Good afternoon,
The Canadian Chamber of Commerce has established the Canadian Business Resilience Network (CBRN) in partnership with the Government of Canada to help the business community prepare, persevere and, ultimately, prosper in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The CBRN is a coordinated, business-led, inclusive campaign that will focus on providing businesses the tools they need to mitigate the impact of the pandemic on them, our economy and communities across the country. Its goal is also to help businesses emerge from this crisis and drive Canada’s economic recovery.
As a reminder I mentioned on Friday that we will no longer be publishing daily COVID-19 updates unless there is critical news to share. We plan to send our next update on Thursday unless there are important announcements made on Tuesday or Wednesday.
On Friday, I spoke with federal Small Business and ACOA minister Mélanie Joly to provide your feedback on the state of the local economy, the federal support programs announced to date and the gaps that remain. High on our list were expanding eligibility for programs – particularly the 75% wage subsidy and the Canada Emergency Response Benefit, getting financial support sooner to deal with cash flow issues and pushing for information on application details. Minister Joly offered to have an electronic conversation with our members – we will arrange details with her office in the next few days.
The CBRN will:
- Provide tools and supports to businesses in their continuity efforts – from development to implementation.
- Provide a consistent and reliable flow of accurate and up-to-date information.
- Information sharing and awareness building initiatives, including newsletters and webinars.
- Analysis and reporting on business, industry and economic trends across the country to see what is working and where gaps might exist.
- Work closely with federal government and within the business community to ensure the right supports are in place, and to be a conduit for information from the government to the private sector (and vice versa).
I encourage you to visit the campaign’s informative website that serves as a central hub for credible information, the latest news and insights, tools and resources and as a platform for engaging businesses.
As part of this effort in order to make this resource and future government support the most informed it can be, the Canadian chamber has partnered with Statistics Canada for the Canadian Survey on Business Conditions (CSBC) to gain a better understanding of current local conditions. The survey closes 10 April 2020. We encourage you to respond to the survey.
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Thank you to Fredericton Member of Parliament Jenica Atwin for sending a warm letter of support and encouragement to the Fredericton-area business community. MP Atwin’s letter can be found here on our website.
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If you have stopped working because of COVID-19, the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) is now open for applications and may provide you with temporary income support. The CERB provides $500 a week for up to 16 weeks.
Today Prime Minister Trudeau announced that government will be expanding the CERB in the coming days to be available to those that:
- have had their employment reduced to 10 hours per week or less. Previously only those that lost all of their income were eligible
- Are working but making less than they would receiving CERB
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Opportunities NB has published a guide to provincial and federal COVID-19 relief programs.
WorkSafeNB has updated their COVID-19 FAQ section to include guidance for employers if an employee tests positive for COVID-19.
The Retail Council of Canada provides a few tips that everyone should follow to ensure that we all stay safe while shopping at the grocery or the drug store in this video.
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The Fredericton Chamber of Commerce’s Open, Operational and/or Offering help business directory is live. We are asking all local businesses that are open, operational and/or offering help to fill out this brief form to help us populate the page. And please continue to share, share, share so our community knows the services available!
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You are receiving this message because you are on our email list. If you know other individuals or organizations that could benefit from our information, ask them to join our mailing list here. Of course, all daily emails are also available on our website by clicking here we are continuing to share them on our social media vehicles (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram).
We also still want to hear how the COVID-19 Crisis is affecting your business and any specific ways that the government can support you at this time. Contact either myself or our Policy & Research Manager, Morgan Peters to share information or ask questions.
kristar@frederictonchamber.ca / (506) 461-5165
advocacy@frederictonchamber.ca / (506) 470-5593
Sincerely,
Krista Ross, CEO, Fredericton Chamber of Commerce