May 22, 2020
Notice: The BCEDA COVID19 Bulletin will now be emailed on Monday, Wednesdays & Fridays.
Resources for Businesses
Live Resources for BC Businesses Document
Recently Updated:
- B.C. closes provincial campsites to non-residents this summer
- Indigenous Innovation Initiative will award up to $250K to projects for gender equality
- Safe Stay: Enhanced industry-wide hotel cleaning standards in response to COVID-19
- BC Food & Beverage's Protecting our People PPE Program is now live
- BCRFA Reopening Resources
COVID-19 health and safety: Selecting and using masks
Selecting and using masks
Employers and workers may choose to use masks as part of safe work practices for COVID-19. This information sheet outlines the limitations of masks as a protective measure, and describes how to select and use different types of masks including cloth masks, surgical masks, and disposable respirators.
Designing Effective Barriers
To help prevent the spread of the virus that causes COVID-19, employers must implement measures to reduce the risk of person-to-person transmission. This resource will help you decide when to use barriers in your workplace, and how to design and install barriers that will help keep workers and members of the public safe.
Entry check for visitors
This poster outlines the symptoms of COVID-19, and warns visitors to stay home and away from workplaces if they feel ill.
COVID-19 Safety Plans
Every employer is required to have a COVID-19 safety plan this plan must be posted at the worksite.
Download the Safety Plan Template
Government of Canada announces online tool, "Find financial help during COVID-19" to assist Canadians in accessing financial support
OTTAWA, May 22, 2020 /CNW/ - The Government of Canada is committed to getting benefits into the hands of Canadians impacted by the global COVID-19 pandemic quickly and effectively.
Today, the Honourable Joyce Murray, Minister of Digital Government, announced a web-based benefits finder tool, "Find financial help during COVID-19", on canada.ca/coronavirusbenefits, to help people living in Canada determine which government benefits programs best meet their needs.
"Find financial help during COVID-19" was developed by the Canadian Digital Service, together with partners at Employment and Social Development Canada and the Canada Revenue Agency, and is part of a suite of online tools and resources the government has made available to help Canadians navigate this crisis with confidence.
By answering a few simple questions, individuals will be presented with a personalized list of financial benefits that could be available to them, based on their specific circumstances.
The tool provides individuals with information on federal, provincial and territorial benefits programs available to them, including the just-launched Canada Emergency Student Benefit (CESB), the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB), and the Canada Child Benefit top-up, as well as measures such as mortgage and student loan deferrals. It will be updated as needed as the government continues to support Canadians during this challenging time.
Guided by a set of digital principles, this tool was designed for, and with, Canadians to ensure they can get the accurate and timely information they need, now.
Resources for Economic Developers & Local Leaders
Slides from BCEDA Economic Response & Restart Call, May 21
On yesterday's call we were joined by Becky McCray and Deb Brown from Saveyour.town, to hear about Refilling the Business Pipeline.
On the next call:
Thursday, May 28th at 2:00pm PST
How Airports and Travel will be Changed and Reshaped
Joining us will be:
- Dave Frank, Executive Director, BC Aviation Council
- Chad Munchinsky, Manager, Airport Business Development and Community Relations, Kelowna International Airport
- Serge Corbeil, Director, Government Relations, Local and Provincial, Air Canada
No post-COVID-19 economy recovery without support for municipalities: Saab
By Marco Vigliotti. Published on May 22, 2020
Canada’s post-COVID-19 economy recovery must include significant federal and provincial support for financially hurting municipalities, says the incoming head of the largest advocacy group for local governments.
Carole Saab, who is set to become the new CEO of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) this summer, says local governments provide many necessary frontline services and need financial aid from other orders of government to weather the strain on their coffers from the outbreak.
The pandemic-induced closures of all non-essential businesses and many public spaces have cost municipalities billions in foregone property taxes, utility charges and user fees. But, unlike provincial and federal governments, municipalities are prevented from running an annual deficit. That means, without any outside financial aid, they will need to significantly cut costs to break even.
“[This] is a really critical time right now and that necessitates sort of a very deliberate focus on immediate priorities,” Saab said in an interview on Friday.
“We’ve made it a significant call from senior orders of government for emergency operating funding to ensure that frontline services can continue to go strong and that we can drive the economic recovery that Canadians are counting on for work.”
“There’s going to be no economic recovery without directly supporting municipalities out of our financial crisis and all governments need to come together to work on that right now,” she said.
B.C. providing funding to build new affordable homes
The Government of B.C. is inviting non-profit and Indigenous housing societies, First Nations, housing co-operatives and municipalities to propose new affordable housing projects for the second intake of the Building BC: Community Housing Fund.
Announced in 2018 as part of the Province’s 10-year, $7-billion housing plan, the Community Housing Fund is an investment of $1.9 billion to build more than 14,000 mixed-income rental homes for middle- and low-income families and individuals. In less than two years, more than 5,200 homes have been completed, are under construction or in development through this program in more than 40 communities.
The Province, through BC Housing, is opening the next Request for Proposals (RFP) for the Community Housing Fund. This RFP is the next step forward in the Province‘s 10-year plan and will fund approximately 3,000 new affordable homes.
“During these extraordinary times, it is clearer than ever that safe, secure and affordable housing is critical for all British Columbians,” said Selina Robinson, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing. “These new projects will deliver urgently needed rental homes for people, while also creating good jobs and supporting B.C.’s economic recovery.”
The Community Housing Fund supports mixed-income buildings where 20% of the units are for households with very low incomes (including those on income assistance), 50% of the units are for households with incomes up to $64,000 and 30% of the units are for households with incomes up to approximately $74,000.
Organizations are invited to submit project proposals to BC Housing beginning on May 27, 2020. The RFP will remain open until mid-January 2021; however, organizations are encouraged to apply early as an initial round of projects will be approved in fall 2020.
Funding is available to groups that applied for the first round of funding though the Community Housing Fund and to those who have applied for other Building BC funds. All Building BC funding programs are open to First Nations.
Delivering affordable housing is a shared priority between government and the BC Green Party caucus, and is part of the Confidence and Supply Agreement.
What BC Communities Are Doing
Tourism program helps Island businesses navigate pandemic
New supportive housing project for Kelowna’s homeless skips usual rezoning process
Qualicum Beach council notes: developments, using street space for businesses and more
Prince Rupert Community Futures and City's Economic Development Office Launch Business Recovery HelpLine
‘Full recovery will take up to three years’: Kelowna International Airport
Community events in small towns happen thanks to volunteer spirit
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