The Listowel BIA
e-Newsletter
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As 2020 closes, we reflect on all that has transpired this year. While not the year we had planned or hoped for, we thank you for being a part of our journey. We wish you all the best and look forward to working with you and supporting you in 2021.
Below you will find updates on the Provincial Shutdown scheduled to begin on December 26 as well as various business supports.
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Yesterday, the Premier announced that a Provincewide Shutdown will begin at 12:01am on December 26th. This shutdown will last 28 days for southern Ontario and 14 days in northern Ontario.
Huron Perth Public Health has outlined measures for Restaurants, Bars and Food or Drinks Establishments, Retail, Sports and Recreational Fitness Facilities, Meeting and Event Spaces, and Personal Care Services and has shared it with us below.
In addition to measures already in place, the following will now apply:
Restaurants, Bars and Food or Drinks Establishments
- Take out, drive through and delivery permitted only
Retail
- Supermarkets, convenience stores, indoor farmer’s markets and other stores that primarily sell food & Pharmacies:
- Open for in-person retail, subject to:
- Members of the public being able to maintain two metres physical distance from every other person in the business or facility
- The number of persons occupying any room that is open to the public does not exceed 50% capacity of the particular room
- Curbside pick-up and delivery permitted
- Discount and big box retailers:
- Discount and big box retailers that engage in retail sales to the public and meet the following conditions:
- Sell groceries to the public
- Limit the number of persons occupying any room that is open to the public in the business to not exceed 25% capacity of the particular room
- Curbside pick-up and delivery permitted
- Safety supply stores, businesses that sell, rent or repair assistive/mobility/medical devices, and optical stores that sell prescription eyewear to the public:
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By appointment only
- Curbside pick-up and delivery permitted
- Stores that sell liquor, including beer, wine and spirits:
- Limit the number of persons occupying any room that is open to the public in the business does not exceed 25% of the particular room
- Curbside pick-up and delivery permitted
- Garden centres:
- Curbside pick-up and delivery permitted
- Motor vehicle sales
- Includes cars, trucks and motorcycles; recreational vehicles including motor homes; trailers and travel trailers; boats and other watercraft; and other motorized vehicles, including power-assisted bicycles, golf carts, scooters, snowmobiles and all-terrain vehicles
- By appointment only
- Members of the public must not be permitted where products are neither sold nor displayed for sale
- Subject to certain conditions related to test drives
- Outdoor markets
- Includes farmer’s markets and holiday markets only if they primarily sell food to the public
- Must require members of the public to remain outdoors at all times, including for curbside pick-up or delivery
- General Retail (all other retail, including hardware stores, pet food, computer stores, etc.):
- Curbside pick-up or delivery only (in-person retail shopping not permitted)
- Sales must be exclusively made so patrons are not required to enter the indoor area of the business, including curbside pick-up or delivery
Sports and Recreational Fitness
- Closure of all indoor and outdoor sports and recreational fitness facilities except for:
- Facilities operated or for the sole use of high performance athletes , including parasport athletes, and specified professional leagues (e.g., NHL, CFL, MLS, NBA) and
- Facilities opened solely for specified purposes (e.g. child care)
- Community centres and multi-purpose facilities (e.g., YMCA) allowed to be open for permitted activities (e.g., child care services, mental health and addiction support services [limited to 10 people maximum], social services)
- A permitted outdoor recreational amenity may only open if:
- Any person who enters or uses the amenity maintains a physical distance of at least two metres from other person using the amenity (excluding members of the same household)
- Team sports, or other sports or games where people may come within two metres of each other, are not practiced or played within the amenity
- Any locker rooms, change rooms, showers and clubhouses remain closed, except to the extent they provide access to equipment storage, a washroom or a portion of the amenity that is used to provide first aid
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All subject to conditions
Meeting and Event Spaces
- Only permitted to open for
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The operation of child care centres and authorized recreational and skill building programs within the meaning of the Child Care and Early Years Act, 2014
- Court services
- Government services
- Mental health and addictions support services (e.g., Alcoholics Anonymous) permitted to a maximum of 10 people
- Social services
Personal Care Services
More Information on Provincewide Shutdown
You can find more detailed information about how this shutdown impacts businesses HERE or by calling the Stop the Spread Information Line at 1-888-444-3659. The Stop the Spread Info Line is available to provide support to businesses who have questions about the recent provincial shutdown.
Supports for Businesses
The Provincial Government is launching a new grant program to support small businesses, called the Ontario Small Business Support Grant. Through this grant, small businesses that are required to close or restrict services under the Provincewide Shutdown will be able to apply for this one-time grant of $10,000 - $20,000. Eligible small businesses include those that:
- Are required to close or significantly restrict services subject to the Provincewide Shutdown effective 12:01 a.m. on December 26, 2020;
- Have less than 100 employees at the enterprise level; and
- Have experienced a minimum of 20 per cent revenue decline in April 2020 compared to April 2019.
For businesses that were not in operation in April 2019 or April 2020, eligibility criteria will be announced in January 2021. Further details about the Ontario Small Business Support Grant will be announced in January 2021.
Here are some of the other government funding supports that your business may be eligible for:
Restaurant Specific Support
Ontario Caps Food Delivery Fees to Protect Small Businesses
The Supporting Local Restaurants Act, 2020 came into effect on December 19. Food delivery companies will be required to limit the rates they charge to 20% for each transaction — with no more than 15% for commission for food delivery services. The cap applies in areas where indoor dining is prohibited, to help restaurants stay in business and continue contributing to their communities. If indoor dining is prohibited in new regions, the cap will also apply in those locations.
To support this change, the government will:
- Provide food delivery company employees or contractors who perform delivery services with protection that their compensation will not be reduced in response to these changes.
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Enable restaurants and food delivery company employees or contractors to file online complaints if they are charged fees that exceed the cap or if their compensation or payments are reduced.
- Impose fines of up to $10 million to food delivery service companies that do not comply with the law.
You can read more about this HERE.
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Municipality of North Perth Supports
Shop Local North Perth is an e-commerce marketplace hosted by the Municipality of North Perth with the purpose of supplying an online platform to support and connect North Perth businesses with buyers. If you are a North Perth business or organization and have a product or service to offer for a set price, you can join this marketplace. For more information or to register, email contact@shoplocalnorthperth.ca or check out the media release HERE.
North Perth also has a website listing for businesses to let customers know of hours, services, and general operations during this time. Email Kim Kowch to add or update your business information to the North Perth Eats and Open for Business North Perth pages on the Municipality of North Perth website.
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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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© Office of the Municipality of North Perth, 330 Wallace Ave. N., Listowel ON N4W 1L3
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