March 24, 2020: Update – Recommendations for Protecting Your Team Against COVID-19 as of 10:00am March 24, 2020

KNBIABreaking News, KNBIA

Dear Kanata North Business Community,

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve there are several material changes to recommendations received 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.

Ontario Orders the Mandatory Closure of All Non-Essential Workplaces to Fight Spread of COVID-19

To further contain the spread of COVID-19, the Ontario Government has ordered the mandatory closure of all non-essential workplaces effective as of Tuesday, March 24th at 11:59 p.m. This closure will be in effect for 14 days with the possibility of extending this order as the situation evolves. A full list of businesses that are permitted to stay open are available here:

https://news.ontario.ca/opo/en/2020/03/list-of-essential-workplaces.html

Businesses that can continue operations with employees working remotely, or through other contingency measures, are being given approximately 36 hours to prepare and adapt. Essential services may continue their operations to maintain supply chains and ensure the people of Ontario have access to necessities, including groceries, medicines and other essential products.

Several Kanata North sub sectors fall into categories of essential services. Including but not limited to; Supply Chains, Retail and Wholesaling, Food Services and Accommodations, Institutional, Residential, Commercial and Industrial Maintenance, Telecommunications and IT Infrastructure/Service Providers, Transportation, Manufacturing and Production, Agriculture and Food Production, Construction, Financial Activities, Resources, Environmental Services, Utilities and Community Services, Communications Industries, Research, Health Care, Justice Sector, Other Business.

Please review the list provided by the Ontario Government and reach out if you have questions or concerns.

We have provided a PDF copy here:

Download the PDF

Kanata North Innovators Call to Arms

Federal Support Measures

The Government of Canada is supporting our country’s researchers as they do critical work to protect the health and safety of all Canadians, and people around the world, during the COVID-19 outbreak. Yesterday, Prime Minister Trudeau announced support to quickly mobilize Canadian researchers and life sciences companies to support efforts towards countermeasures to combat COVID-19, including potential vaccines and treatments.

  • The $275 million in funding will be used to advance projects that are already underway by university researchers and others to respond to COVID-19 and ensure domestic supply of potential vaccines.
  • $192 million in new projects that will be prioritized under the new Strategic Innovation Fund COVID-19 stream to deliver direct support to Canadian companies for large-scale projects.
  • The Federal Government has also sent a call to action to every university, college, polytechnic, and CEGEP in the country. Their labs have the resources and expertise to be part of this fight. They have asked them to identify equipment they’ve got like masks and ventilators. At the same time, the Federal Government is looking at innovative solutions they can be part of, including 3D printing of medical supplies.

Many institutions have already stepped up, and many more will do the same. If you need more information, please go to https://buyandsell.gc.ca/calling-all-suppliers-help-canada-combat-covid-19

Ontario Together

The Ontario Government has put out a call to arms for organizations to supply products and services in the following areas:

Ventilators, swabs, masks, eye protection, virtual mental health services for people who are vulnerable or living in remote communities, supply chain resiliency monitoring. Financial planning and advising for small businesses that can be delivered online at low-cost.

In addition, they are asking supply and innovation communities to submit ideas to help address the spread and impact of the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) on our communities.

https://www.ontario.ca/page/how-your-organization-can-help-fight-coronavirus

Please review to add your products, services and ideas. Individually and collectively I believe we have an opportunity to lead here. I have copied Marcelo Grinfield from province of Ontario to provide guidance.

Marcelo Grinfeld
Senior Business Advisor
Ministry of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade
Tel.: 613-241-3841 Ext. 227
Mobile: 613-724-6897
Toll Free: 1-800-267-6592 Ext. 227
E-mail:marcelo.grinfeld@ontario.ca
www.ontario.ca/economy

We need all hands on deck.

Support for Small Business

Following today’s announcements, we continue to work 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 have launched  a #shoplocal campaign powered by Shopify to encourage our community to order takeout and purchase gift cards to be used at a future date. Please consider supporting our restaurants, retailers, health and wellness shops. We are all in this together.

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.

Long term, relief funding measures led by our Ontario and Federal governments are noted below. Rest assured, the Kanata North BA are contributing to important discussions with our municipal, provincial and federal governments.

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:

Government of Canada

Business Development Bank of Canada

Support for Entrepreneurs impacted by coronavirus :

https://www.bdc.ca/en/pages/special-support.aspx?special-initiative=covid19

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

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19): Resources for Canadian businesses

https://www.tradecommissioner.gc.ca/campaign-campagne/ressources-entreprises-COVID-19-business-resources.aspx?lang=eng  

Support for employees

No Canadian should have to worry about losing their job, paying their rent or putting food on the table because of COVID-19. That’s why the Federal Government is:

Support for employers

To further support businesses and their employees, the Federal Government has announced:

You may recall that the Federal Government has recalled parliament and legislation will be tabled today to further implement much needed economic measures. I will provide an update following this announcement.

Finally, I would like to point our sole proprietors and owner operators to the Emergency Care Benefit which will provide up to $900 bi-weekly, for up to 15 weeks. This flat-payment Benefit would provide income support to:

  • Workers, including the self-employed, who are quarantined or sick with COVID-19 but do not qualify for EI sickness benefits.
  • Workers, including the self-employed, who are taking care of a family member who is sick with COVID-19, such as an elderly parent, but do not qualify for EI sickness benefits.
  • Parents with children who require care or supervision due to school closures, and are unable to earn employment income, irrespective of whether they qualify for EI or not.

Application for the Benefit will be available in April 2020, and require Canadians to attest that they meet the eligibility requirements. They will need to re-attest every two weeks to reconfirm their eligibility. Canadians will select one of three channels to apply for the Benefit:

  1. by accessing it on their CRA My Account secure portal;
  2. by accessing it from their secure My Service Canada Account; or
  3. by calling a toll free number equipped with an automated application process.

https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/campaigns/covid-19-update.html

For self-employed individuals or those who have spouses or common-law partners that are self-employed, the deadline to pay any balance due for your individual income tax and benefit return has been extended from April 30, 2020, to September 1, 2020.

https://www.todocanada.ca/covid-19-emergency-care-benefit-of-up-to-900-for-two-weeks-and-other-benefits-announced-by-canada/

https://www.ontario.ca/page/how-your-organization-can-help-fight-coronavirus

Update From Ottawa’s Chief Medical Officer:

Today Dr. Etches, Ottawa’s Chief Medical Officer of Health, spoke of the urgent need to self-isolate and social distancing. With all the news coming in, it might be easy to forget the basics. Here are three things OPH really wants you to read and watch with your family:

It is extremely important to do your part by participating in social distancing and self-isolation. There’s only so much that our health authorities can accomplish. The rest is up to us and we must act now.

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