Canada's commercial landlords got a request and a warning from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to buy into rental assistance program launching next week, as part of a handful of moves in one day to get billions in federal aid to companies large and small.

Financial markets are showing signs of concern about the how well companies can weather the COVID-19 economic crisis, the Bank of Canada said in a report outlining issues the pandemic is having on business and household debt.

Thousands of businesses have applied for the federal government's $73-billion wage subsidy program, joining a COVID-19 emergency economic plan that industry groups warn is becoming more complicated the longer businesses stay closed and workers off the job.

The federal government is rolling out billions of dollars in new financial help targeting hard-hit sectors of the economy, acknowledging that some companies need more support and others are slipping through the safety net of emergency aid meant to help them through the COVID-19 pandemic.