Canada Emergency Business Account

The CEBA program provides access to a $60,000 loan:

• 0% interest until December 31, 2022.

• No principal payments until December 31, 2022. 

• Principal repayments can be voluntarily made at any time without fees or penalties.

• Up to $10,000 loan forgiveness is available on CEBA loans advanced for $40,000 provided $30,000 is paid back prior to December 31, 2022.
  
  
• Up to $20,000 loan forgiveness is available on CEBA loans advanced for $60,000 provided $40,000 is paid back prior to December 31, 2022. 
  
  
• If the balance is not paid by December 31, 2022, the remaining balance will be converted to a 3-year term loan at 5% annual interest, paid monthly, effective January 1, 2023.
  
  

• The full balance must be repaid by no later than December 31, 2025. 

Note: Once your CEBA application is approved and verified by the Government of Canada (process is expected to take up to 15 business days from application date), your new CEBA loan will be set up and then appear on your Scotia OnLine profile as a “ScotiaLine for Business VISA”. Within 3 business days $60,000 will be deposited automatically into the operating account you designate in the application.  Please note there is no revolving feature on this product, and once the money is repaid, you will not be able to re-advance funds again.

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Customers with a Scotiabank business chequing/operating account can apply for CEBA online:

If you are an existing small business customer and interested in applying for the CEBA program, you can apply through the Scotia mobile banking app or through Scotia OnLine banking.

Applying through our digital channels will be the easiest and fastest way to get access to funds. If you are not currently registered for the Scotia mobile banking app or Scotia OnLine banking, please visit Scotiabank.com/digital for resources on how to register.

Please contact your branch or the contact centre in the event you are unable to complete the application via our digital channels. Please note processing times for branch submissions is expected to take 20 business days from date of application.

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Customers who have an existing active Scotiabank business chequing/operating account opened on or before March 1, 2020 should proceed directly to the online CEBA application portal. 

Customers who have an existing active Scotiabank business chequing/operating account opened after March 1, 2020 and those who do not have a Scotiabank business chequing/operating account must complete additional steps before proceeding to the online CEBA application portal.  Additional steps required prior to applying for CEBA are as follows:  

Step 1:

Visit the government website https://verify-verifier.ceba-cuec.ca/ and complete the CEBA Pre-screen Tool to validate you meet the eligibility requirements for CEBA.  Please enter all applicable information about your business payroll to ensure you have all the required information and documents to meet the program eligibility. Once completed you will receive via email a unique confirmation number. Please note while this process does not guarantee you will be approved for CEBA, it does provide a good indication on your eligibility.  The CEBA Pre-screen Tool reference number should be noted (print the email) as it will be a required input field during the CEBA application process.  

Step 2:

For Customers who do not have a business chequing/operating account, please contact your Scotiabank Small Business Advisor or Branch Manager to schedule an appointment to open a business chequing/operating account.  Please provide the CEBA Pre-screen Tool reference number to the Small Business Advisor/Branch Manager during the meeting.

Step 3:

Once all business account opening requirements are met, and the business account is open, you will be able to access the CEBA online portal to complete your application.  Please note you will be asked to input your unique 10-digit Pre-screen Tool reference number at the beginning of the application. 

Step 4:

The Government of Canada will review your application, which can take up to 15 business days, and will notify Scotiabank of their decision.  Once a decision is received by Scotiabank, we will notify you immediately by email to the address you provided. This may include any additional steps or information you should know.  

For businesses with payroll expenses greater than $20,000 and less than $1,500,000 to receive the CEBA program, the following eligibility requirements must be met:

• The person applying has the ability and authority to bind the organization.
• Your organization is a sole proprietorship, partnership or a Canadian-controlled private corporation (“CCPC”) that was in operation on March 1, 2020.
• Your organization’s payroll expense in the 2019 calendar year was greater than $20,000 and less than $1,500,000. You will need to have a federal tax registration and provide:
  
  • Your Canada Revenue Agency Business Payroll Number (BN) (15 digits), as reported at the top of the 2019 T4 Summary of Remuneration Paid (T4SUM)
    
  • Your total employment income reported on all employee T4 slips for 2019.  For customers who also pay employees tax-exempt employment income under the Indian Act, all employment income reported in Box 71 of T4 statements issued to the organization’s employees for 2019 must also be included in the total
    
  • Information to demonstrate the above when requested upon audit by the Government of Canada

When you are approved and accept this new account, you will have access to a $60,000 loan with a 0% interest rate, no fees, and will not require repayments of principal until December 31, 2022. 

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For small business customers, the Canada Emergency Business Account will be offered as a ScotiaLine for Business VISA. You will be able to access your account through Scotia OnLine Banking or the Scotia mobile banking app. $40,000 will automatically be transferred from the ScotiaLine for Business VISA to your operating account upon activation of the loan. No fees apply for this transfer.

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For CEBA submissions completed via online banking it will take up to 15 business days from the application date for funds to be deposited to your bank account provided the Government of Canada confirms your eligibility.

For CEBA submissions completed via branches the process will take up to 20 business days.

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The interest-free period for CEBA loans ends on December 31, 2022.  A 5% annual interest rate will be applied on the outstanding balance until it is paid off in full. Monthly interest-only payments will begin in January 2023 and the full outstanding principal balance must be repaid no later than December 31, 2025. CEBA loans not paid off in full by December 31, 2022 will no longer be eligible for the 33% forgiveness benefit.

Per the requirements of the program, as set out by the Government of Canada, you will agree to use funds from this loan to pay for the following Eligible Non-Deferrable Expenses incurred or to be incurred in 2020:

• wages and other employment expenses to independent (arm’s length) third parties
• rent or lease payments for real estate used for business purposes
• rent or lease payments for capital equipment used for business purposes
• payments incurred for insurance related costs
• payments incurred for property taxes
• payments incurred for business purposes for telephone and utilities in the form of gas, oil, electricity, water and internet
• payments for regularly scheduled debt service
• payments incurred under agreements with independent contractors and fees required in order to maintain licenses, authorizations or permissions necessary to conduct business by the Borrower;
  
• payments incurred for materials consumed to produce a product ordinarily offered for sale by the Borrower; and
• any other expense in a category other than the above as may be indicated by the Government of Canada website from time to time as being an Eligible Non-Deferrable Expense for the purpose of the Program.

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Any balance owing on this account can be repaid at any time. To qualify for the loan forgiveness, you will need to repay the required amount from your operating account to your ScotiaLine for Business VISA prior to December 31, 2022 deadline.  You will not be charged any interest charges or service fees if you pay your CEBA loan in full prior to December 31, 2022.

For $40,000 CEBA loans, if you repay $30,000 from your operating account to your ScotiaLine for Business VISA prior to December 31, 2022, the remaining $10,000 balance will be eligible for forgiveness if you meet all requirements as set out by the Government of Canada.  

For $60,000 CEBA loans, if you repay $40,000 from your operating account to your ScotiaLine for Business VISA prior to December 31, 2022, the remaining $20,000 balance will be eligible for forgiveness if you meet all requirements as set out by the Government of Canada.

If you receive a “technical difficulties” message, we encourage you to clear your browser and re-try if you haven’t already been approved for the CEBA program, and your business continues to meet the program requirements as set out by the Government of Canada.

Follow these instructions on clearing your browser for Chrome, Internet Explorer and Firefox.

Customers with an active CEBA at Scotiabank can complete a new application to request the additional $20,000 in CEBA funding. Please log into your online banking and follow the process to apply for CEBA. The system will identify you as an existing CEBA holder and direct you to the appropriate section of the application process.  Applications to increase CEBA require minimal information input.  

Once the Government of Canada has received, approved and verified the new application for the additional $20,000, it will take up to 7 business days to receive your funds. The funds will be deposited automatically into the operating account you designate in the application.

For businesses with payroll expenses greater than $20,000 and less than $1,500,000 to receive the CEBA program, the following eligibility requirements must be met:

• The person applying has the ability and authority to bind the organization.
• Your organization is a sole proprietorship, partnership or a Canadian-controlled private corporation (“CCPC”) that was in operation in Canada on March 1, 2020.
• You have an active CRA Business Number (BN) with an effective date of registration on or prior to March 1, 2020.
• Your organization’s payroll expense in the 2019 calendar year was greater than $20,000 and less than $1,500,000 (updated payroll expense requirements effective April 17, 2020). You will need to have a federal tax registration and provide:
  
  • Your Canada Revenue Agency Business Payroll Number (BN) (15 digits), as reported at the top of the 2019 T4 Summary of Remuneration Paid (T4SUM)
    
  • Your total employment income paid reported on all employee T4 slips for 2019.  For customers who also pay employees tax-exempt employment income under the Indian Act, all employment income reported in Box 71 of T4 statements issued to the organization’s employees for 2019 must also be included in the total
    
  • Information to demonstrate the above when requested upon audit by the Government of Canada

• Per the requirements of the program, as set out by the Government of Canada, you will agree to use funds from this loan to pay for the following Eligible Non-Deferrable Expenses incurred or to be incurred in 2020:
  1. wages and other employment expenses to independent (arm’s length) third parties
  2. rent or lease payments for real estate used for business purposes
  3. rent or lease payments for capital equipment used for business purposes
  4. payments incurred for insurance related costs
  5. payments incurred for property taxes
  6. payments incurred for business purposes for telephone and utilities in the form of gas, oil, electricity, water and internet
  7. payments for regularly scheduled debt service
  8. payments incurred under agreements with independent contractors and fees required in order to maintain licenses, authorizations or permissions necessary to conduct business by the Borrower; 
     
  9. payments incurred for materials consumed to produce a product ordinarily offered for sale by the Borrower; and
  10. any other expense in a category other than the above as may be indicated by the Government of Canada website from time to time as being an Eligible Non-Deferrable Expense for the purpose of the Program.
      
• You have an active business chequing/operating account at Scotiabank, which is your primary financial institution.
• You certify that your business is facing ongoing financial hardship (including, for example, a continued decline in revenue or cash reserves, or an increase in operating costs) as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic;  
• You are not applying for this program at any other financial institution.  You understand that applying for support under the Program at more than one financial institution may result in ineligibility under the Program, default under the facility in respect of which this attestation is being provided, prosecution or other enforcement measures available at law or otherwise.
• You agree to participate in post-funding surveys conducted by the Government of Canada or any of its agents.
• You intend to continue to operate your business or to resume operations.
• You will not use any loan received under the Program to make any payment or pay any expense other than Eligible Non-Deferrable Expenses. Specifically, you will not use any loan received under the Program to make any prepayment/refinancing of existing indebtedness, any payment of dividends, distributions or increases in management compensation or to increase the compensation of related parties.
• You authorize Export Development Canada, as your representative with the Canada Revenue Agency, to access any required payroll information for the purpose of verifying eligibility.

Please note the following businesses are not eligible for the Canada Emergency Business Account:

• Government organizations or bodies, or entities owned by a government organization or body.
• Unions, charitable, religious or fraternal organizations or entity owned by such an organization or if it is, it is a registered organization that has filed its T2 return or T3010 return and that generates a portion of its revenue from the sales of goods or services.
• Entities owned by any federal Member of Parliament or senator.
  
• Entities that promote violence, incite hatred or discriminate on the basis of sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, colour, race, ethnicity, religion, culture, region, education, age or mental or physical disability, contrary to applicable laws.

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If your business is not able to meet the specific qualification criteria as defined by the Government of Canada, unfortunately you will not be eligible for this program. For additional program details and clarity on eligibility criteria, please visit www.CEBA-CUEC.ca.

For customers who are ineligible for CEBA, you may be able to benefit from government funding made available through the Regional Relief and Recovery Fund (RRRF). For more information on funding that may be available to you through your regional development agency, please visit here.

No. The eligibility criteria only applies to your 2019 payroll expenses, as displayed on your T4 Summary of Remuneration Paid (T4SUM). For customers who also pay employees tax-exempt employment income under the Indian Act, all employment income reported in Box 71 of T4 statements issued to the organization’s employees for 2019 must also be included in the total.

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If you have applied for CEBA and would like to check the status of your application online please visit the CEBA Application Status Website. Please wait 5 to 7 business days after finalizing your application before checking your status.  The loan status website will be able to address the following types of questions:

• What is the status of my application?
• Why was my application declined? How can I fix those errors if applicable?
• Why was my submitted document rejected?

Applicants will need to have the following information to view the status of their loan:

• The name of the financial institution through which they applied for CEBA
• Their 9-digit CRA business number
• The applicable T1, T2, T2 Short, or T4 SUM used in the CEBA application

If you have questions or would like to check the status of your application by phone, please contact the CEBA Call Centre at 1-888-324-4201.  The CEBA call centre is open Monday to Friday from 8:00 am to 9:00 pm EST.

The CEBA application must be competed at your primary financial institution no later than March 31, 2021. Supporting documentation must be uploaded through the website: application-demande.ceba-cuec.ca as soon as the application is completed and no later than January 11th, 2021. Supporting documentation is a critical part of the application process and failure to upload the required information prior to the deadline will result in the cancelation of your application.