Volume 1 Issue 8 | June 4th 2020
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A Bi-Weekly Roundup of Chamber News & Resources
We're Here to Support You and Your Business!
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Greetings!
As we all settle into our new circumstances with the pandemic, we are shifting gears from a weekly round-up of Chamber news & resources to a bi-weekly mailing to continue our support to you and your business during COVID-19 and beyond. We will also continue to send additional mailings as needed to alert you to special offers, news, and opportunities.
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Last week we hosted our second virtual Business After 5 using Zoom's Video Conferencing technology. With 32 participants we celebrated the re-opening of Chuck's Roadhouse for take-out and their special promotion with Wasaga Beach Brewing Company.
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We'd like to thank everyone who attended and shared news about their business. And, a special shout out to Chuck's Roadhouse and Wasaga Beach Brewing Company for making it a fun after work event!
We also announced the launch of The Digital Marketplace's Virtual Business Expo taking place in June and also provided a LIVE demo that walks you through the steps to register for your FREE Digital Marketplace account and how to set up your business place listing at
www.thedigitalmarketplace.biz. You can watch the video replay of our Business After 5 meeting here:
https://youtu.be/2F4WSGuJbx8. If you need further assistance, don't hestiate to contact us at
office@wasagachamber.com.
Thank you also to our prize sponsors and winners!! See more information below.
Be sure to mark your calendar for our upcoming virtual Digital Marketplace Business Expo taking place June 25th to 28th. For those interested in being a vendor, email
office@wasagachamber.com.
See more news and resources below.
Sincerely,
Your Wasaga Beach Chamber of Commerce
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Thank You To Our May Business After 5 Prize Sponsors & Congratulations To The Winners!
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Chuck's Roadhouse & Wasaga Beach Brewing Company Gift Basket to Fiona Frustaci
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Wasaga Beach Brewing Company's prize to all Business After 5 participants
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FREE Virtual Vendor Booth Prize Winner is Tyler Rollins
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Watch May's Business After 5 Replay!
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The Digital Marketplace Web Portal!
Advertise Your Business With A FREE Place Listing
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The Digital Marketplace is a Wasaga Beach Chamber of Commerce initiative to share local business and community information during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.
From the beginning of the pandemic, we've been working behind the scenes to build a web portal for the Wasaga Beach community to help us all stay up-to-date and connected. We've heard our community asking what businesses are open, how can we reach them and if a business is open how do we interact with them given our new reality.
With those questions and concerns in mind, over the last several weeks, we've asked you to fill in our online form with your business information and current status of operations.
Note: As a courtesy to those who filled in our online form, we've added your listing information to our new web portal. We invite you to visit the portal and search for your business listing. From your business (place) listing page, you can click on "Claim Listing" to go through the process of taking ownership of your self-managed page.
With the launch of the Digital Marketplace web portal, we are sending out another invitation to all local businesses, organizations, associations, community resources, clubs and places to register for an account. Once your account is created, you can login to add your business place information and also add any upcoming events. Yes, you can do all of this yourself and update your business listing information as needed!
Note: We will be working on tutorials to help you with the set up process, but encourage you to open your account and start to add your business information as soon as possible.
Currently all event and business listings are free and you do not need to be a member of the Chamber to participate. Our goal is to build the Digital Marketplace as the go-to portal for Wasaga Beach business and community information. We need your help to do this! You can help us reach this goal by registering for an account and listing your business information as soon as possible.
Our plan is to market the new portal through both traditional and online marketing channels to spread the word about local business here in Wasaga Beach.
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Financial Resource Videos For Small Business
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Financial Resource Videos to Support Small Business During COVID-19
are available in approximately 3 minute segments to make it easy to choose the topics that apply to you.
The video presentation features tax and accounting specialist, Colleen Bannerman, our Chamber of Commerce President and Owner of Wasaga Tax and Accounting. The video series was sponsored by RT07, The Centre For Business and Economic Development, South Georgian Bay's Small Business Enterprise Centre and the Wasaga Beach Chamber of Commerce. Thank you also to videographer, Brian Hunt from H Visual Media.
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Wasaga Beach Chamber Resources
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The Digital Marketplace Web Portal
Set up your account and add your business information, including the unique and creative business models you've put into place in response to COVID-19. Visit our new Digital Marketplace web portal now:
www.thedigitalmarketplace.biz.
Financial Resources For Small Business During COVID-19
A series of topic-based financial resource videos for small business to help you during COVID-19.
Digital Community Information Guide
The 2020 Community Information Guide can be accessed here:
Getting to Know Your Resources
How Can We Help?
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Chamber Governing Bodies Resources & Links
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International Chamber of Commerce
The voice of world business championing the global economy as a force for economic growth, job creation and prosperity.
International Chamber of Commerce Launches SOS (Save Our SMEs) Website
The International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) has launched a new website for the SOS (Save Our SMEs) campaign. The website features key advocacy materials and is designed to help entrepreneurs find the insights and information they need to navigate through COVID-19. The Canadian Chamber of Commerce, Canada's national committee for the ICC, provides a platform for our members to become involved in International Chamber of Commerce activities. Visit SOS website.
Canadian Chamber of Commerce
With a network of over 450 chambers of commerce representing 200,000 businesses, the Canadian Chamber of Commerce is Canada’s largest and most influential business association. The Canadian Chamber is the primary and vital connection between business and the federal government. It continually demonstrates impact on public policy and decision-making to the benefit of businesses, communities and families across Canada.
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Canada Business Resilience Network
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In partnership with the Government of Canada, the Canadian Chamber of Commerce has established the
Canadian Business Resilience Network
to help Canadian businesses navigate the COVID-19 reality and prepare for recovery.
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Ontario Chamber of Commerce
For more than a century, The
Ontario Chamber of Commerce
(OCC) has been the independent, non-partisan voice of
Ontario
business. The OCC's mission is to support economic growth in
Ontario
by defending business priorities at Queen's Park on behalf of its network's diverse 60,000 members.
Ontario Chamber of Commerce: COVID-19 Tools & Resources For Your Business
During these turbulent times, the Ontario Chamber of Commerce is here to support you. As one of your indispensable partners in business, they have revamped their
website
to give you, your business, your employees, and/or members additional support throughout the COVID-19 crisis. This resource will be updated ongoingly based on member feedback.
COVID-19 Business Webinars To Support You
The Ontario Chamber of Commerce has partnered with members to provide you with up to date information to support your business. Click here:
https://occ.ca/webinars/
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COVID-19 Information Page
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Town Business Recovery Survey
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FREE Y.M.C.A. Virtual Recreation Programs For Adults and Children:
Economic Development staff continue to be available by phone and e-mail
to provide support and assistance to the public, business community and investors. Please call 705-429-3844, ext. 2274 or email at
edo@wasagabeach.com
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COVID-19 Health News & Resources
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Facebook Live Video Briefings With Dr. Charles Gardner
Medical Officer of Health and Chief Executive Officer
Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit
Join
Dr. Charles Gardner on Facebook LIVE for briefings three days per week (Monday, Wednesday and Fridays at 1pm). You can also access recorded videos on the Simcoe Muskoka District Heath Unit Facebook page and YouTube Channel.
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Federal COVID-19 Information Line (1-833-784-4397)
Public Health Ontario (1-866-797-0000)
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New Mental Health Web Portal Launched By The Government of Canada
The Government of Canada connects Canadians with mental wellness supports during COVID-19 with the Wellness Together Canada Initiative. Connect to their web portal or download the app to connect to peer support workers, social workers, psychologists and other professionals for confidential chat sessions or phone calls.
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COVID-19 Government News & Resources
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Visit The Main Ontario Government Newsroom
COVID-19 TACKLING THE BARRIERS WEBSITE
On April 28, the Ontario government
announced
that it would be accepting proposals for temporarily changing rules and regulations through its
COVID-19: Tackling the Barriers
website. In order to help Ontario businesses deal with immediate challenges, the province will be pausing or extending any existing public consultations, delaying non-urgent related consultations while the emergency situation remains in place, and considering extending deadlines for reports and audits.
Stop The Spread: Business Information Hotline Now Open: 1-888-444-3659
The province has launched a toll-free line (1-888-444-3659) to provide support to Ontario businesses who have questions about the province's recent emergency order to close at-risk workplaces following recommendations by Ontario's Chief Medical Officer of Health.
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COVID-19 Government News & Resources
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Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance (CECRA) Portal
The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) is administering the CECRA program on behalf of the Government of Canada and the provinces and territories.
Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy Program
Businesses can start to apply for the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy program beginning Monday, April 27. Use the
CRA website now
to calculate how much your business is eligible for. Also
announced
was an investment of $350 million to support vulnerable Canadians through charities and non-profit organizations that deliver essential services.
Resource Web Page From Finance Canada
Finance Canada has produced a refined search tool to help businesses find the financial supports they may be eligible for, including direct financial support programs, access to credit and more.
To ensure that small businesses have access to the capital they need to see them through the current challenges, the Government of Canada has launched the new Canada Emergency Business Account, which has been implemented by eligible financial institutions in cooperation with Export Development Canada (EDC).
Eligibility For Emergency Benefit Expanded
On April 17 the Government of Canada
announced
new actions to protect Canadian jobs and provide $1.7 billion to support businesses and organizations dealing with the economic impacts of COVID-19. These new supports are available to those unable to access existing supports including startups, rural businesses and communities, culture, heritage and sports organizations as well as young entrepreneurs. The government also introduced new measures to help retain and create approximately 10,000 well-paying jobs in the Canadian energy sector.
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From Our Partners | Employee Benefits
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2019 - 2020 Board of Directors
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Colleen Bannerman,
Chamber
President - Wasaga Tax & Accounting
Tyler Rollins,
Chamber Vice President - Key Mortgage Partners
Leslie Listro,
Chamber Secretary/Treasurer - Caithkin Treatment Foster Homes
Selena Blais -
Chamber Director
- Georgian Life Media
Joel Simpson
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Chamber Director -
Georgian Family Chiropractic
Jason Ruttan
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Chamber Director
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RE/MAX of Wasaga Beach Inc., Brokerage
Christina De Palma
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Chamber Director
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De Palma & Associate Legal Services
Marlene Parkins
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Chamber Director
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Wasaga Beach Farmers Market
Jennie Elmslie
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Chamber Director
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Free Spirit Tours
Alex Colthart
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Chamber Director
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Forty-Four Inc
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Ava Alward
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Chamber Director
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Realtor, RE/MAX of Wasaga Beach Inc.
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