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NEW POSTING(S)
Sept. 8, 2020 NEWS RELEASE: Joint statement on B.C.’s COVID-19 response, latest updates.“Liquor sales in all bars, pubs and restaurants must cease at 10 p.m. and they must close at 11 p.m., unless providing a full meal service, in which case they may stay open, but may not serve liquor until 11 a.m. the following day.
“Music or other background sounds, such as from televisions in bars, lounges, pubs and restaurants, must be no louder than the volume of normal conversation.
SMALL BUSINESSES — APPLY FOR A RELIEF GRANTApplications opened AUGUST 31, 2020 at 10am PST (1pm EST)
Canada United is offering small business relief grants of up to $5,000 to help small Canadian businesses with recovery efforts as a result of COVID-19. Funds can be used to reimburse costs for PPE, renovations, or e-commerce capabilities.
To learn more about this program, visit the Small Business Relief Fund website.
To determine if you’re eligible to apply for a relief grant view the Application Guidelines and Pre-Application Check List
BC APPLICANTS - SUBMIT HERE
BC COVID-19 DASHBOARD
GOVERNMENT OF BC:
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GOVERNMENT OF CANADA:
BUSINESS RESTART GUIDE - CLICK HERE TO VIEW / DOWNLOAD
Guide Updated as WorksafeBC has added Accommodation, Motion Picture and television production, Sports and recreation , Performing Arts and Faith Based Organizations to Phases 2 & 3 in the industry specific guidelines listing.
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HEALTH & SAFETY
BC COVID-19 DASHBOARD
August 21, 2020 NEWS RELEASE: Province introduces new measures to enforce COVID-19 public safety
Police and other provincial enforcement officers are being given the ability to issue $2,000 violation tickets for owners or organizers contravening the provincial health officer’s (PHO) order on gatherings and events.
They will also be able to issue $200 violation tickets to individuals not following the direction of police or enforcement staff at events or who refuse to comply with requests to follow PHO orders or safe operating procedures, or respond with abusive behaviour.
Effective immediately, these new measures are enacted under the provincial state of emergency, using the extraordinary powers of the Emergency Program Act (EPA) in ongoing support of B.C.’s COVID-19 response and Restart Plan.
- Operating a business in the Fraser Health Authority during the COVID-19 pandemic VIEW LETTER
Get the latest information from the Public Health Agency of Canada about COVID-19
BC CENTRE FOR DISEASE CONTROL
Managing COVID-19 Stress, Anxiety & Depression
Hand Sanitizer Recall
RCMP in BC - FRAUD ALERT LINK
CRIME STOPPERS - Business Closures, Securing your premises
WORKSAFE BC
WorkSafeBC releases industry-specific guidance for next phase of restartCOVID-19 and returning to safe operation - Phase 2
Re: COVID-19: Support for workplaces resuming operation VIEW LETTER - LINK to Additional Information
COVID-19 PROVINCIAL AND FEDERAL BENEFITS, SUPPORTS AND INFORMATION
BC's RESTART PLAN
NEWS RELEASE (June 24, 2020): B.C. begins next phase of restart plan (phase 3).
COVID-19 PROVINCIAL AND FEDERAL BENEFITS
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Support for Individuals
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Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) August 20, 2020 NEWS RELEASE CERB extended another 4 weeks / Introduction of 3 new benefit programs to take the place of the CERB once it expires: the Canada Recovery Benefit, the Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit, and the Canada Recovery Caregiving Benefit. (The new benefit programs require legislative approval). / Announced June 16, 2020. CERB extended by 8 weeks. (You can also apply over the phone: 1‑800‑959‑2019 or 1‑800‑959‑2041)
- B.C Emergency Benefit for Workers (You can apply by telephone. This option is for people who don’t have internet access or have other accessibility needs. We anticipate high call volumes and strongly recommend applying online if you can. Call us Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 4:30pm: 1-855-955-3545 (within BC only) 1-778-309-4630 (outside B.C.)
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Support for Businesses
August 5, 2020: Applying for temporary layoff extensions reminder.
*** AUGUST 25 DEADLINE *** to apply for Temporary Layoff Variance. Workers and employers who need to extend temporary layoffs beyond the Aug. 30, 2020 expiry date are reminded to apply for a variance using the Employment Standards Branch's new online application by Aug. 25.
NEWS RELEASE (June 25, 2020): Temporary layoff provisions for workers, employers extended.
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10% Temporary Wage Subsidy The 10% Temporary Wage Subsidy for Employers is a three-month measure that will allow eligible employers to reduce the amount of payroll deductions required to be remitted to the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA). Note: The Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy, which provides a 75% wage subsidy to eligible employers for up to 12 weeks, is a separate program. For more information on that program, see below.
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Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS) (July 13, 2020): CEWS Extended to December / NEWS RELEASE (July 17, 2020) Government Of Canada Rolls Out Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS) Improvement Details: On July 20th the proposed extension with improvements was passed in the House. Some of the changes include:
- extension of the CEWS until December 19, 2020.
- Make the subsidy accessible to a broader range of employers by including employers with a revenue decline of less than 30% and providing a gradually decreasing base subsidy to all qualifying employers.
- Introduce a top-up subsidy of up to an additional 25% for employers that have been most adversely affected by the pandemic.
- Provide certainty to employers that have already made business decisions for July and August by ensuring they would not receive a subsidy rate lower than they would have had under the previous rules.
- Address certain technical issues identified by stakeholders
Frequently asked questions - Canada emergency wage subsidy (CEWS):
The Canada Revenue Agency has published a helpful FAQ document intended to provide more in-depth technical information on the most commonly anticipated technical questions from businesses and tax professionals.- Work Sharing Program - COVID-19 Work-Sharing (WS) is a program that helps employers and employees avoid layoffs when there is a temporary decrease in business activity beyond the control of the employer. The program provides Employment Insurance (EI) benefits to eligible employees who agree to reduce their normal working hours and share the available work while their employer recovers. Work-Sharing is an agreement between employers, employees and the Government of Canada.
- Canada Emergency Business Account (CEBA) August 31, 2020 NEWS RELEASE: Government announces greater flexibility and extension of Canada Emergency Business Account.
The application deadline for the Canada Emergency Business Account (CEBA) is extended from August 31 to October 31, 2020.
The government is working closely with financial institutions to make the CEBA program available to those with qualifying payroll or non-deferrable expenses that have so far been unable to apply due to not operating from a business banking account. Further details on these changes will be released in coming days, including a new business account opening process through which qualifying businesses will be able to apply.
The Deputy Prime Minister is also announcing that the Business Credit Availability Program (BCAP) is extended to June 2021. Through BCAP, the government is supporting the flow of additional credit that businesses need to maintain operations and keep employees on the payroll. Export Development Canada (EDC) and the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) will continue to work with lenders to support access to capital for Canadian businesses of all sizes in all sectors and regions.
NEWS RELEASE (June 15, 2020): Access for more small businesses. To ensure that small businesses have access to the capital they need to see them through the current challenges, the Government of Canada has launched the new Canada Emergency Business Account, which has been implemented by eligible financial institutions in cooperation with Export Development Canada (EDC). This $25 billion program provides interest-free loans of up to $40,000 to small businesses and not-for-profits, to help cover their operating costs during a period where their revenues have been temporarily reduced, due to the economic impacts of the COVID-19 virus. This will better position them to quickly return to providing services to their communities and creating employment. Repaying the balance of the loan on or before December 31, 2022 will result in loan forgiveness of 25 percent (up to $10,000). NEWS RELEASE (May 19, 2020): Expansion of Support for Workers and Small Businesses. Some expanded eligibility criteria for the CEBA loan program to allow more sole proprietors and businesses with contract workers into the program. This includes family-owned corporartions that pay employees through dividends rather than payroll.
- Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance (CECRA) NEWS RELEASE (June 30, 2020): Extension. Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance (CECRA) for small businesses provides much needed relief for small businesses experiencing financial hardship due to COVID-19. It offers forgivable loans to eligible commercial property owners so that they can reduce the rent owed by their impacted small business tenants by at least 75% for the months of April, May and June, 2020.
COVID-19 PROVINCIAL SUPPORT AND INFORMATION
BC ESSENTIAL SERVICES
B.C. taking further action to support essential service providers during pandemic
SUPPORT LOCAL
COUPONS - Please click here to find valuable coupons for different Downtown Maple Ridge businesses. Print the coupon of your choice and experience Downtown Maple Ridge at a discount! All coupons expire September 30, 2020 and a copy of the coupon is required to receive your special BIA deal. PICK-UP PICNIC - Participating downtown restaurants have your meals covered for all your summer adventures!
August 1st to September 30th
How the Program WorksIn response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we have created a website to allow customers to purchase gift certificates for local, independent businesses in British Columbia. This helps us support our community, encourage social distancing, and will allow businesses to maintain some cash flow while we tackle this incredibly difficult situation.
How the Gift Certificate Process Works
The buyer gets an order confirmation email which has a unique order number and also serves as their gift certificate. This includes the business name and the amount. The buyer will print it off and bring it to you (once we're in the clear from the pandemic). On the back end, you will have access to our business portal powered by Duoplane to manage and redeem gift certificates in real-time. You do not need to issue your own gift certificates. It would be best to keep track of the balance for partially redeemed gift certificate through the business portal. We use a service called WayPay to send weekly direct deposit payments for the gift certificates sold in the previous seven days. Please note: There is no charge to your business - you will receive the full value of the gift certificates purchased.
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Have you had a particularly great experience with a local business lately? Maybe a menu item was particularly tasty
at a restaurant, maybe a local grocery store went above and beyond to make sure you felt safe shopping in their store, or maybe a local vendor made a curbside pickup exceptionally convenient? Whatever the case may be, here’s your chance to give them a shout out. Just make a post describing your good experience and use the hashtag #shoutoutMapleRidge and we’ll share your experience on our Facebook page. Don’t forget to include the business’ name and website.
Have you purchased exceptional produce from a local farmer? Did you have a great take-out experience from a local restaurant? Maybe you used one of the many curb-side product pickups that businesses have been offering and were impressed with the level of service you received. We want to share photos and stories of creative ways that resident’s have been accessing their favourite restaurants, services, and goods. These submissions will be shared to drive business and strengthen the local business community during a time when it needs it .Are you a business owner that would like to be highlight what your business is doing during this time to stay open,or if you are a resident that would like to submit a photo and brief description of a positive Shop Local Pitt Meadows story, send to ertf@pittmeadows.ca and have your business and/or experience featured on The City of Pitt Meadows social media channels and webpage.
CITY OF MAPLE RIDGE
CITY OF PITT MEADOWS
CANADIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
CANADIAN CHAMBER: Preparedness, not panic, is the best way to mitigate the risks posed by a COVID-19 pandemic to the Canadian economy and our citizens” - The Canadian Chamber of Commerce:
COVID-19 Pandemic Preparedness for Business
CBRN.ca (Canadian Business Resilience Network)
BC CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
GROUP INSURANCE PLAN PARTNER - AVANTI PLANNING
Have questions about your current extended health plan or how to make an extended health plan work for you during this time?
Visit our website or give us a call at 604-463-8151 we’d be happy to help!
AVANTI PLANNING
MAPLE RIDGE PITT MEADOWS NEWS - CORONAVIRUS
MAPLE RIDGE PITT MEADOWS NEWS - CORONAVIRUS
The Maple Ridge - Pitt Meadows News is happy to work with local businesses in their COVID-19 marketing and advertising plans whenever they are ready. We have developed an extensive Communication Strategy Plan for you during these trying times on both offline and online platforms, and we are happy to present it whenever you are ready to discuss via Zoom. As a local business and employer we understand the unprecedented times we are all having to navigate. Let us help you, we’re ready when you’re ready - contact Lisa Craik at 604-476-2728 or email her at lisa.craik@mapleridgenews.com for further details.
SMALL BUSINESS BC (COVID-19 Support Service > Web: covid.smallbusinessbc.ca, Phone: 1-833-254-4357, Email: covid@smallbusinessbc.ca)
BCEDA (BC ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION)
MARC DALTON, MP - PITT MEADOWS, MAPLE RIDGE
BOB D'EITH, MLA - MAPLE RIDGE, MISSION
bobdeith.ca
604-476-4530 (leave message)
bob.deith.mla@leg.bc.ca
BUSINESS SUPPORTS document
Provided by the office of Maple Ridge – Mission MLA, Bob D’Eith. We know that businesses in BC are hurting due to this pandemic. MLA D’Eith is committed to helping support businesses in Maple Ridge during this extraordinary time. If you would like more information on these supports, or a chance to discuss particular concerns with MLA D’Eith please reach us at 604 476 4530 (it’s very important to leave a message) or at bob.deith.mla@leg.bc.ca.
SURVEYS
We encourage participation in active surveys as these are important opportunities to provide your feedback that will assist the government in making informed decisions.
Statistics Canada and the Canadian Chamber of Commerce collaborated to launch the Canadian Survey on Business Conditions. Click Here to view the results.
"Pulse Check" Survey 4 - Closed July 14th. LINK TO VANCOUVER SUN ARTICLE, July 16, 2020
"Pulse Check" Survey 3 - Closed May 15th. LINK TO VANCOUVER SUN ARTICLE, May 22, 2020
"Pulse Check" Survey 2 - Closed April 17th. LINK TO VANCOUVER SUN ARTICLE, April 21, 2020
"Pulse Check" Survey 1 - Closed April 1st. LINK TO VANCOUVER SUN ARTICLE, April 3, 2020
Survey Closed March 18th. LINK TO VANCOUVER SUN ARTICLE, MARCH 19, 2020
Thank you to all those who took the survey. The intelligence you shared is helping shape how government reacts to this pandemic crisis. The insights from the survey have been sent to both the federal and provincial government.
Here’s the quick analysis:
- 90% of businesses are “currently being impacted by COVID-19”
- Of those impacted, 83% are seeing a “drop in revenue, business, or deal flow”
- 91% anticipate a further “decrease in revenue in the near-term” [sic]
- 73% of businesses expect their revenues will drop by 50% or more (with nearly a quarter saying revenues will drop by 100%)
- Half of the respondents say they will be “temporarily shutting down” their offices.
- 64% of respondents expect to reduce their staff by over half (with a quarter saying they will be reducing their staff by 100%)
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