The Listowel BIA
e-Newsletter
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Yesterday's announcement was not welcome news and not how we hoped to start 2022. We know that small and medium size businesses continue to struggle and this announcement is extremely difficult. We will continue to monitor government announcements and will provide updates as they are available.
This newsletter provides covid updates, a wrap up of our 2021 holiday season, and workshop details that might be of interest to you. Our coordinator is working from her home office but is available via email at lschaefer@northperth.ca, by phone at 519-444-8233 and by appointment. Please reach out to us if you have any questions, comments, or need assistance.
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Covid Announcements
Modified Step Two Effective January 5, 2022
Ontario is temporarily moving back into a modified Step Two of its Roadmap to Reopen. These time-limited measures should help blunt transmission and prevent hospitals from becoming overwhelmed as the province continues to accelerate its booster dose rollout.
Effective tomorrow, Wednesday, January 5, 2022, at 12:01 a.m. to January 26, 2022, (21 days) the following restrictions are in place:
- Social gathering limited to five people indoors and 10 people outdoors.
- Organized public events to five people indoors.
- Employers must allow workers to be remote unless the nature of their work requires them to be on-site.
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Public school students will pivot to remote learning until at least January 17th with free emergency child care planned for school-aged children of health care and other eligible frontline workers.
- Indoor sport and recreational fitness facilities including gyms closed. Outdoor facilities are permitted to operate at 50% occupancy.
- Retail settings, including shopping malls, permitted at 50% capacity while maintaining 2 meter physical distance. No loitering or food courts.
- Indoor dining at restaurants and bars will be closed.
- Outdoor dining with restrictions, takeout, drive through and delivery is permitted. Alcohol sales restricted after 10 p.m. Alcohol must be consumed by 11 p.m. Alcohol delivery and takeout, grocery/convenience stores and other liquor stores exempted.
- Personal care services permitted at 50% capacity and other restrictions. Saunas, steam rooms, and oxygen bars closed.
- Indoor weddings, funerals, and religious services limit to 50% capacity of the particular room. Outdoor services limited to maintain 2 metres of physical distance. Social gatherings associated with these services must adhere to the social gathering limits.
- Indoor concert venues, theatres, cinemas closed, rehearsals and recorded performances permitted with restrictions.
- Indoor meeting and event spaces closed with limited exceptions but permitting outdoor spaces to remain open with restrictions.
- Indoor museums, galleries, science centres, historic sites, amusement parks, tour and guide services and festivals closed. Outdoor establishments permitted to open with spectator occupancy limited to 50%.
- Public libraries limited to 50% capacity.
- Indoor horse and car racing tracks closed. Outdoor establishments permitted to open with spectator occupancy limited to 50%. Boat tours permitted at 50%.
Financial Supports
Financial support programs currently in place for Ontario businesses include:
Important Ministry of Labour Reminder For Businesses
The following information is what all Business need to have in place while operating to ensure compliance with Reopening of Ontario Act (ROA).
- All Business must actively screen their employees/independent contractors/renters;
- Have a safety plan completed and posted in a conspicuous spot;
- Capacity signs posted (unless otherwise not required due to proof of vaccination);
- Mask signs, and signs and symptoms posted for customers to see and screen themselves.
- Eye protection as well if within 2 meters of an unmasked person (ie. Waitress)
Provided below are direct links for screening, a safety plan and posters to help everyone.
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Screening of your employee/independent contractor. CLICK HERE.
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COVID-19 Workplace Safety Plan (must be completed, employee(s) made aware and posted for the public to see). Businesses that do not have a safety plan are at risk for large fines. CLICK HERE.
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General Information you need to know when providing services. CLICK HERE.
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To see specific rules for businesses, please CLICK HERE.
Posters for Businesses
Ontario Extending COVID-19 Paid Sick Days until July 31, 2022
Extending the COVID-19 paid leave program will help more workers take time off to get their booster shots and help more parents take time to get their children vaccinated. To date, the program has helped over 235,000 people stay safe without worrying about losing pay. The average number of days being claimed per employee is two. To support employers, Ontario will continue reimbursing them for providing this support to their workers.
Vaccine Certificate QR Code Now Required to Access Certain Businesses and Organizations
As of today, January 4, 2022, Ontarians will now be required to use their enhanced vaccine certificate with a QR code to access certain businesses and organizations where proof of vaccination is already required. Vaccine receipts without a QR code will no longer be accepted as valid proof of vaccination.
Businesses will be required to use the Verify Ontario app to scan the codes and confirm a person’s vaccination status. For more information, please visit HERE.
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The 2021 Holiday Wrap Up!
Thank you to all of our businesses that participated in our programs this holiday season. Our holiday season started November 12 and wrapped up December 24. Highlights include:
- Decorating Listowel starting November 12
- Deck the Halls Open House from November 25-27
- Sponsoring the Chamber Parade with the loan of our decorations and advertising
- Winter Selfie Contest starting November 25. This program is still running!
- Resident Decorating Contest in December
- Buisness Decorating Contest in December. See below for our winners
- Holiday Book of Savings with the Listowel Banner
- Radio ads on the Ranch and Blackburn Radio
- Regular social media posts on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook
- Updates to our website on our holiday plans and winners
We were happy to find safe and fun ways to promote our businesses and provide some programs for our community!
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2021 Business Decorating Contest Winners!
Thank you to all of our businesses that helped transform the town by decorating your storefront and windows for the holiday season! As in past years, our community voted on Facebook and the top ten were judged. The best overall decorated business received $500 in shop local dollars as well as being in the Banner, our webiste and social media. They are also on our website. Our Viewers Choice Winner received $100 in shop dollars as well as what our overall winner won. Congrations to both! Our Viewers Choice winner is Sleep Culture and our Overall Winner this year was Van Allen Insurance. We can't wait to see what you all come up with next year!
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2021 Resident Decorating Contest
We just wanted to share our overall resident winner this year for the decorating contest. You can see all the entries of both the resident and business decorating contest on our website at www.discoverlistowel.com
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New Workshop Alert
Meditation and Mindfulness for the Small Business Owner
This online workshop is an introduction to the practical application of mindfulness designed exclusively for entrepreneurs, for the Stratford Perth Centre For Business by acclaimed mindfulness consultant, Mike Masse.
The workshop will demonstrate how to create and maintain a formal and informal practice of self-care in your daily life as an entrepreneur.
While at work.
While at home.
While in the back room wondering how you'll banish the overwhelm.
This workshop will help you create the ability to respond to stress in a healthier way.
Throughout the workshop, they will explore how to execute these proven techniques in a high-stress and intense work environment, with the intent to create a focus on self-care and emotional wellbeing. They will also explore the importance of self-compassion and how one can use mindful strategies to help deepen resilience while running a business in 2022.
*BONUS - This workshop also includes a 4-week self-guided course on mindfulness for entrepreneurs as part of your registration.
Date: January 18, 2022
Time: 7:00 pm EST - 8:30 pm EST
Cost: FREE
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Upcoming Board Meeting!
Our next Board Meeting will be held on January 12, 2022. All are welcome. If you are interested in joining the Board or attending the meeting, email us HERE.
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Please reach out to us if you have any questions, comments, or require assistance. We will continue to promote supporting local during this time through various channels including social media, radio and print.
You can reach Lisa Schaefer, Coordinator, by email at lschaefer@northperth.ca or by phone at 519-444-8233.
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©Municipality of North Perth, 330 Wallace Ave. N., Listowel ON N4W 1L3
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