May 28 | 2020
YOUR CHAMBER MID WEEK COVID-19 UPDATE
ON THE LOCAL FRONT
City of Kelowna Gives Patios the Green Light
The City of Kelowna has approved using public space as patio space to help businesses enhance capacity, including a proposal to limit the majority of Bernard Avenue to pedestrians only beginning June 30th . The use of public space will allow businesses to expand customer capacity that will still be limited by BC provincial health orders, WorkSafeBC requirements and physical distancing guidelines. 

The Kelowna Chamber as well as Downtown Kelowna Association are supportive of the initiative. The Chamber wrote to Mayor and Council encouraging them to ensure opportunities for re-purposing public space is an approach that is considered across the city as a way to help small businesses no matter where they are located. The Chamber also encouraged the City to ensure a streamlined and affordable application process for those businesses that may want to take advantage of the opportunity. A multi-disciplinary task force, including Real Estate, Parks, Transportation and Parking is proposed to review and approve requests for the temporary use of public space in all areas of our community.
Prepare your Business / Office with a COVID-19 Safety Plan
In preparing our own return to work plan and accompanying COVID-19 safety plan, we reviewed information available online from WorkSafeBC and various industry organizations. This document will allow for increased use of the Chamber office by our staff and customers while ensuring a safe and healthy environment for our team and visitors.

We also thought you might find this useful to get a sense of what your own plan should look like. Click the link below to download our plan.
Show Your Local Love & Join the United Way 8 Minute Challenge
On Saturday June 20 @ 10:00am , get your team together for 8 minutes to raise funds for the United Way of Southern Interior British Columbia. Pull for My Community is the United Way's annual signature Spring fundraising event that has been cancelled this year due to social distancing restrictions. This year it has been replaced by the 8 Minute Challenge.

In the challenge your team will choose their own adventure, deciding whatever they want to do, as a team fo 8 minutes, in an effort to fundraise $1,500. This can be a fitness activity, game, chores, act of kindness, or something completely different. The participating teams will compete for the coveted Community Cup based on set judging criteria applied by a panel of local celebrity judges. Funds raised will support the local efforts of the United Way of Southern Interior BC.

To submit a team or get involved, click to learn more below.
ON THE PROVINCIAL FRONT
Pulse Check Results: BC Businesses Face Major Hurdles Under Phase 2 of Restart Plan
Many of you have reached out asking for help and guidance during these trying times. We’re listening.

As BC begins to open under Phase 2 of the BC Restart Plan, new data from the third in a series of pulse checks put on by the BC Chamber of Commerce MindReader platform suggest that there are still numerous challenges facing businesses in the road ahead. This information, collected from 1,343 participating member-businesses, will inform ongoing recommendations to government and, perhaps more importantly, help track the efficacy of government programs and initiatives as they roll out.

Among the top challenges suggested by those surveyed are: attracting customers, cash flow, ability to meet safety standards, bringing staff back, and government determinations around when businesses can re-open. To ensure your voice is heard, join the BC Chamber of Commerce MindReader community HERE.
Resources Available: Safety Plans for Your Business
As you start to create a road map to re-opening, WorkSafeBC has provided valuable resources pertaining to ensuring protective measures are taken, and safety of all is considered in the process:

ON THE FEDERAL FRONT
Just Announced: Canadian Business Resilience Network Small Business Relief Fund
The Canadian Chamber of Commerce has announced the Canadian Business Resilience Network Small Business Relief Fund is providing small Canadian businesses with 62 - $10,000 grants to assist local small businesses in their recovery efforts during this unprecedented time. The grants, made possible by Salesforce, can be used to assist businesses to get back on their feet: anything from providing personal protective equipment, to paying employee salaries, or any other key business priority.

To apply, the business must hold a valid membership with a chamber of commerce, board of trade, or any other business association that is a member of the CBRN. Applications for this grant opportunity will open June 1, 2020 and close June 12, 2020 . The applications that best demonstrate how the funds will help the business, its employees and their communities will receive the funding.
FIND COVID-19 Federal Support for Your Business
There's a lot of information out there. To help Canadians and Canadian businesses navigate the number of COVID-19 programs available, the government has developed tools to assist your business to quickly find programs that you may qualify for by answering a few simple questions.
FROM YOUR CHAMBER
Upcoming Townhall: Kickstarting BC Tourism & Recovery
Hold the Date: Tourism is a billion dollar industry for Kelowna but with COVID-19, a shift in focus is going to be needed. Join us Tuesday June 16 from 11:00am - 12:00pm for a dialogue with two experts in Tourism: CEO of Destination BC Marsha Walden and Big White Sr. VP Michael J Ballingall in our next Okanagan School of Business Online Speaker Series. Registration info to follow.
In Case You Missed It: Okanagan Speaker Series - Federal Minister Mona Fortier
This past Monday, Federal Minister Mona Fortier spoke with Chamber Executive Director Dan Rogers in a conversation summarizing measures that have been brought forward by the government to support Canadians and businesses impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak.

During the townhall, Minister Fortier noted that the Government of Canada is reviewing the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy program (CEWS) and has started online consultation for the extension of the program. Input from businesses like yours is required to inform potential changes to the program to best meet the needs of business and their staff. Members of the Kelowna Chamber are encouraged to share feedback on the program and how it has impacted your business.

The online consultation can be found by clicking here. The deadline to participate is June 5, 2020.
Looking to Promote Your Reopening?
Chamber Members receive exclusive rates when advertising in our eNewsletters and on our website. These eNewsletters are sent to everyone who subscribes online, in addition to our 1000+ members; currently our subscription list tops 5,000+ subscribers.

We have developed special advertising rates during the current pandemic, and would be pleased to work with you to promote your business as you enter the recovery phase over the next while.

For any questions regarding advertising, contact: Caroline at cmiller@kelownachamber.org 
Need to add someone else in your organization to our mailing list? Email us.
KELOWNA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE | kelownachamber.org