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Join the Ontario Chamber of Commerce and the Women Entrepreneurship Knowledge Hub (WEKH) for a lunch discussion with incredible speakers and critical discussions about how women’s entrepreneurship and leadership is critical to a stronger economic recovery in Canada. The webinar will take place on Tuesday, August 11 from 12:00 PM to 1:30 PM

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a disproportionate effect on women. Most strikingly observed amongst women from disadvantaged populations, it is also taking a harsh toll on women entrepreneurs. What is clear is we will not achieve our full economic potential if support for women is not centered in our planning.

Register for the webinar by clicking here.

The Sarnia-Lambton Chamber of Commerce is working on a PPE suppliers list. If you are a PPE supplier, email us all your contact information by August 7th at info@slchamber.ca and we will add you to our list that will be shared with our membership.

As of Friday, July 31st, a by-law to impose temporary regulations requiring the use of masks or face coverings within enclosed, publicly-accessible spaces in the City of Sarnia will be in effect. 

Some individuals are exempt from wearing a mask. It is important to remember that not all medical conditions or reasons for exemption are visible. Those exempt include: 

• Children under five years of age 
• Persons with an underlying medical condition or disability which inhibits their ability to wear a covering
• Persons who are unable to place or remove a Face Covering without assistance
• Employees or agents of the Establishment within an area designated for them and not publicly accessible or in an area separated by a physical barrier
• Persons who are reasonably accommodate by not wearing a Face Covering in accordance with the Ontario Human Rights Code 
• Persons in an Establishment, while receiving services involving the face and requiring the removal of the face covering, including but not limited to eating or drinking, or while actively engaging in an athletic or fitness activity 
• Persons within an establishment, while participating in a religious service for rituals which require an uncovered mouth 

A mask or face covering can include medial or non-medical masks or face coverings. Examples include: a scarf, bandana, or cloth that cover the nose, mouth or chin without gapping. Face shields are also acceptable. 

Masks must be worn on the premises or any portion thereof which are used as a place of business for the sale or offering for sale of goods or services. 

The City of Sarnia asks that you are respectful of the rights of individuals who are exempt from wearing a mask in conformity with the exemptions provided in the Bylaw.

The Sarnia-Lambton Chamber of Commerce in partnership with the COVID-19 Business and Economic Taskforce wants to hear from Sarnia-Lambton area businesses on how they are coping with these safety protocols and how it’s impacting their businesses.

The results will be shared and analyzed by the Sarnia-Lambton COVID-19 Business and Economic Taskforce only, to make determinations on actions to help businesses with some of their immediate needs as well as developing action plans for support and recovery of the economy.

The survey takes approximately 2 minutes to complete and can be accessed by clicking here. 

A majority of hiring decision-makers are currently worried about the economy, and 56% wish their company was doing more in response to the unstable situation. Only 29% of Canadian hiring decision-makers expect their company’s revenue to increase this year, while 43% anticipate it will decrease, and 24% expect it to remain the same. 

Half of Canadian hiring decision-makers (50%) believe the country has already entered into a recession. Nearly 2 in 5 (39%) says Canada will enter a recession within the next year. 

Notably, 79% of those who believe Canada will enter a recession say their company is planning to make changes when the recession occurs and 69% of those who believe Canada is already in a recession say their company is in the process of making changes as a result of the recession. 

The survey was conducted online within Canada by the Harris Poll on behal;f of Express Employment Professionals between April 21 and May 6, 2020 among 501 Canadian hiring decision-makers (defined as adults aged 18+ in Canada who are employed full-time or self-employed or have been laid off, furloughed, or given a zero hour schedule in the past 60 days but worked full-time or were self-employed full-time prior, work at companies with more than 1 employee, and have full/significant involvement in hiring decisions at their company)

Express CEO Bill Stoller says businesses should continue to be flexible to meet current product and service demands.

Gateway Casinos & Entertainment (Gateway) is excited to announce that MATCH Eatery & Public House in Point Edward, Chatham, and Hanover will re-open for dine-in and takeout services on Thursday, July 30, 2020.

Under the current environment, MATCH is being hyper-vigilant in our clearing protocols throughout our properties to prevent the spread of transmissible illnesses, including COVID-19.

While things may look a bit different, your MATCH experience will be everything you remember. Guests will be able to enjoy the spectacular signature patios, each featuring their own bar area, both and table seating, warm woods and signature red accents, and outdoor fire tables. There will be daily Happy Hour specials starting at 3 pm to 6pm and 9pm to 11pm featuring a changing menu of discounted wine and beer!

MATCH has implemented a new virtual queue system that will allow guests to text to join the waitlist and safely wait in their vehicles until their table is ready. This system will allow our staff to prepare the dining room for each guest, and ensure there is no congestion at the entrance as guests wait to be seated. Guests will also be able to receive the menu digitally on their own personal device. 

The restaurant will be open 7 days a week with adjusted hours of operation. To make a reservation, please visit our website.

The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) is closely monitoring the COVID-19 situation, and is committed to supporting Canadians throughout it. The CRA understands that individuals and businesses might be dealing with difficulties in meeting their financial obligations, including paying tax debts they may have incurred prior to the crisis. 

The CRA is extending the payment due date for current year individual, corporate, and trust income tax returns, including installment payments, from September 1, 2020 to September 30, 2020. The CRA is also waiving interest on existing tax debts related to individual, corporate, and trust income tax returns from April 1, 2020 to September 30, 2020 and from April 1, 2020 to June 30, 2020 for goods and services tax/harmonized sales tax (GST/HST) returns.

To read the full statement, click here.

The Canadian Chamber of Commerce has compiled the following list as recommendations to strengthen Canadian supply chain resiliency. 

Domestic Recommendations: 

• Tax and Access to Capital: Fiscal incentives for companies are critical in order to grow domestic supply chains. 
• Procurement: Government led demand side factors are a crucial component for stimulating investments in domestic supply chains, particularly for innovative, and R&D intensive products. 
• Intellectual Property: Canada also needs a new intellectual property strategy to encourage private sector investment in the development of leading technologies that support the early innovation phase in a product’s supply chain. 
• Interprovincial Trade: The current crisis has shown the fragility of current rules that enable the movement of goods and people across provincial boundaries, and the effect this can have on supply chains. 
• Infrastructure: Companies’ supply chains depend on resilient trade-enabling infrastructure to ensure they are able to move products to their customers and minimize bottlenecks. 
• Investment Canada Act: The Investment Canada Act remains a vital legislative tool to ensure acquisitions of Canadian companies by foreign entities are not adverse to our national interests.
  

International Policy Recommendations:

• Security of Supply Agreements: COVID-19 has shown how quickly countries will enact export controls to ensure security of their own domestic supply.
• Export Controls: Canadian companies play a critical role in supplying products to foreign buyers either as the prime contractor or a component supplier.
• Border Procedures: A well-functioning border is a key for business to have predictability in terms of facilitating the movement of goods that should be entering the country and those that should not.
• Digital Trade and E-Commerce: Digitalization, remote provisions of services, and the movement of data are key enablers of supply chains for companies both domestically and internationally.
• Industrial Subsidies: As governments around the world seek to support their domestic economies, this will exacerbate problems with distortive industrial subsides and create competitiveness challenges for Canadian businesses.
• Trade Agreements: Canada’s network of free trade agreements has provided export opportunities for Canadian businesses. However, to increase the ability to use these as vehicles of support, we need to use regulatory mechanisms to resolve non-tariff barriers.
• Trade Promotion: Providing hands-on assistance for Canadian companies, particularly SMEs, is vital for their ability to participate in global supply chains.
• Labour Mobility: The movement of people is critical for Canadian businesses to participate in global supply chains.

To read how each point is expanded on in their original article, click here.

In order to operate, businesses must abide by all national, provincial/territorial, and local codes issued by our governments. This includes when and which businesses are allowed to open, an array of health and safety measures, social distancing standards, occupancy limits, and more. 

Ontario has provided a staged approach to reopening the province. Businesses providing essential services are open. Requirements that apply to all businesses can be found here.

Federally, the Canada-US border is closed to non-essential travel until at least August 21. Anyone returning to Canada must immediately self quarantine for 14 days. Essential business travel is permitted. Specific quarantine regulations and exemptions are in place & can be found here.

To keep updated with the newest information, view the regulations other provinces/territories are adopting, or the federal regulations, click here.

This week the Government of Canada announced Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s enhanced Youth Employment and Skills Program, which launched on May 26, is now fully subscribed and the application intake is closed. It is expected to create about 800 jobs for youth in the 2020-21 program years. 

The government announced this additional funding in May to help the agriculture industry attract Canadian youth, aged 15 to 30, their organizations to assist with labour shortages associated with the pandemic. 

Eligible applicants included producers, agri-businesses, industry associations, provincial and territorial government, Indigenous organization, and research facilities.

Click here to read the full statement from the Canadian government.