March 16, 2020: Update – Recommendations for Protecting Your Team Against COVID-19 as of 8:00pm March 16, 2020

marvelandsnapBreaking News, KNBIA

Dear Kanata North Business Community,

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve there are several material changes to recommendations received today from municipal, provincial and federal governments. We continue to work closely and consistently with Ottawa Public Health (OPH) on the development of protocols and steps that help to keep you, your families, our member companies and employees safe and healthy.

This situation is fluid and recommendations from all levels of government are evolving quickly.

Dr. Vera Etches, Ottawa’s Medical Officer of Health, urges people to cancel events of all sizes and limit unimportant trips out of their homes, in order to reduce transmission.

Ottawa Public Health has accepted the recommendation from Dr. David Williams, Chief Medical Officer of Health for the Ministry of Health, advised the following establishments should close temporarily (until further notice):

  • Recreation programs
  • Libraries
  • Churches and other faith settings
  • In person dine-in restaurants and bars. NOTE: except for food establishments that offer take out and/or delivery services
  • All childcare centres, licensed home childcare and Early ON Child and Family centres

Other establishments also strongly recommended by Ottawa Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Vera Etches, include:

  • Nightclubs and after-hours bars
  • Movie Theatres
  • Concert and indoor live-entertainment venues

Support for Small Business
Following today’s announcements, we are working closely with the City of Ottawa to establish support programs for our small business owners, who will be heavily impacted by this next wave of social distancing.

As a grass roots measure to support our small businesses in Kanata North, KNBA will launch a landing page powered by Shopify for the community to purchase gift cards from their favourite local businesses (restaurants, retailers, coffee shops, etc) to be used at a future date. I’m hoping this will in some small way help with cashflow in the short term until relief funds are established.

If you are a small business owner and would like to connect to have your business featured on the landing page, please reach out to alycia@kanatanorthba.ca for further details. Our team are hard at work building the landing page now and will share a link to shop once live‬.

Following a joint call with our local BIA’s and economic development agencies, Mayor Jim Watson announced that an Economic Partners Task Force has been created to support small businesses, along with their employees who are hurting deeply as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Task Force will be co-chaired by Mayor Watson and Councillor El-Chantiry and will advise staff in many departments on how the City can help the business community as the pandemic evolves.

Long term, relief funding will need to be in place to support our small businesses and high risk communities being impacted. Rest assured, the Kanata North BA are contributing to important discussions with our municipal, provincial and federal governments to support future efforts to establish future funding programs that will incorporate tax relief, grants to help meet fixed costs, loans and sick pay coverage.

In the meantime, our local leaders, MP Karen McCrimmon and MPP Merrilee Fullerton as well as Senior Business Advisor from the Ontario Ministry of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade, Marcelo Grinfeld have all proactively reached out to provide links to important resources to support business continuity for you and your teams.

Our team have rounded up a list of these business continuity and planning tools:

Government of Canada
Coronavirus disease (COVID-19): Resources for Canadian businesses
https://www.tradecommissioner.gc.ca/campaign-campagne/ressources-entreprises-COVID-19-business-resources.aspx?lang=eng

Business Development Bank of Canada
Support for Entrepreneurs impacted by coronavirus :
https://www.bdc.ca/en/pages/special-support.aspx?special-initiative=covid19

Business continuity plan and templates for entrepreneurs
https://www.bdc.ca/en/articles-tools/entrepreneur-toolkit/templates-business-guides/pages/business-continuity-guide-templates-entrepreneurs.aspx

Export Development Canada
https://www.edc.ca/en/events/webinar/managing-impact-on-global-supply-chains.html

Employment Insurance and Labour and Occupational Health and Safety
Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) – Employment and Social Development Canada
https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/corporate/notices/coronavirus.html

Provincial Links (Ontario):
Ontario Ministry of Health – stats and self assessment tool
https://www.ontario.ca/page/2019-novel-coronavirus

External Links:
Canadian Chamber of Commerce – Pandemic Preparedness for Business
http://www.chamber.ca/resources/pandemic-preparedness/

World Health Organization COVID-19 –  Business and Employees
https://www.epi-win.com/advice-and-information/business-and-employees

Finally, this afternoon Prime Minister Trudeau implemented several restrictions to travel which are outlined here;
https://pm.gc.ca/en/news/news-releases/2020/03/16/prime-minister-announces-new-actions-under-canadas-covid-19-response

Credible Sources of Information from our Public Health Officials
Please continue to visit the following credible sources of information and follow updates from Ottawa Public Health, Councilor Sudds and the City of Ottawa for the most accurate information as material information becomes available.

Ottawa Public Health

Ontario Ministry of Health

Health Canada / Public Health Agency of Canada

Our team will continue to post updates to the dedicated landing page on the KNBA website with real time updates and information on covid-19 recommendations as it relates to our businesses.

https://www.kanatanorthba.com/recommendations-for-protecting-your-team-against-covid-19/

Finally, I again want to stress that as the #COVID19 situation unfolds, please be mindful of its impact on your #MentalHealth. It’s normal for situations like this to affect you and it’s completely OK to ask for help. If you need support, Distress Centre Ottawa is available 24/7 at 613-238-3311 or dcottawa.on.ca.

Sincerely,

Jamie Petten
President & Executive Director
Kanata North Business Association