Thank-you to Our Newsletter Sponsor, Excel Career College, for helping make this newsletter edition possible.
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The Chamber's Weekly Zoom Meetings
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Join us each week on Thursday for a virtual meeting, featuring a different guest and topic.
Next week, we'll be welcoming a few speakers who will discuss recent initiatives announced by the provincial government aimed at helping business and workers being affected by the COVID-19 crisis:
Ronna-Rae Leonard
MLA Courtenay-Comox
Hon. Scott Fraser
MLA Mid Island-Pacific Rim
Minister of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation
Tom Conway
CEO, Small Business BC
When: Thursday, May 7 from 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM (earlier start time this week)
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Applications Open for the
Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS)
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If you're a Canadian employer whose business has been affected by COVID-19, you may be eligible for a subsidy of 75% of employee wages for up to 12 weeks, retroactive from March 15, 2020, to June 6, 2020.
Applications can be made through your ‘My Business Account’ or ‘Represent a Client’ (for tax preparers) portals. Alternatively, businesses may apply via the CRA website with their access code. There is no rush to apply; all applications will be processed on May 4.
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Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance (CECRA)
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The CECRA will provide forgivable loans to qualifying, commercial property owners to cover 50% of the rent otherwise payable by eligible small businesses during April, May and June. These loans will be forgiven if the owner agrees to reduce their tenant’s rent by at least 75% for the three months.
It appears that the CECRA will be in place by mid-May, meaning that it will provide retroactive relief for April and May and further relief for June, 2020.
The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation will administer and deliver the CECRA, a collaboration between the federal government and provincial and territorial governments, which are responsible for property owner-tenant relationships.
Go to the CMHC website (link below) to sign up for a newsletter and receive notice when more information is available.
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Before We Begin Restarting the Economy
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The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, announced that the federal, provincial, and territorial governments have come together and agreed to a set of common principles for restarting the Canadian economy, based on shared understanding and appreciation of what science and experts are telling us. This statement identifies the criteria that need to be in place before we can go back to work and school, or see neighbours and friends. The statement acknowledges that provinces and territories will take different steps at different times in order to ease restrictions, reflecting the specific circumstances in each jurisdiction.
The criteria and measures that need to be in place in order to begin to take steps to restart the economy:
- COVID-19 transmission is controlled, so new cases are contained at a level that our health care system can manage.
- Sufficient public health capacity is in place to test, trace, isolate, and control the spread of the virus.
- Expanded health care capacity exists to support all needs, including COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 patients.
- Supports are in place for vulnerable groups, communities, and key populations. This includes the protection of seniors, residents of group living facilities, workers in close quarters, homeless people, and Indigenous people and those living in remote locations, health care workers and other essential workers, and inmates.
- Support and monitoring of workplace protocols are in place to keep Canadians safe at their jobs, and prevent the introduction and spread of COVID-19.
- Restrictions on non-essential travel are eased and managed in a coordinated manner.
- Communities are supported in managing local disease activity, including in child care, schools, and public transportation, and industry and economic sectors are engaged to support the health of Canadians, reduced viral activity, and protection of the economy as it restarts.
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Reopening Canada’s Economy: We Need To Hear From You
What issues will impact your company or sector as Canada begins to re-open? What kind of public health guidance will you require from governments? Your insights and needs will inform the Chamber's discussions with governments as Canada re-opens the economy over the coming months.
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Tap Up To $250 With Clover
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Visa®, MasterCard® and American Express® have increased their contactless (tap) transaction limit to $250.00/tap.
Clover
devices are enabled to accept contactless (tap) transactions up to $250.00 per tap. Most credit cards are now ready for the higher tap limit, but it is possible that some banks have not yet enabled some cards.
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Market Day 2020 Cancelled
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It is with great sadness that the
Downtown Courtenay Business Improvement Association
has decided to cancel the 50th annual Market Day, which was scheduled for July 18, 2020. The event will be postponed until July 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and in support of the BC government's measures to limit large gatherings and help stop the spread.
Questions or concerns?
EMAIL
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VICA
has a robust resources page available on their website for the construction industry. It includes information surrounding safety, legal, government and more.
VICA also has a survey for their members online
HERE
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Crown Isle Resort & Golf Community
has just launched a mobile app, which you can download and use to book tee times, use a score card (instead of paper!) and have access to exclusive deals and discounts.
The app is available for Android and iOS.
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HPX Media
wants to know what you think.
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HPX Media
has put together a short, anonymous, 10 question survey for business owners (or decision makers within the organization) regarding their website experience. The purpose of the survey is to learn more about the organization's goals for their site, the pain they experience, where they want the site to be, and what's holding them back.
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Wish You Were Beer - Virtual Happy Hour Series
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Get an
All Access Pass
to these virtual Happy Hours by buying beer from a participating brewer. They can give you the link to join the events online. Then, come together virtually, listen to great live music that will air from the breweries, and have a little fun over your favourite cold one.
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Ocean 7 Bistro Take Out & Meal Boxes
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Ocean7 Restaurant
at the
Kingfisher Resort
have launched a MEAL BOX pickup and TAKE-OUT offering created by Executive Chef Richard Benson! Meal Boxes feature the freshest ingredients (seafood, meat and produce) and come with instructions on how to prepare your meals at home.
Comox Valley Chamber members get a 10% discount off their food order - use code CVCHAMBER at checkout.
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Women's Business Network Virtual Meetings
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The Comox Valley WBN
is moving their meeting into a virtual setting. On May 13, WBN members can join their Zoom meeting online. The winner of the Minerva award will be announced, as well as a short AGM to elect board members.
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We could not provide our advocacy, business resources, and services for business in the Comox Valley without the support of our members. Thank you to the members who have renewed their memberships this month:
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Thank you for staying in touch with The Comox Valley Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber sends a regularly scheduled Newsletter every second Thursday. From time to time, we will also send emails about important issues facing the business and/or local community, surveys, and information about upcoming events and E-Blasts. You may unsubscribe at any time.
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