March 20, 2020
Together We Can
Board of Trade Hours of Operation:

Monday to Friday
8:30 am to 4:30 pm
Closed from 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm
The Stettler Regional Board of Trade & Community Development, in partnership with Stettler Regional Emergency Management Agency, will be collecting emergency information from businesses along with details on their current situation to help share resources and prepare for recovery. 
At this time we are asking our local businesses making any operational changes to please submit the following form:  https://www.stettlerlocal.com/covid-19-business-updates

Utilizing this form not only assists us but allows your customers to still access your goods and services.

If you are planning on making more drastic changes such as closures (whether they are temporary or permanent) or changes in employment we ask that you please notify us as soon as possible.

We are doing our best to mitigate the economic effect our amazing local businesses are currently facing however we do need your help by communicating with us.

Please call us at 403-742-3181 or email info@stettlerboardoftrade.com with any and all relevant information.


BUSINESS RESOURCES
From the Canadian Payroll Association

Payroll Continuity Planning: How prepared is your organization?

March 25, 2020 @ 10am MDT
 
This complimentary webinar will explore the importance and necessity of business continuity planning, focusing particularly on payroll continuity planning and why it should be at the top of your “To do” list. Learn about the benefits of having a plan in place, along with key considerations and a step-by-step process review to build your plan.
 
Register  here .

For a summary of the questions and answers from the Payroll Infoline please click here.

From the Calgary Chamber of Commerce
Business Resource Webinar Series

Monday, March 23, 2020 11:00 am MST
Jenn Lofgren, Incito and Ryan Gill, Communo will discuss the role leadership plays in build resilient employees and how to support the mental health of your employees. 

Tuesday, March 24, 2020 11:00 am MST 
Debby Carreau, Founder and CEO, Inspired HR will talk about best practices when laying off staff and how to support them short term.

Find more information and previous recordings here.
From the Canadian Chamber of Commerce
On Monday, March 23, 1:30 pm ET, the Canadian Chambers of Commerce will host a call on COVID-19 crisis and immigration, specifically the Temporary Foreign Worker program. If you have not already registered, please consider doing so at this link: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/100321393990     

From Facebook:
Business Resource Hub

Managing through and building resilience during the COVID-19 outbreak.

At Facebook, we’re working to keep people safe and informed about the recent outbreak of COVID-19. We know that as members of the communities you serve, businesses like yours may also be experiencing unexpected challenges, and we’re committed to providing as much support as possible.

Find out more here .

Small Business Grants Program

We know that your business may be experiencing disruptions resulting from the global outbreak of COVID-19. We’ve heard that a little financial support can go a long way, so we are offering $100M in cash grants and ad credits to help during this challenging time. 

Find out more here .
Business Operational Changes
Rairdan Services has built a page on stettlerlocal.com for businesses to post their operational changes. This will give the community a way to check up on numerous local businesses at once.


For Not-For-Profits

Rairdan Services is offering not for profits and charities to register for StettlerGives.com for no cost right now. By creating a page on the site assistance can be given to recruit volunteers for these groups and help advertise their volunteer openings.
Business Continuity

If you are currently stuck at home this may be a good time to think about what your business will look like going forward.

Please see the following link from the City of Calgary for a template on Business Continuity Planning. This is an important process utilized in the creation of systems for the economic recovery of our local businesses.
Business to Business
We currently have a local business looking for refills for this dispenser. If you have some you are able to give away or would be willing to sell (because you have extras or have chosen to close your doors for the moment) please call Donna 403-742-3181 and she would be happy to make arrangements.

If your business is in immediate need of something to continue operations please contact us at 403-742-3181 or email info@stettlerboardoftrade.com
GENERAL INFORMATION
This short survey will enable the EDA to gather consistent, high level data on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic to Alberta businesses. 

They will then be able to share overall trends on immediate needs and the resources required. 
One of EDA's priorities is to ensure we all have the best and most relevant information available to navigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic to our businesses and economies. 
News From the Government of Canada

Support for Businesses
The Government of Canada is taking immediate, significant and decisive action to support Canadian businesses facing financial hardship as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

On March 13, 2020, Minister of Finance Bill Morneau, Governor of the Bank of Canada Stephen Poloz, and Superintendent of Financial Institutions Jeremy Rudin outlined a coordinated package of measures to support the functioning of markets, the resilience of our financial sector, and continued access to financing for Canadian businesses. These actions will significantly increase the availability of credit to businesses of all sizes, sustain liquidity in key financial markets, and provide flexibility to businesses experiencing hardship.
On March 18, 2020 the government and its partners announced further measures to support businesses. These actions are part of Canada’s whole-of-government response to COVID-19, and the significant stimulus program developed to stabilize Canada’s economy, support businesses and to protect Canadians.

Supporting Canadian Business through the Canada Account
The government is changing the Canada Account so that the Minister of Finance would now be able to determine the limit of the Canada Account in order to deal with exceptional circumstances. The Canada Account is administered by Export Development Canada (EDC) and is used by the government to support exporters when deemed to be in the national interest. This will allow the government to provide additional support to Canadian companies through loans, guarantees or insurance policies during these challenging times.

Helping Businesses Keep their Workers
To support businesses that are facing revenue losses and to help prevent lay-offs, the government is proposing to provide eligible small employers a temporary wage subsidy for a period of three months. The subsidy will be equal to 10% of remuneration paid during that period, up to a maximum subsidy of $1,375 per employee and $25,000 per employer. Businesses will be able to benefit immediately from this support by reducing their remittances of income tax withheld on their employees’ remuneration. Employers benefiting from this measure will include corporations eligible for the small business deduction, as well as non-profit organizations and charities.

Flexibility for Businesses Filing Taxes
The Canada Revenue Agency will allow all businesses to defer, until after August 31, 2020, the payment of any income tax amounts that become owing on or after today and before September 2020. This relief would apply to tax balances due, as well as instalments, under Part I of the Income Tax Act. No interest or penalties will accumulate on these amounts during this period. 
The Canada Revenue Agency will not contact any small or medium (SME) businesses to initiate any post assessment GST/HST or Income Tax audits for the next four weeks. For the vast majority of businesses, the Canada Revenue Agency will temporarily suspend audit interaction with taxpayers and representatives.

The Liaison Officer service offers help to owners of small businesses to understand their tax obligations. Traditionally available in-person, this service is now available over the phone and will be customizing information during these challenging times by ensuring small businesses are aware of any changes such as filing and payment deadlines, proactive relief measures, etc.

Ensuring Businesses Have Access to Credit
The Business Credit Availability Program (BCAP) will allow the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) and Export Development Canada (EDC) to provide more than $10 billion of additional support, largely targeted to small and medium-sized businesses. This will be an effective tool for helping viable Canadian businesses remain resilient during these very uncertain times. BDC and EDC are cooperating with private sector lenders to coordinate on credit solutions for individual businesses, including in sectors such as oil and gas, air transportation and tourism. The near term credit available to farmers and the agri-food sector will also be increased through Farm Credit Canada.

The Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions (OSFI) announced it is lowering the Domestic Stability Buffer by 1.25% of risk-weighted assets, effective immediately. This action will allow Canada’s large banks to inject $300 billion of additional lending in to the economy.

The Bank of Canada also took a series of actions to support the Canadian economy during this period of economic stress, enhance the resilience of the Canadian financial system, and help ensure that financial institutions can continue to extend credit to both households and businesses. This included cutting the interest rate to 0.75% as a proactive measure in light of the negative shocks to Canada’s economy arising from the COVID-19 pandemic and the recent sharp drop in oil prices.

Supporting Financial Market Liquidity
As a further proactive and coordinated measure to bolster the financial system and the Canadian economy, the government announced on March 16 that it is launching an Insured Mortgage Purchase Program (IMPP). Under this program, the government will purchase up to $50 billion of insured mortgage pools through the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC). This action will provide long-term stable funding to banks and mortgage lenders, help facilitate continued lending to Canadian consumers and businesses, and add liquidity to Canada’s mortgage market. Details of the terms of the purchase operations will be provided to lenders by CMHC later this week.
The IMPP enhances the already substantial set of measures announced on March 13 to support the economy and the financial system. CMHC stands ready to further support liquidity and the stability of the financial markets through its mortgage funding programs as necessary.

Further, the Bank of Canada has announced that it will adjust its market liquidity operations to maintain market functioning and credit availability during the current period of uncertainty in which conditions are evolving rapidly.
The Bank of Canada also announced that it will broaden eligible collateral for its term repo facility to include the full range of collateral eligible under the Standing Liquidity Facility, with the exception of the non-mortgage loan portfolio. This expansion of eligible collateral will provide support to funding conditions for financial institutions by providing a backstop to regular private funding.

The Bank also announced that it stands ready, as a proactive measure, to provide support to the Canada Mortgage Bond (CMB) market so that this important funding market continues to function well. This would include, as required, purchases of CMBs in the secondary market. Similar to the  increase in Government of Canada bond buybacks , this will support market liquidity and price discovery.


News from the Government of Alberta

Support for employers

Corporate income tax changes
  • Corporate income tax balances and instalment payments will be deferred from March 19 until August 31, 2020 to increase employers’ access to cash so they can pay employees, address debts and continue operations.

Utility payment deferral
  • Residential, farm and small commercial customers can defer electricity and natural gas bill payments for the next 90 days to ensure no one will be cut off, regardless of the service provider.
  • Call your utility provider directly to arrange for a 90-day deferral on all payments.

Banks and credit unions
Credit unions
  • Business members should contact their credit union directly to work out a plan for their personal situation
ATB Financial
  • Small business customers can:
  • apply for a payment deferral on loans and lines of credit for up to 6 months
  • access additional working capital
  • Other businesses and agriculture customers can access support on a one-on-one basis. Further solutions are being considered at this time

Job-protected leave
Changes to the Employment Standards Code will allow full and part-time employees to take 14 days of job-protected leave if they are:
  • required to self-isolate
  • caring for a child or dependent adult that is required to self-isolate
To be eligible, employees:
  • will not be required to have a medical note
  • do not need to have worked for an employer for 90 days
This leave covers the 14-day self-isolation period recommended by Alberta’s chief medical officer. This leave may be extended if the advice of the chief medical officer changes.
The leave does not apply to self-employed individuals or contractors.

Vacation pay, leave or banked overtime
Employers and employees may consider using other available leaves should an employee be required to self-isolate.
  • Employees can request using their vacation pay or banked overtime, but employers are not required to grant the request. Provincial employment rules only require employers to provide vacation pay, vacation leave or pay banked overtime within a year of it being earned.
  • Employers can request employees voluntarily take vacation leave and/or use their vacation pay or banked overtime, but cannot force them to do so under provincial employment rules.

Employment insurance benefits
Employees may consider applying for  federal Employment Insurance benefits .
  • Allows up to 15 weeks of assistance if a person cannot work due to medical reasons such as self-isolation or self-quarantine.
  • The one-week waiting period for Employment Insurance benefits has been waived by the federal government.

Business continuity plans
Employers should consider their business continuity plans and how COVID-19 could impact their workplace. To prepare, make plans to:
  • protect employees
  • limit spread in workplaces
  • ensure continuity of critical services if staff are ill or self-isolating
  • explore alternate working arrangements, such as:
  • working from home or remotely
  • doing work that doesn't require contact with other people


On the Calling All Suppliers - Help Canada Combat COVID-19 page posted on the Buyandsell.gc.ca site, businesses are asked to provide information about products and services they can supply in support of Canada’s response to COVID-19.
A list of suggested products and services is provided and businesses can fill out and submit an electronic form  with their information on these or other products and services that may be relevant. As this page will continue to be updated, businesses are encouraged to check back for new information that may be posted. Thank you in advance for your assistance in sharing this information as widely as possible in your supplier community.
To help you to stay alert on what is happening in your region, the Canadian Chamber of Commerce has gathered some information sites from across the country that you can bookmark for updates on the COVID-19 virus.

Sign up for the newsletter here .