Update From Your Chamber
(September 16, 2020)
We're halfway through the month (already?), and we hope it's going well!

The final details for our Annual General Meeting are being ironed out, so stay tuned for more information on how the event will be adapted this year. We hope you will join us at the AGM to look back at our accomplishments and activities over the past year, talk about upcoming initiatives and opportunities for our members, and welcome the 2020 Board of Directors!

Speaking of our Board of Directors, we would like to thank Lesley Dumalo, Vice President for her time on our Board. Lesley’s dedication and contributions during her tenure have been greatly appreciated, and we wish her all the best moving forward. Thank you, Lesley! You will be missed!

The Chamber team is still working remotely as our office is under renovation, and anticipate returning to the office in October. In the meantime, we are available by email, Zoom, and phone at 416-877-7605. Additionally, we can meet off-site during this time.

Please don't hesitate to reach out - we'd love to connect with you!

Stay well. Stay sane.
The Grimsby Chamber Team
Connections Grow Businesses

Let’s wrap up next week with a morning of making connections and growing your professional network! A strong network will help establish product and service partnerships, more referrals, and a support system.

Join your Chamber colleagues at the next Coffee and #ConnectingGrimsby Virtual Networking Event on Friday, September 25 at 8 AM.

It’s an excellent opportunity to engage your business peers to celebrate your successes and help you navigate the unique challenges the pandemic presents, or better get to know the local business community!

Hurry - Space is limited!
Registration closes Thursday, September 24 at 12 PM or when registration is full.
Hospital Activity Book for Children
The Grimsby Chamber is proud to support the Hospital Activity Book for Children (HABFC) with our sponsorship in the Niagara edition! Check out the edition here.

It is distributed to hospitals, medical service units, pediatric centres, victim service units and many other services – wherever kids are in need of a healthy distraction during a challenging time.

We're happy to help spread the word for this worthwhile cause, and we encourage you to learn more about the program!
Ontario Chamber of Commerce
The She-Covery Project
Webinar - Ontario’s She-Covery: In Conversation with Government
Wednesday, September 23 | 2 - 3 PM

The COVID-19 crisis is having a disproportionate economic impact on women, putting decades of progress towards gender equality are at stake. This is not only a watershed moment for women but for our economy and society more broadly.

The OCC's latest policy report, "The She-Covery Project: Confronting the Gendered Economic Impacts of COVID-19 in Ontario," outlines practical solutions to confront both immediate and longer-term challenges faced by working women in Ontario.

Major takeaways from the report include:

  • Leadership and accountability begin with a commitment from stakeholders to set collective targets, reward diversity, include women in decision-making bodies, and apply a gender and diversity lens to their strategies, policies, and programs for recovery.
  • Child care requires a short-term strategy to weather the pandemic and longer-term, system-wide reforms to improve accessibility and affordability.
  • Workforce development initiatives should focus on defining critical skills, accelerating women’s reskilling, and ensuring their skills are utilized – with a focus on increasing their participation in skilled trade, technology, and engineering roles in fast-growing sectors.
  • Entrepreneurship should be understood as a pathway to economic growth, and an inclusive ecosystem is critical to supporting women entrepreneurs.
  • Flexible work arrangements are one way to level the playing field for women and improve organizational outcomes. 

Join us on Wednesday, September 23 from 2 - 3 PM for a webinar to discuss our latest research on this important topic.
Welcome New Members
We are excited to welcome our newest members into the Chamber network! Visit their Directory listings to learn more about their organizations.
From Our Members
We're pleased to offer this space for our members to share initiatives, promotions, events, updates, and more with our network! There is excellent information, and we encourage you to take a moment to look through this week's submissions. You may find ideas or opportunities to collaborate with a fellow chamber member!

If you would like to make a submission for an upcoming newsletter, please contact us!
DJB Chartered Professional Accountants
Webinar: COVID-19 Government Relief Update
Tuesday, September 22 | 11 AM - 12 PM
Ontario is settling into “Phase 3” of the provincial reopening framework and many of the government support programs have been revised.

Join us for an update from our Tax and Human Resources Advisors. A lot has changed – you may now be eligible for programs that you previously weren’t. In turn, COVID-19 has opened some opportunities for tax planning/minimization strategies that may be of value to you.

In this complimentary 60-minute webinar, we will cover:

  • How to take advantage of market conditions to implement an estate freeze, utilize losses, and low interest rate loans (including CEBA)
  • New CEWS revised rules for business and how to leverage retroactive pay
  • Updates to CERB eligibility and what to expect going forward
  • Important employer considerations – what you need to know

If you have any questions that you’d like addressed in this webinar, please email marketing@djb.com before September 18, 2020.
Gizio Recreation & Banquet Centre
Grimsby & District Lions Club