Have a great weekend and remember to STAY HOME!
There will be no further updates until Monday unless something important changes!
MOST UP TO DATE PEI COVID-19 INFORMATION
OPEN - Essential business list for
Kensington & Area
available HERE

(send additional information HERE )
This morning, the Kensington and Area Chamber of Commerce and the Greater Summerside Chamber of Commerce, co-hosted a conversation with Hon Wayne Easter and Hon. Bobby Morrissey. The discussion covered the latest supports available from the Federal Government for Canadian businesses during COVID-19.

We are proud to be your voice for business and we compiled your questions and concerns and continue to share them with the MP's. We have recorded this session for all our members to have as a resource. Stay tuned for the next one!

Any questions that were not answered during this webinar, will be answered and shared. Please continue to share with us any issues or questions you have. We want to hear any gaps you are experiencing. Email HERE or call 902-836-3209
PEI UPDATES

  • The Prince Edward Island Fishermen's Association is taking a vote among its members on whether to delay the opening of lobster season to either May 6 or May 13. 

  • P.E.I. Premier Dennis King says lobster fishermen are being asked to make an impossible choice and Ottawa needs to step up and support them.

  • No new cases of COVID-19 announced today.
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau,  today announced new actions  to protect Canadian jobs and provide more support to businesses and organizations dealing with the economic impacts of COVID-19. The Government of Canada will provide over $1.7 billion for targeted measures, including:

  •  $675 million to give financing support to small and medium-sized businesses that are unable to access the government’s existing COVID-19 support measures, through Canada’s Regional Development Agencies.

  • $287 million to support rural businesses and communities, including by providing them with much-needed access to capital through the Community Futures Network.

  • $500 million to establish a COVID-19 Emergency Support Fund for Cultural, Heritage and Sport Organizations to help address the financial needs of affected organizations within these sectors so they can continue to support artists and athletes. This measure is consistent with the government’s other existing COVID-19 support measures for wages and fixed costs for organizations.

  • $250 million to assist innovative, early-stage companies that are unable to access existing COVID-19 business support, through the National Research Council of Canada’s Industrial Research Assistance Program.

  • $20.1 million in support for Futurpreneur Canada to continue to support young entrepreneurs across Canada who are facing challenges due to COVID-19. The funding will allow Futurpreneur Canada to provide payment relief for its clients for up to 12 months.

The government is also announcing new measures to help retain and create approximately 10,000 well-paying jobs in the energy sector . To support Canadians working in this sector, the Government of Canada will:

  • provide up to $1.72 billion, including funding to the governments of Alberta, Saskatchewan, and British Columbia, and the Alberta Orphan Well Association, to clean up orphan and/or inactive oil and gas wells – creating thousands of jobs and having lasting environmental benefits.

  • provide up to $750 million to create a new proposed Emissions Reduction Fund to reduce emissions in Canada’s oil and gas sector, with a focus on methane. This fund will provide primarily repayable contributions to conventional and offshore oil and gas firms to support their investments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Of this amount, $75 million will be allocated to the offshore sector.

  • expand eligibility for the new Business Credit Availability Program announced on March 13, 2020, to help Canadian businesses get the financing they need during this period of uncertainty. The support will be available to medium-sized businesses with larger financing needs, beginning with companies in Canada’s energy sector, to help them maintain operations and keep their employees on the job.
Participate in the Largest Business Conditions Survey in Canada
Be sure to share with your members, the invitation to participate in the largest business conditions survey in Canadian history delivered by the Canadian Chamber and Statistics Canada. Help inform our advocacy efforts and activities to support business, encourage your members to complete the  Canadian Survey on Business Conditions (CSBC)