GLOBAL - INNOVATIVE - DISTINCT
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The Town of Halton Hills continues to take proactive, decisive and coordinated action to respond to COVID-19 and to support the local business community
  • Ontario to Require Proof of Vaccination in Select Settings
  • Halton Region's Medical Officer of Health Issues Amended Letter of Instructions for Workplaces 
  • Digital Main Street Program returns to Halton Hills for Fall 2021 
  • Shop Local Campaign Encourages Local Spending  
  • Halton Region’s Annual Employment Survey 
  • Halton Small Business Centre Hosting 5-Week Food Venture Program 
  • Building Back Better Training & Skills Development Series 
  • Free COVID-19 Rapid Screen Kits Available for Local Businesses
  • Culture Days is Back 
  • Halton Hills Economic Development Services & COVID-19 Information 
Ontario to Require Proof of Vaccination in Select Settings
The Ontario government, in consultation with the Chief Medical Officer of Health, will require people to be fully vaccinated and provide proof of their vaccination status to access certain businesses and settings starting September 22, 2021. 

Ontarians will need to be fully vaccinated (two doses plus 14 days) and provide their proof of vaccination along with photo ID. 

In August, Halton Hills Mayor Rick Bonnette expressed his support for a vaccination passport in a letter written to the Prime Minister of Canada, Premier Ford and Ontario Minister of Health Christine Elliott.
Halton Region's Medical Officer of Health Issues Amended Letter of Instructions for Workplaces
Halton Region’s Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Hamidah Meghani, has issued an amended Letter of Instructions to businesses and organizations to support their efforts to protect their staff and customers/patrons from COVID-19, preventing the spread in their workplaces and our community.

New in the amended Instructions are requirements for businesses and organizations with 100 or more workers physically present at the workplace (including those working in the community) to:
  • Establish, implement and ensure compliance with a COVID-19 safety plan
  • Establish, implement and ensure compliance with a COVID-19 workplace vaccination policy
 
The amended Instructions will replace two existing sets of Instructions issued on May 8 and February 12, consolidating the information and making it easier for businesses and organizations to understand and implement these requirements and current Provincial Rules for Step 3.

The amended Instructions outline key public health measures that workplaces must take to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and also provide guidance to workplaces on what to do if one or more of their workers has COVID-19 presenting the potential for a workplace outbreak.

The amended Instructions also provide additional contact tracing measures in certain settings, including the collection and maintenance of customer/patron contact information for places where there is a higher risk of COVID-19 exposure through closer contact or lack of masking.

The amended Instructions are effective Friday, September 10, 2021 at 12:01 a.m.
Digital Main Street Program Returns to Halton Hills for Fall 2021
The Town of Halton Hills has successfully received a second Digital Service Squad (DSS) grant to implement an additional phase of the Digital Main Street program, which will run from September 2021 through February 2022. 
 
The Digital Main Street program is an integral part of the Town’s Economic Recovery and Resiliency Plan to support local businesses. The new iteration of the program will allow more eligible small businesses (including those located outside of BIAs and downtown main streets) to apply for a $2,500 Digital Transformation Grant that can be used towards new websites, software, and hardware.  
 
Halton Hills’ DSS members will assist small businesses in several areas, including developing a “Google My Business” profile, enhancing their social media presence, and providing support for basic website and e-commerce set-up. DSS will also assist eligible small businesses to apply for a Digital Transformation Grant administered through the Ontario Business Improvement Area Association.  
 
Business owners interested in meeting with a DSS Member and/or applying for the Digital Transformation Grant are encouraged to contact DMS@haltonhills.ca
 
The deadline to apply for a Digital Transformation Grant is October 31, 2021. 
Shop Local Campaign Encourages Local Spending
The Town has launched a new and expanded 'Shop Local' campaign in partnership with the Halton Hills Chamber of Commerce, Downtown Georgetown Business Improvement Area and the Downtown Acton Business Improvement Area (BIA) for the annual 'Shop Local' campaign.

This initiative is a key part of the Town’s Economic Recovery and Resiliency Plan as it continues to support the local business community in managing the impacts of COVID. 

The new 'Shop Local' campaign is comprised of several initiatives designed to help raise awareness about the importance of shopping locally and increase spending at local businesses. This includes:  

  • "Explore The Hills" Contest – a weekly scavenger hunt throughout the Town to find gift certificates placed in unique locations. Launching soon on visithaltonhills.ca

  • Print and Digital Ad Campaign – showcasing local businesses, in partnership with the BIAs and the Chamber of Commerce.  

  • Reusable 'Shop Local' tote bags and new window decals – to raise awareness about the importance of shopping locally.  

  • Al Fresco in the Hills Patio Program – to continue to promote establishments with patios throughout Halton Hills.  

  • Social Media Campaign – to inform business-owners and residents about their favourite local businesses and to spotlight them.  
Halton Region's Annual Employment Survey
Halton Region is reaching out to local business owners and operators for updated information on current business and employment activities.  
 
With many businesses impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, business owner input will be especially important for understanding how to plan for economic recovery and future growth in the years to come.  
 
The Halton Region team of Employment Surveyors have been reaching out to local businesses by phone and email since May 2021 and the survey will be open until Thursday, September 30, 2021.  
Halton Small Business Centre Hosting 5-Week Food Venture Program
The Halton Small Business Centre is hosting a 5-week Food Venture Program (FVP) bootcamp for early-stage food entrepreneurs that will feature the following sessions:  
  • Value Proposition/Constraints/Sales Funnel – September 14   
  • Recipe development – September 21   
  • Packaging – September 28   
  • Branding – October 5   
  • Finance – October 12   
  
The program will be available for 20 participants at no charge – intake will be done through an application process. The cost of this program is being covered by new COVID-related funding received from the Province.  
Building Back Better Training & Skills Development Series
The Regional Tourism Organization (RTO3) is offering a free Regional Skills and Training series called “Building Back Better” available to Halton Hills businesses in the tourism sector including retail, hospitality, culinary, farm markets, etc.   
  
The Training Modules will include digitalization, e-commerce, providing a safe and welcoming place for consumers, partnership skills development, buyable offer creation to diversify consumer audiences, recruitment and retention, and mental health and well-being. 
Free COVID-19 Rapid Screen Kits Available for Local Businesses
The Halton Hills Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with the Town of Halton Hills, continues to distribute free rapid self-screening kits for local businesses with up to 150 employees.  
 
The goal of the program is to identify asymptomatic or pre-symptomatic individuals and prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the workplace, at home, and throughout the community.
Culture Days is Back
Celebrate arts, culture and heritage this fall with over 70 activities and events organized in Halton Hills from September 24 to October 24.

Returning with more diverse programming than ever, Culture Days will take you across artistic boundaries and around the world without ever leaving Halton Hills!

Participate outdoors, indoors around Town, and online. Visit haltonhills.ca/culturedays for updates and all the details about how you can get involved.
Halton Hills Economic Development Services
& COVID-19 Information
Halton Hills’ Economic Development, Innovation and Culture division provides a full suite of high-quality services and supports to the business community that in turn foster a prosperous economy and enhance quality of life. These include:
 
  • Financial incentives via the Community Improvement Plan (CIP)
  • Business Retention and Expansion (BR&E) programming
  • Investment attraction, expansion and relocation
  • Business Concierge service
  • Site selection assistance
  • Market research
  • Industry engagement
  • Workforce development
  • Supporting and advancing affordable housing projects and initiatives
  • Amplifying tourism’s economic benefits
  • Leveraging and supporting the arts and culture sector to raise quality of life
 
The Town offers existing and potential businesses a strategic platform for success, proximity to world-class markets, a distinct community with an ideal balance between urban and rural environments, and an outstanding quality of life.
 
As part of an ongoing commitment to engage with and support the local business community, Economic Development staff continue to update the Town’s COVID-19 Business Supports web page.
 
Please contact the Town’s Economic Development staff if you require assistance.
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