Daily COVID-19 Update for May 11, 2020
Supports for Business
Supporting Alberta’s businesses through relaunch
A new Alberta Biz Connect web page has been launched to provide business owners with information on health and safety guidelines for general workplaces and sector-specific guidelines for those able to open in stage one of relaunch to ensure businesses can reopen safely during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The website includes guidance documents for sectors currently allowed to operate under public health orders:
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- Disability service providers
- Farmers markets
- Golf course operators
- Health non-essential services
- Health sector PPE guidelines
- Homeless shelters
- Industrial work camps
- Private/municipal campgrounds
Planning documents to prepare businesses for stage one relaunch are posted for:
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- Day camps
- Daycare and out-of-school care
- Hair salons and barbershops
- Museums and art galleries
- Outdoor recreation
- Places of worship
- Restaurants
- Retail
Visit: https://www.alberta.ca/biz-connect.aspx for more information.
Support for Large Employers
The federal government announced the Large Employer Emergency Financing Facility (LEEFF) to provide bridge financing to Canada’s largest employers, whose needs during the pandemic are not being met through conventional financing, in order to keep their operations going. This support will not be used to resolve insolvencies or restructure firms, nor will it provide financing to companies that otherwise have the capacity to manage through the crisis. The additional liquidity provided through LEEFF will allow Canada’s largest businesses and their suppliers to remain active.
The government will also expand the Business Credit Availability Program (BCAP) to mid-sized companies with larger financing needs. Support for mid-market businesses will include loans of up to $60 million per company, and guarantees of up to $80 million. Through the BCAP, Export Development Canada (EDC) and the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) will work with private sector lenders to support access to capital for Canadian businesses in all sectors and regions.
Find out more about support for large businesses.
Interactive Business Benefits Finder
Just a reminder that businesses can find benefits with the Innovation Canada Interactive Benefits Finder. Businesses answer a few quick questions and get access to:
- Opportunities to find funding, wage subsidies, loans, tax credits and expert advice offered by government and some not-for-profits too.
- A tailored list of the right supports for their business, delivered to them in under two minutes.
- The option to save their favourite programs to review later.
- The email notification feature, where they can sign up to get emails whenever a program changes, an application deadline approaches or a brand new program is introduced that meets their needs, including new COVID-19 support.
Community Supports and Resources
Online hub helps seniors during COVID-19 and beyond
CORE – Collaborative Online Resources and Education – provides a platform for organizations serving seniors to improve delivery of services for seniors. The hub will make it easier for organizations to share resources and coordinate services, with a focus on key COVID-19 issues, including transportation, food security, social isolation and home supports. CORE Alberta will support access to training, COVID-19 information and resources, map where the greatest needs are across the province, and help seniors in more remote locations get the support they need.CORE Alberta will feature:
- Online forums to access training, share resources and promote best practices.
- A link to Alberta 211 for seniors seeking direct supports.
- Information about volunteer safety, protocols and guidelines.
- Links to funding opportunities and resources to address challenges related to COVID-19.
Province approves expanded electronics recycling pilot
The provincial Government is kick-starting an expanded electronics recycling project that will support job creation, grow the economy and help offset other waste products currently destined for landfills as a result of the pandemic’s impact on reduced sorting capacity at some municipal sorting facilities. Municipalities will receive funding for collecting the additional electronics included in the recycling expansion including: audio visual equipment, telecom, cell phone and wireless devices, electronic gaming equipment, small home appliances, portable power tools, toys, musical instruments and solar panels. Many collection sites have implemented COVID-19 mitigation measures and continue to manage electronics recyclables and there will be no cost to consumers to recycle the additional products during the pilot. Read more.
Advocacy
Business Impact Survey Reveals Obstacles to Relaunch
A recent business impact survey between the Alberta Chambers of Commerce (ACC), Community Futures Alberta, and Economic Developers Alberta (EDA) shows many businesses will face obstacles to Alberta's phase one economic relaunch, scheduled to begin May 14. The survey revealed half of Alberta businesses have laid off employees while 42 per cent of respondents have employees working reduced hours. Among businesses reporting layoffs, 57 percent of respondents say they have laid off more than half their employees. Read the full survey results.
Liquidity Program a Step Forward for Larger Companies
Like other businesses, larger companies, having invested significantly in worker safety while maintaining staff, cannot continue to do so for the near-term without financial help. Millions of Canadian workers depend upon those companies for their incomes. Today’s liquidity measures are a step forward towards addressing the needs of some of Canada’s leading companies and will help them continue their leadership role into the eventual recovery. Read more.
Labour and Business Both Call for National Task Force
Hassan Yussuff, President of the Canadian Labour Congress, and Perrin Beatty, President and CEO of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, wrote a joint op-ed arguing for the need for a national task force to determine how best to reboot the Canadian economy. The task force would help filter the best ideas and build consensus across civil society when it is time for implementation and would include industry-specific tables to ensure decision-makers take the specialized needs of each sector into account. Read more.
Chamber responds to April Job Numbers
Leah Nord, Canadian Chamber of Commerce Director of Workforce Strategies and Inclusive Growth, appeared on CTV News to discuss April’s job numbers. Despite the staggering losses, the situation could have been worse if not for the resiliency shown by Canadian businesses. Watch now.
New Resources
Free Pandemic Tip Sheets
The Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety has Free Pandemic Tip Sheets to provide pandemic guidance for higher-risk and essential occupations and industries. Each document offers health and safety tips and good practices, for both employers and workers, specific to each industry or sector. Organizations and businesses can adopt this guidance to protect their workers and prevent the spread of infections. The tip sheets cover a range of occupations and industries including:
- Daycares
- Transportation
- Construction
- First Responders
- Retail
- Mining
- Home Delivery and Couriers
- Long Term Care
- Manufacturing
- Food Processing
- Restaurants and Food Services
- Agriculture
Constant Contact Ecomdash promotion for e-commerce
Constant Contact is launching Ecomdash, where you members can sell your products and services to over 250+ marketplaces—all from one place. They are offering 50% off for the first four months by using the promo code CHAMBER50 at checkout. Here are just a few ways Ecomdash by Constant Contact can help your business:
- List and sell products on popular sites like Amazon, eBay, Etsy, and more.
- Prevent backorders and overselling with 24/7 automated inventory syncing.
- Save time and money by connecting with popular platforms like Stamps.com and QuickBooks.
- Print, pack, and ship from one system—no more multiple logins.
- Sync buyers' email addresses directly to a Constant Contact account to include them in marketing campaigns.
To claim this offer, you can start a 15 day free trial with Ecomdash. Before the trial ends, enter CHAMBER50 for 50% off the first four months. Learn more
#YXH2Gether
Share your stories and resources with us and on the YXH Business Support Group and connect with us for any questions you have.
Recognize your heroes by using the hashtag #YXHheroes.
Honour your everyday heroes through the Alberta Northern Lights Volunteer Awards program. Nominations can be submitted online.
“By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” Benjamin Franklin
For more resources visit our COVID-19 page
On Demand Webinars
Alberta Bits & Pieces Webinar. Watch Now.
Canadian Business Resilience Network Video Content
Conflict Escalation & What to Do About It. Watch Now.
Destination Canada: The Visitor Economy: Watch Now.
BDC Economic Pulse (April 20): Watch Now.
How to cope with the impacts of COVID-19 on your business. Watch Now.
The Importance of Human Resources & Being Strategic When Your Business is Being Temporarily Impacted. Watch Now.
Keeping Your Company and Employees Secure When Working Remotely. Watch Now.
Leading During a Crisis and Switching to Remote Work. Watch Now.
Rent Relief in a World of the Coronavirus: Watch Now.
Shopify E-Commerce Tools. Watch Now.
Social Media in Crisis. Watch Now.
Understanding, Accessing and Optimizing the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy. Watch Now.
Working From Home During COVID-19. Watch Now.
Webinar Series
AMHSA, CSSE, Howatt HR, AUMA Mental Health Webinar Series. Click here.
APEX Alberta Webinars: Watch the recorded series
BDC Webinar Series. Click here.
BusinessLink: View upcoming events.
Calgary Chamber of Commerce. Watch Now.
CPA Small Business Webinar Series. Click here.
CPHR Alberta: HR Pandemic Essentials. Click here.
Conference Board of Canada Webinar Series: Mental Health and COVID-19. Click here.
Constant Contact Webinar Series: View the line up of sessions and register.
D2L Webinar Series: Digital Transformation for Associations. Watch Now.
Economic Developers Alberta (EDA) Wednesday weekly: Business & Economic Recovery During the COVID-19 Crisis
Free Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS)® IDS™ sessions. Register here.
International Economic Development Council Webinar series. Watch now.
StartUp Canada Women Entrepreneur Webinar Series: Click here.
Travel Alberta Webinar Series. Watch Now.
Upcoming Webinars
May 12: APEX Alberta: Facebook 101. Register here.
May 12: Canadian Chamber Ensuring The Recovery And Resilience Of Canada’s Food Service Sector. Register now.
May 13: Federal support for Canada’s economic recovery & what Western Economic Diversification Canada is doing in Alberta. Register here.
May 14: Introduction to e-commerce with Shopify. Register Now.
May 14: APEX Alberta: Facebook 2.0. Register here.
May 14: Travel Alberta: Revisiting Your Business Model During the COVID-19 Crisis. Register here.
May 14: AHS COVID-19 Community Conversation: Business Re-launch. Register now.
May 15: AHS COVID-19 Community Conversation: Business Re-launch. Register now.
May 15: BBB Virtual Selling Webinar. Register Now.
May 20: APEX Alberta: Human Resources Fundamentals. Register here.
May 20: ABFI The Lemonade Summit for family business owners. Register here.
May 20: Create a Powerful Marketing Strategy in 7 Steps. Register here.
May 21: Recovery & Overcoming Adversity with Business Link: an Online Panel. Register here.
May 22: How To Create A Brand For The Digital Era. Register here.
May 22: BDC Planning for recovery: How to restart your business in the wake of COVID-19. Register here.
May 27: APEX Alberta: Everything DiSC Workplace. Register here.
May 28: Work-Life Wellness for Entrepreneurs: During & Beyond the COVID-19 Crisis. Register here.
May 28: Succession Planning Webinar. Register here.
June 3: APEX Alberta: Personality Dimensions – Sales and Customer Service. Register here.
June 4: Cash Flow Management in Times of Uncertainty Webinar. Register here.
June 17: APEX Alberta: Everything DiSC Productive Conflict. Register here.
Don’t forget Joe Social Media – Free Social Media training from May 1 – June 30 (times vary). Register here. Use promocode: Resilience
Check out more events on our Pandemic Training Calendar