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Half of all Manitoba businesses already facing financial strain due to COVID-19 pandemic;
3 in 10 leaders feel it will put them out of business
According to a MCC membership survey conducted by Leger Marketing between March 20 to 25 , half of Manitoba business leaders say they are already dealing with financial impact amid COVID-19.

Even more concerning is that 80% of our province’s small to medium sized companies (defined as up to 50 employees for the purposes of our survey) are reporting significant financial impact. Two-thirds of companies feel access to emergency financial supports and provincial and federal tax relief would be beneficial.
 
Good news: Almost half of leaders in Manitoba’s medium to large sized businesses say they consider COVID-19s impact to be low at this point, and they are focused on maintaining operations well enough to be able to service their customers. But, for the SMEs, financial management is already a major challenge, and they say that cash flow will be their downfall if this situation worsens...


UPDATE - PROVINCE OF MANITOBA
Please note that today's live update from the Province will occur at 1 PM. Very special thanks to Dr. Brent Roussin, Manitoba's chief public health officer, and Lanette Siragusa, provincial lead, health system integration, quality/chief nursing officer for Shared Health, for thorough, authentic
and frequent COVID-19 communications.

The following information is current as of Sunday, March 29:

1) As of Sunday, March 29, public health officials advised the number of lab-confirmed positive and presumptive positive cases in Manitoba is now at 72. Dr. Brent Roussin shared on Friday that Manitoba experienced its first COVID-19 patient death. The Manitoba Chambers of Commerce wishes to express our deepest condolences to the deceased's friends and loved ones in their time of grief.



4) To help Manitobans experiencing mild to moderate anxiety due to COVID-19, the province is partnering with Morneau Shepell to launch an internet-based Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (iCBT) program free of charge to all Manitobans 16 years old and over . 

5) Manitobans can expect an extension of the school closure period according to Education Minister Kelvin Goertzen. Although originally scheduled to re-instate in-class studies on April 13, this looks unlikely. More information to follow this week.

6) Public health officials continue advising all Manitobans, including health-care providers, to cancel or postpone any non-essential travel (international/ within Canada.) There shouldn't be any recreational, tourist, or non-essential personal travel. Anyone who returns from travel, either international or domestic, should self-isolate and self-monitor for symptoms for 14 days following their return. If symptoms develop during 14-day self-isolation or self-monitoring period, Manitobans should contact Health Links-Info Sante to determine if testing for COVID-19 should be considered.

7) Information about flights where a person with a lab-confirmed case of COVID-19 had symptoms at the time of travel is updated as information becomes available at www.gov.mb.ca/covid19/flights.html

8) Fifteen community testing sites are now open throughout the province including six drive-through locations. A referral to these sites is needed and they are not walk-in clinics. Information about sites is available at www.gov.mb.ca/covid19/locations.htm

To access all Manitoba Health, Seniors, and Active Living COVID-19 bulletins:   https://news.gov.mb.ca/news/index.html
UPDATE - TOOLS & RESOURCES FROM MANITOBA LEGAL FIRMS TO SUPPORT YOU

Very special thanks to all Manitoba legal firms producing and making available excellent content to support businesses in this unprecedented time. The links below will take you to their respective resource centres for valuable guidance, topical articles, frequently asked questions, and more.

Thank you to our local heros, BOLD Commerce, for an amazing FREE platform (which their team somehow developed and launched at lightning speed!) to help businesses navigate the COVID-19 disruption.

Buylocal.ly is a free directory to help match shoppers with local restaurants, shops and services that are open, and which enables businesses to share info about how they're accommodating current conditions, (ie, if they have reduced hours, delivery and curbside pick-up options, etc).

Supporting local businesses now means helping secure their future in your community. If you're a small business located anywhere in Manitoba, list yourself for FREE on this platform!
IMPORTANT FEDERAL UPDATES FOR BUSINESS
 
1) The Government of Canada announced Friday that they are i ncreasing the wage subsidy top-up initially launched at 10% to 75% for small to medium businesses . Details such as eligibility and application process are still forthcoming, but this is exactly what the Chamber network has advocated. We believe this will make a substantial difference to SME's ability to keep staff on payroll.

2) The Quarantine Act has been enacted, mandating all international travellers returning to Canada to self-isolate for 14 days. Mandatory isolation will not apply to those deemed to be doing "essential work." Travellers will be barred from using public transit to get to the place where they will be isolating.
 
3) The federal government is extending the maximum duration of the Work-Sharing program from 38 to 76 weeks. The Work-Sharing program is offered to workers who agree to reduce their normal working hours because of developments beyond the control of their employers. This may be a helpful program for Manitoba employers.

4) Innovation Canada's Plan to Mobilize Industry to Fight COVID-19 is seeking manufacturers and producers who are able to deliver on some of our healthcare system's most crucial needs at this time. If your business may be able to pivot and shift production to other essential goods, this may be an opportunity to continue delivering value.
Chuck Davidson, President & CEO
Manitoba Chambers of Commerce
t: 204-948-0107
e: cdavidson@mbchamber.mb.ca