weekly on Mondays and Thursdays.
HEALTH & WELLNESS
Telehealth Ontario – Should you become ill or injured during this time and can’t see a your GP doctor or going to emergency isn’t needed or should be questioned based on severity of your symptoms. Telehealth is available to get fast, free medical advice through Telehealth Ontario at: Toll-free: 1-866-797-0000 / Toll-free TTY: 1-866-797-0007 In a medical emergency don’t call Telehealth. Call 911 immediately. They’re experiencing a high volume of calls and will get to your call as quickly as they can. If you have questions about COVID-19, please take this self-assessment to determine if you need to seek further care before calling Telehealth Ontario.
For COVID-19 information specific to your province, call 811. Do you have a health concern for yourself or a child? Call Health Link by dialing 811 for quick and easy advice from a registered nurse 24/7. They will ask questions, assess symptoms and determine the best care for you. Remember, in a medical emergency, always call 911 or visit the nearest emergency department.
FIT ON TOUR will be running Instagram LIVE guided workouts (yoga, HIIT, meditation and more).
GREYSTONE HEALTH Is a team of experts Naturopathic Doctors and Holistic Nutritionist, bridging the best of up to date modern science and traditional healing. They focus on diet and lifestyle to get you healthy and stay health. They are currently offer appointments via telehealth and still offer direct insurance billing. Have a health issue that’s been nagging at you? Work with one of their naturopaths from the comfort of your home
POSITIVELY POSITIVE strive to support the idea that life is best lived if it’s lived right now with a positive attitude. Be positive. Be present. This is your life. Anything and everything focused on positive personal development has a home here on Positively Present, and on this site you will find: tips for being more positive // advice for living in the moment // articles on how positivity can improve you // information on positive personal development // insights on how to share positivity with others // guest articles on living a positive and present life // resources and inspiration for being positive and present // and much more!
CALM APP Enjoy this curation of content hand-picked to support your mental and emotional wellness through this time. And check back soon as we’ll be updating these resources regularly. All of the resources on this page are free of charge — please share with anyone who might benefit.
PROVINCIAL RESOURCES
ALBERTA MUSIC has shared information for Albertans and Canadians alike on how to prepare for COVID-19 in the arts sector.
Calgary Arts Development – COVID-19 Short-Term Relief Funding
Government of British Columbia
MUSIC BC has provided information and resources on their website and is encouraging company and artists to reach out with any questions or concerns regarding Music BC’s programs.
CreativeBC – Creative Industries COVID-19 Impacts Survey – Click here to take the survey CreativeBC is collecting data in order to better understand the impact COVID-19 has had on creative industry business activity, events and projects across the province. This information will be maintained with strictest confidentiality, to be shared by Creative BC only with the Province of British Columbia. Information may be shared in aggregate only with other funders and organizations as regional, provincial, and national organizations collaborate to understand impacts. They are measuring financial and other impacts as cancellations, postponements and other actions are taken to adopt measures recommended by the BC Centre for Disease Control and the Province of British Columbia.
Manitoba Music will be providing information and resources, including support efforts. Keep an eye on their updates here.
SaskMusic will be launching an emergency relief fund for music industry professionals impacted by lost income due to COVID-19. More information can be found here.
MusicOntario will be reposting all sorts of things on their socials/to their stories – have a peek there for various updates, interesting content from the community, streaming events, and other tidbits to help pass the time.
Ontario Arts Council – COVID-19 OAC Activity Updates for March 16, 2020. More information found here.
Toronto Arts Council COVID-19 Update
Toronto Musicians Association Coronavirus Information for TMA149 Members
Toronto musicians’ association local 149: Resources for bill payment relief from, Toronto Hydro, Ontario Energy Board, Toronto Utilities, Toronto Property Taxes, resources for bill assistance
Hamilton Arts Council – Hamilton Artist Relief Fund
Ontario Live Presents – MusicTogether supports working Ontario musicians during the COVID-19 crisis with direct funding, new opportunities for fan discovery, and eCommerce tools. $300,000 has been committed thanks to the generosity of the music community funders listed below and matching funds from OntarioLive.MusicTogether.ca was founded by Raja Khanna, Gary Slaight, Jeffrey Remedios, Oliver Johnson, Arts & Crafts and Daniel Debow (partners in the Root Down Studio).
Government of Newfoundland & Labrador
MusicNL Given the current and evolving COVID-19 situation, for the health and safety of all persons, the MusicNL office will be closed until further notice. Where possible, the use of technology will be used by MusicNL staff and leadership in the best effort to continue with business as usual. We encourage you to contact staff who will be working from home via phone or email ([email protected]) should you have any questions. We urge everyone to follow the guidelines and protocols put forth by public health officials.
Government of Prince Edward Island
MusicPEI – No current updates on website – Note on facebook, “To Our Members and Community, During these difficult times, we have made the though decision to close our office until further notice, in efforts to keep our staff and community safe and healthy. We are available for any Music PEI inquires at [email protected]. Thank you for your understanding”.
Music Nova Scotia is closed but are home & working if you need them please reach out! The staff are available by email or phone if you have any questions or concerns in the next few weeks. Do not hesitate to reach out, we are here to help. Please continue to send them your music, playlists, live streaming events, or anything that will help us support you.
MusicNB – COVID-19: INFO FOR ARTISTS + PROS
Music·Musique NB is partnering the Department of Tourism, Heritage and Culture to launch the NB AT HOME program. This funding program will support emerging and established New Brunswick artists presenting live performances on social media during the COVID-19 outbreak. The selected artists will receive between $1000 and $2000 for their live-streamed performances. Artists may submit proposals to Music·Musique NB, which will then help selected artists promote their performances. The proposals should consist of performances ranging between 30 and 60 minutes. LINK FOR ARTISTS: tinyurl.com/NBatHOME
CAPACOA is asking you to track cancellations affecting the Canadian live performance sector here. and other ASOs are developing a robust impact assessment framework to measure losses caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. We hope to soon have a standard survey questionnaire but in the meantime, please fill out this spreadsheet with your cancellations:
FINANCES
What to do if you’re facing financial hardship You may be facing financial hardship as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak.
YOUR EXPENSES If you’re having trouble paying for your ongoing expenses or foresee challenges in keeping up with your regular payments, visit your bank’s website. Be proactive and look at the options that your bank is proposing. See the web pages developed by the six largest banks in response to Covid-19.
Banks in Canada are closely monitoring developments related to COVID-19. If you’re facing short-term financial issues, your bank might be able to help. Some banks have announced measures that include the opportunity for relief on certain credit products. Other banks might be open to waive certain fees or delay payments. Note that some banks have additional measures in place to support seniors and people with disabilities. These measures may include flexible hours of operation, prioritization in the queue and assistance with certain transactions
See the latest news on how banks in Canada are taking action.
Scotiabank: Latest Updates
TD Canada Trust: Latest Updates
Bank of Montreal: Latest Updates
Royal Bank of Canada: Latest Updates
CIBC: Latest Updates
National Bank: Latest Updates
Bill Payment arrangements: for Rogers (also Fido), Telus, Bell, Koodo, Freedom
Mortgage support Canadian banks have committed to work with their customers on a case-by-case basis to find solutions to help them manage hardships caused by COVID-19. Canadians who are impacted by COVID-19 and experiencing financial hardship as a result should contact their financial institution regarding flexibility for a mortgage deferral. This allows flexibility to be available − when needed − to those who need it the most. Contact your financial institution for further mortgage assistance. The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation and other mortgage insurers offer tools to lenders that can assist homeowners who may be experiencing financial difficulty. These include payment deferral, loan re-amortization, capitalization of outstanding interest arrears and other eligible expenses, and special payment arrangements. Canada’s mortgage insurers are committed to providing homeowners with solutions to mitigate temporary financial hardship related to COVID-19. This includes permitting lenders to defer up to six monthly mortgage payments (interest and principal) for impacted borrowers. Deferred payments are added to the outstanding principal balance and subsequently repaid throughout the life of the mortgage.
New tax filing and payment due dates: The due date for filing individual tax returns has been extended to June 1, 2020. Taxpayers will have until September 1, 2020 to pay any 2019 income tax amounts owed. You will be able to apply for the new Emergency Support and Emergency Care benefits in My Account or using the dedicated phone line starting April 2020. Find more information on tax measures to help support Canadians during the COVID-19 pandemic
KEEP TRACK OF YOUR LOSSES
Many granting agencies and other organizations are urging us to track lost income and to keep related documentation for future response and financial support planning.
Helpful link for categories to consider when tracking losses created by Global Public Affairs
CHECK OUT UNISON’S EXTENSIVE COVID-19 FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE RESOURCE LIST AVAILABLE HERE
FUNDING BODIES & GOVERNMENT UPDATES
The Government of Canada introduces Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) to help workers and businesses. Will provide a taxable benefit of $2,000 a month for up to 4 months to:
- workers who must stop working due to COVID19 and do not have access to paid leave or other income support.
- workers who are sick, quarantined, or taking care of someone who is sick with COVID-19.
- working parents who must stay home without pay to care for children that are sick or need additional care because of school and daycare closures.
- workers who still have their employment but are not being paid because there is currently not sufficient work and their employer has asked them not to come to work.
- wage earners and self-employed individuals, including contract workers, who would not otherwise be eligible for Employment Insurance.
The Canada Emergency Response Benefit will be accessible through a secure web portal starting in early April. Applicants will also be able to apply via an automated telephone line or via a toll-free number.
SOCAN announced that it is expanding its efforts to provide financial assistance to struggling members as a result of the COVID-19 crisis by allocating up to a total of $2-million for emergency royalty advances. It is primarily aimed at SOCAN’s songwriters and screen composers whose ability to sustain their income has been compromised. The interest-free advances will be considered based on each member’s most recent earnings history, urgency and need.
Each individual application will be considered on its own. Members who have been affected by the COVID-19 crisis and wish to apply for the program should contact SOCAN’s Membership team at 1-866-307-6226, or by email at [email protected] Priority will be given to SOCAN members who are faced with a loss in live performance royalties or screen composers whose productions have been suspended. The interest-free advance program will be followed by additional support initiatives that will be announced in due course as needs are better identified.
FACTOR will honour all approved commitments at 100% of the amount approved for funding in situations where the event or activity was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In particular, this includes SXSW and the Junos, as well as all other activities such as tours, showcases and certain collective events. The Artist Development and Juried Sound Recordingdeadline will be extended by two weeks. The new deadline is Thursday May 28, 11:59pm PT. For eligible music companies looking to apply for support through the Support for Eligible Music Companies program, the Business Development deadline will be extended by 4 weeks. The new deadline is Thursday May 21, 11:59pm PT. Please reach out to your Project Coordinator if you have any questions about submitting applications to either of these programs, they are available by phone and email.
Canada Council for the Arts Information about CCA’s cancellation policy can be found here
Radio Starmaker – Special Response to the COVID-19 Crisis.
The Board of the Radio Starmaker Fund has made the decision to institute two special emergency measures to assist our community in this very difficult and challenging time.
(1) ALL CURRENT OUTSTANDING GRANTS/FILES WILL BE PAID IN FULL ON APRIL 3rd, 2020 The Starmaker Board has taken the extraordinary step to forgive all outstanding paperwork for both marketing and touring files. They currently have over $2 million in our system that is pending to support artists and labels. They will pay all of it out to the applicants on Friday, April 3rd, 2020. There is no need for you to take any steps in this regard – They will mark your files as “COVID-19 Override” and distribute payment. There will be no need to provide any future paperwork for touring grants or marketing support up to Round 74 completed in March. For labels – They are specifically waiving any requirement for you to spend the money in the ways outlined in your application. If you need the money to pay your rent – or employee wages – then feel free to use it as best you can. They hope that you can maintain or move some of your marketing initiatives to make them viable but they will leave it in your hands to make that decision in consultation with your artists. For artists touring grants we ask that you consider your band and crew when we pay out the remaining grants to you. Anything you can do to spread the money around within your circle of workers will help everyone. (2) WE ARE CREATING A SPECIAL EMERGENCY RELIEF ROUND OF TOUR SUPPORT FUNDING DUE APRIL 30th, 2020. In addition to their regular Round 75 which is now launching, the Board has created a special emergency relief round of funding to specifically compensate currently qualified Starmaker Artists for cancelled tour dates during the period March 15th, 2020 to June 30th, 2020. The details of this relief program are contained in the email notification sent to all users on March 30th, 2020 and reproduced below.
- All currently qualified Starmaker Artists may apply to the Fund for cancelled tour date subsidies (based on our current rules and eligibility requirements) for the period March 15th, 2020-June 30th, 2020
- The application deadline is Thursday April 30th, 2020 at 11:59 pm EST – all applications must be marked as received in our email system by that time
- Applications will be completed manually (not through the website) as a one page written summary of the tour dates planned, a spreadsheet of the dates requested for funding containing all the normal information that would be included in a tour date request (date, city, venue, capacity, ticket price, etc.) and whatever proof you can provide that these dates were booked and cancelled (ticket on sale evidence, poster, agent summary, anything will be considered). Please note: we will not review these emails before they are submitted.
- Email applications to be sent to [email protected]
- All applications will be reviewed and we will do our best to spread out as much money as we can over as many applicants as we can.
- There is no guarantee of funding in any amounts – all decisions are 100% discretionary and 100% final – we will simply do our best to help as many artists as we can.
- You cannot apply for dates that have already been funding through Round 74 applications
The National Arts Centre – NAC and facebook Canada provide $100,000 to support Canadian performers impacted by covid-19. A relief fund will pay Canadian artists for their live online performances. The National Arts Centre will receive and administer applications from artists who will post a 45 to 60 minute online performance between today and March 31, 2020. In addition to receiving a financial grant, selected artists’ performances will be shared on the NAC’s Facebook page and discoverable by searching #CanadaPerforms. Click Here for more info
Glad Day Lit Emergency Survival Fund for LGBTQ2S artists is uniquely positioned to be able to identify and support LGBTQ2S artists, performers and tip-based workers who are in dire financial need.
CANADIAN Low-Income Artist/Musician Relief Fund Seeking to provide support for low-income artists and musicians whose livelihoods are being effected by this pandemic. Whether it’s from cancelled gigs, lost jobs, or a lack of business due to coronavirus, their intention for this fund is to collectively raise money in order to provide emergency and preventative resources to those at financial risk.
Info from Canadian Federation of Independent Businesses including a support hotline The province of Ontario has launched a toll-free line 1-888-444-3659 to provide support to Ontario businesses who have questions about the province’s recent emergency order to close at-risk workplaces following recommendations by Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health.
Ontario Enabling Financial Relief for Businesses New financial measure will allow insurance premium payment deferrals for six months – March 26, 2020 12:30 P.M. Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development
Canada Business App: Download the app to find tailored supports to address your specific needs and questions about COVID-19.
ARTIST RESOURCE TOOLS
That Eric Alper Every night, freelance music publicist and Sirius XM host Eric Alper will be releasing a 60-second clip of tips that artists and labels can do during this time of madness, and afterwards. Watch his videos here.
Bandzoogle Has put together this handy blog: How musicians can ask fans for support during the coronavirus pandemic.
The Syrup Factory If you or your team needs help navigating any cancellations at this time, please reach out to Sarah at The Syrup Factory for assistance, free of charge.
YouTube Initiatives As people stay home, YouTube wants to keep you informed, engaged and entertained. They believe that artists, creators and you, their partners, have an opportunity to help do the same for people around the world during a time when everyone is craving human connection. Music connects people, even when apart, so streaming is now more important than ever! They want to make sure everyone has the information they need to join in continuing to raise awareness, and bring music to those at home when they need it most.
If you want details on how to join our ‘Stay Home #WithMe’ campaign please click here for more information, ways to participate, and a creative asset download link.
Spotify Covid-19 Music Relief project has been created to amplify the efforts of organizations that focus on helping those most in need, beginning with those listed below. Spotify is making a donation to these organizations and will match donations in Canada towards Unison Benevolent Fund made via this page dollar for dollar up to a collective total of $10 million.
CD Baby Article, 7 things to remember about live-streaming Check out these live-streaming options:
- Instagram Live for musicians
- The complete Facebook Live toolkit for musicians
- Twitch for musicians
- YouTube Live
TRAVEL
Airline Covid-19 Policies – Master list by Forbes.com All Major International Airline Coronavirus Change And Cancellation Policies
International Air Transport Association The information is correct to the best of IATA’s knowledge at the time of publication and is being reviewed and updated on an ongoing basis by IATA staff, given the rapidly evolving nature of the international response to the COVID-19 outbreak IATA cannot guarantee its accuracy and can accept no liability for any errors or omissions. IATA reserves the right to add or change information at any time. Links to third party websites of third parties are offered as a courtesy. IATA expresses no opinion on the content of the websites of third parties and does not accept any responsibility for third-party information. You should make your own independent inquiries before relying on any information or materials contained on these pages.
Air Canada – Covid19: Our Approach To Your Safety and Flexible Options For Travel. In these unprecedented times, their global network continues to operate, transporting Canadians from countries where borders remain open. To see your current flight status, please check here.
WestJet – Coronavirus | COVID 19 Response. Recently announced the suspension of their commercial operations for all transborder (United States, including Hawaii) and international (Europe, Mexico, Caribbean, Central America) flights as of Sunday, March 22 for a 30-day period.
ADVOCACY
CONNECT Music Licensing & Music Canada COVID-19 Music Artist Impact Survey
The ongoing COVID-19/Coronavirus situation has created an unexpected impact on the music community locally and abroad. At the heart of the Canadian music industry are our artists, who are the most vulnerable and will feel the largest impact in light of recent events. We want to understand and capture artists’ experience and convey their stories to all levels of government. Miranda Mulholland, Chair of the Music Canada Advisory Council, reached out to CONNECT Music Licensing and Music Canada to create this questionnaire. The resulting document was shared with ShoShona Kish, Amanda Martinez, Eon Sinclair and Heather Bambrick, all members of the Music Canada Advisory Council. Following their input, we invite artists to complete this short anonymous survey by 27 March 2020.
Save Live Art Sign the petition to save live arts in canada
Canadian Country Music Association (CCMA) CCMA COVID-19 Survey Click Here
Music Managers Forum Canada (MMF) has an incredibly thorough resource page that is being constantly updated here.
The Canadian Federation of Musicians (CFM): has sent an open letter to federal and provincial ministries overseeing culture, social security and employment.
Canadian Live Music Association’s Request for relief to the Canadian government can be found here
Worldwide Independent Network has a list of resources for the indie music community across the work here.
UNITED STATES RESOURCES: SOUND EXCHANGE – Industry wide resources for music creators during the coronavirus outbreak
Music Covid Relief : a resource brought to you by partners in the U.S. Music Community to help music professionals access information and applications to receive benefits made available by the CARES Act (Phase III of the Coronavirus Stimulus bill signed into law March 27, 2020).
