The Listowel BIA
e-Newsletter
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Please see updates since our last newsletter. In addition to covid-19 updates, we are sharing current promotions happening as well as support options for businesses. Our next Board Meeting is on September 2. Our AGM has been rescheduled for September 23. We encourage you to attend both. Past newsletters can be found on our website at www.discoverlistowel.com
We continue to be available to you at lschaefer@northperth.ca or 519-444-8233.
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Provincial and Federal Government Updates
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The Federal and Provincial governments announced the launch of the COVID Alert App. Ontario is the first province to launch this voluntary app, which is designed to let users know if they may have been exposed to the COVID-19 virus. The app does not collect personal information or health data, and does not know or track the location, name, address, or contacts of any user and was developed in consultation with the Privacy Commissioners of Canada and Ontario. Please see the website for more information about this app.
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The Ontario government, in partnership with the federal government, announced it is providing up to $4 billion in one-time assistance to Ontario's 444 municipalities. Municipalities will be provided with up to $1.6 billion as part of the first round of emergency funding under the Safe Restart Agreement. This funding will help municipalities protect the health and well-being of the people of Ontario, while continuing to deliver critical public services, such as public transit and shelters, as the province continues down the path of renewal, growth and economic recovery
COVID - 19 Provincial Updates:
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The Province of Ontario announced that Windsor-Essex will move into Stage 3 starting August 12th. All of Ontario has now entered Stage 3 of the reopening of the province.
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The Premier and Minister of Education announced the plan for the upcoming 2020-2021 school year. Students who attend publicly funded schools in Ontario will be returning to part-time or full-time in-class instruction beginning in September. Please see the full plan for more information.
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The government announced that it will allow licensed child care centres across Ontario to open at full capacity starting September 1, 2020. Before and after school programs for school aged children will also be permitted to operate with standard ratios and maximum group size requirements.
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The Premier announced an additional $50M in funding to support the agricultural sector through the expansion of the Risk Management Program. This funding will support farmers with unforeseen challenges such as fluctuating market prices, extreme weather events like flooding or drought, and disease.
COVID -19 Federal Government Updates
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A reminder that the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS) application portal for the claim period of July 5 - August 1 will be opening on August 17, 2020.
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Canada’s Finance Minister announced that the Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance (CECRA) program will be extended for one month, until the end of August. Please visit the CECRA site for more information about the program.
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The government of Canada announced that it will be providing additional funding for the Temporary Foreign Worker program to assist Canadian and temporary foreign workers, and farmers with health and safety supports to protect workers from COVID-19.
- The Prime Minister indicated that the government will be creating a plan in the coming weeks to transition those who are on the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) to Employment Insurance.
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On July 27, Bill C-20, which includes amendments to the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS), received Royal Assent. For more information about the amendments, including eligibility, formulas, and examples, please see the federal government’s Adapting the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy to Protect Jobs and Promote Growth document. The amendments to the CEWS include the following:
- An extension to the CEWS program until December 19, 2020, including redesigned program details until November 21, 2020.
- Making the subsidy more accessible to a broader range of employers by providing a gradually decreasing base subsidy to all eligible employers that are experiencing a decline in revenue. Previously, the threshold for CEWS eligibility had been at least a 30% reduction in revenue. Under this proposed structure, the wage subsidy that businesses receive will be proportional to their revenue declines due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Businesses who have had more than a 50% reduction in revenue will receive a higher wage subsidy of up to 85%.
- Provide certainty to employers that have already made business decisions for July and August by ensuring they will not receive a subsidy rate lower than they would have under the previous rules.
- Address technical issues with the CEWS identified by stakeholders.
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The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) announced that they are extending the payment due date for current year individual, corporate, and trust income tax returns, including installment payments, from September 1, 2020, to September 30, 2020. The CRA is also waiving interest on existing tax debts related to individual, corporate, and trust income tax returns from April 1, 2020, to September 30, 2020 and from April 1, 2020, to June 30, 2020, for goods and services tax/harmonized sales tax (GST/HST) returns. Visit the CRA site for more information.
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The Prime Minister announced that the federal government is providing $19B in funding to provinces and territories to assist with safe re-starting of the economy. His remarks can be found HERE.
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Summer Sale Days - We Are Open!
It is Summer Sale Days in Listowel! Many of our businesses have sales going from now until August 22nd! If you are having a sale or promotion, please let us know so we can share it and please tag us! We are advertising Sale Days on our website and all of our social media. Thanks to the Listowel Banner for their help in advertising Summer Sale Days! Make sure to check out the Banner for a 6 page spread of many of the promotions happening!
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Enter to Win with the Listowel BIA and the ONE 101.7 FM
We are excited to be working with 101.7 the One to bring you the "Listowel is Open" contest! We want everyone to know that Listowel is “Open for Business” and to encourage people to shop local!
To enter to win, contestants have to let us know their favourite place to shop or dine in Listowel and then listen live on 101.7 The One to hear if their name is drawn to win one of two prizes of $100 ”Shop Local” dollars donated by the Listowel BIA. These weekly draws will take place on Friday, August 14 and Friday, August 21. Then on Friday, August 28, we will draw for the Grand Prize of over $1,000 in Gift Cards from 20 participating Listowel businesses. The Listowel BIA will present the winners with their prizes.
Everyone is encouraged to enter now and enter often. For more details or to enter to win, see HERE.
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North Perth Public Library and Listowel BIA Summer Scavenger Hunt
Together with the North Perth Public Library, the Listowel BIA is encouraging our community to explore downtown and find the hungry caterpillar in storefronts for a chance to win Local Shop Dollars. We hope it will encourage our community to shop local and to provide a fun activity for our youth.
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North Perth FREE Ecommerce Marketplace ‘Shop Local North Perth'!
Shop Local North Perth is an e-commerce marketplace hosted by the Municipality of North Perth with the purpose of supplying an online platform to support and connect North Perth businesses with buyers. If you are a North Perth business or organization and have a product or service to offer for a set price, you can join this marketplace. For more information or to register, email contact@shoplocalnorthperth.ca or check out the media release HERE.
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The Listowel BIA Board and Annual General Meeting - Sept 2 and 23
Our next Board Meeting will be held on Wednesday, September 2 at 7:30 am at the Steve Kerr Memorial Centre Community Room. We have also rescheduled our AGM that was to be held in April to September 23 at 7 pm, also to be held at the SKMC. In order to comply with safety guidelines during this time, all those attending must pre-register. Unless health restrictions prevent the use of a mask, they will be required to attend both meetings.
We would love to have you join us. Please let us know you plan to attend by contacting us at lschaefer@northperth.ca or 519-444-8233.
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Perth County CARE KITS for Local Businesses
Perth County is developing ‘Perth County Care Kits’ to be given to our local businesses, to help cover costs of some of the new items and precautions necessary to open up / remain open (masks, sanitizing station, signage, etc). The kits will include items such as PPE, marketing decals, and other helpful items to assist businesses operating during this time.
If you would like to be included in a kit, please email Ashley at abrockelbank@perthcounty.ca and let her know you would like to receive a Care Kit.
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Get Ready Infection Prevention and Control Programs
Get Ready is an organizational resilience company that has been providing pandemic planning to hospitals for over ten years and have recently expanded to all organizations. Get Ready has two programs available to businesses that may be of assistance during this time:
- Workplace Infection Prevention and Control Program (IPAC) which is a safe and compliant return to work program that’s custom made for offices, factories, retail, and warehousing operations.
- Business Continuity Program which will safeguard people and assets as we adjust to our new way of doing business.
For more information, visit their website HERE or check out an information sheet HERE.
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You can reach Lisa Schaefer, Coordinator, by email at lschaefer@northperth.ca or by phone at 519-444-8233. |
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© Office of the Municipality of North Perth, 330 Wallace Ave. N., Listowel ON N4W 1L3
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