Ontario Accelerates Second Dose Eligibility Ahead of Schedule

With a majority of Ontario adults having received their first dose of the vaccine, providing a strong level of protection from COVID-19, the province is accelerating eligibility to book a second dose appointment as follows:

  • As of June 14, 2021, individuals who received their first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine are eligible to receive a second dose of a COVID-19 vaccine at an interval of eight to 12 weeks, with informed consent.
  • As of June 21, 2021 at 8:00 a.m., all Ontarians who received their first dose of an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine on or before May 9, 2021 will be eligible to book or rebook their second dose appointment at a shortened interval.
  • As of June 23, 2021 at 8:00 a.m., individuals who received their first dose of an mRNA vaccine on or before May 30, 2021 and who live in the catchment area of one of the 10 public health units identified as Delta hot spots will be eligible to book or rebook their second dose appointment at a shortened interval.
  • Starting the week of June 28, 2021 (days / sequence to be confirmed) those aged 18 and over who have received their first dose of an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine will be eligible to book their second dose appointment. The appointment will be scheduled at least 28 days after the first dose, per the recommended interval.

Those eligible to receive an accelerated second dose should schedule their appointment through the provincial booking system and participating pharmacies.


Apply for the Ontario Tourism and Travel
Small Business Support Grant Today!

Applications are closing soon for the Ontario Tourism and Travel Small Business Support Grant, which will provide one-time payments of $10K to $20K to support eligible small businesses in the tourism and travel sector recover from the impact of the pandemic.

Applications close on Friday, June 25, 2021.


New CEBA Application Deadline Extended to June 30!

The CEBA program provides interest-free loans of up to $60,000 to small businesses and not-for-profits. New CEBA applications have been extended to June 30, 2021. This deadline extension applies to any new applications for CEBA loans of $60,000 or to new applications from businesses that have already received the $40,000 loan and intend to apply for the additional $20,000.


For more resources, tools, and savings to help your business
Ottawa SMEs Get Your FREE Rapid Tests Now!

The Ottawa Board of Trade is distributing free rapid test kits to small to medium sized enterprises in Ottawa. Rapid test screening can provide an additional layer of protection for workplaces. Sign up to get yours and help curb the spread of COVID-19 in the workplace and Ottawa, build employee confidence and keep our economy open.


Not an SME? You can still get involved! The Ottawa Board of Trade is looking for more volunteers to help us with our Rapid Screening Initiative.

Supporting Entrepreneurship and SMEs:
A Post-Pandemic Skills and Training Agenda

The Skills for the Post-Pandemic World project, is a collaborative effort from the Ontario Chamber of Commerce, Diversity Institute, the Public Policy Forum, and funded by the Future Skills Centre and Microsoft. This report explores the needs of SMEs and ways to better support them as they strive to recover from the pandemic and prepare for what comes next. Included in the report are a series of recommendations designed to help reduce the skills gaps and labour shortages faced by SMEs while also building a more equitable post-pandemic world.

These recommendations include:

  • Improved human resources strategies and practices
  • Most SMEs cannot afford dedicated human resources staff and, where they have them, they often lack the capacity and expertise needed to balance competing demands of supporting recruitment, advancing upskilling and improving diversity and inclusion. There is an opportunity to leverage shared resources to curate training opportunities, build capacity for advanced human resources and share best practices through networks. 

  • Diversifying the talent pool 
  • This presents another opportunity to develop shared platforms with training and tools to improve access to diverse labour pools and to support skills development and career paths. Ensuring these resources are tailored to the specific experiences and needs of SMEs is essential. 

  • Target setting, benchmarking and assessing impact: 
  • Policymakers need more disaggregated data to assess the experiences of different types of SMEs and the impact of investments in general, and particularly on businesses owned by women and other under-represented groups. 
2021 Run for Women Ottawa
July 4, 2021 to July 11, 2021

The Ottawa Board of Trade is excited to be joining thousands of walkers and runners across Canada in the 2021 Run for Women, brought to you by the LOVE YOU by Shoppers Drug Mart™ program raising help for women’s mental health programs at The Royal Ottawa. 

And we need your help!

The Ottawa Board of Trade invites you to join our team in support of the Royal Ottawa and women's mental health. Complete your run or walk (5km or 10km) any time between July 4 to July 11. Plus receive a race kit with the Run for Women's Legendary Swag Bag. Those interested in joining the OBoT team can use the code RFWIMPACT to save 10% off the registration fee.

Registration deadline Friday June 25, 2021
Are You a FAN of Shopping Local?

FanSaves is a free, easy-to-use platform that helps you take savings and supporting local businesses to a whole new level. Did you know OBoT members get access to EXCLUSIVE savings? Use your unique code to unlock exclusive deals and give your employees full access to all available discounts. Become a fan of the Ottawa Board of Trade and start saving today!

Looking to add your post a deal to FanSaves? It's easy! In a few simple steps, you can begin offering and promoting Exclusive Deals, Public Deals and Flash Deals.
The Digital Needs Assessment (DNA) provides you with an in-depth analysis of your business' digital maturity and helps to identify gaps in your core digital competencies. By investing 30 minutes, you can benefit from a detailed report that analyzes your business against industry-specific benchmarks, and identifies opportunities for digital modernization and evolution.

Look at key digital areas of opportunity in your business like:
  • Operations
  • Customer Experience
  • Products and Services
  • Technology
  • Strategy
  • Interactions and Data Security

By investing 30 minutes, you can benefit from a detailed report that analyzes your business against industry-specific benchmarks, and identifies opportunities for digital modernization and evolution.
Maximize Your Membership
June 21, 2021 | 1:00 PM to 1:30 PM

Maximize Your Membership is back this Monday at 1:00 PM! Join Kassondra Walters, Manager, Membership Experience, as shares the benefits of membership with the Ottawa Board of Trade. Learn more about the work of the Ottawa Board of Trade and how membership can support your business growth.

Register today and learn how you can maximize your membership!
2021 Forty Under 40 Awards
June 23, 2021 | 8:00 PM to 9:00 PM

For two decades the Ottawa Board of Trade and Ottawa Business Journal have been shining a light on young and rising stars in the Ottawa Business Community. Now more than 20 years old, Forty Under 40 is one of the most distinguished and sought-after awards for young business leaders in the National Capital Region.

Join us as we celebrate the 2021 Forty Under 40 recipients! 
Mayor's Breakfast
June 25, 2021 | 7:30 AM to 9:00 AM

Join Mayor Jim Watson, the Ottawa Board of Trade and the Ottawa Business Journal for the last edition of the Mayor's Breakfast series before the fall! VIA Rail Canada, President & CEO, Cynthia Garneau speaks with media personality Mark Sutcliffe about VIA's plans for growth, new projects and how the pandemic affected them.

Zoom networking starts at 7:30AM. Grab a coffee and come say hi!
Promote Your Business| Build Your Brand | Support Your Community
Special Thanks to our Community Partners!