Good afternoon, 
 

This week, Premier Higgs has signaled that more information will be coming soon about re-opening the economy given the province’s success with fighting COVID-19. The government has previously released the following document that provides guidance on expectations and requirements for operating your business (when permitted) in a COVID-19 world.  
 

For every business and organization in the province, the first step to re-opening is creating an Operational Plan that outlines how your operation will comply with Public Health requirements. DO THIS NOW. 
 

To help our members with this process, tomorrow morning, the Fredericton Chamber of Commerce, Chamber of Commerce for Greater Moncton and the Saint John Region Chamber of Commerce are releasing a re-opening guide that outlines and summarizes the main requirements and best practices for you to consider when creating your Operational Plan. Please share this guide to anyone you think may benefit! 
 

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On Friday 1 May 2020, CMHC provided further details on their website about the Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance (CECRA) program. In the meantime, you can sign up for their email list to keep abreast of the latest developments and when the application process opens. To access the page, click here. Of course, we will also share any new information as it becomes available. We also know that with the details and restrictions available to this point, many of you are not expecting to see relief from this program – we are advocating to government that changes are needed.  

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Government of New Brunswick COVID-19 daily news releases since our previous update: 

• May 5 2020 
• May 4 2020 
• May 3 2020 
• May 2 2020 
• May 1 2020 

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As a reminder, last week a local group of stakeholders launched the #SupportFredLocal partnership, which features a dedicated webpage which directs residents to businesses that are open or offering alternative forms of purchase like online shopping, take-out, and delivery during COVID-19. This partnership bolsters the tremendous work of the agencies in serving their members and creating ‘open-for-business’ lists. During the coming weeks, residents will see and hear various messaging designed to point residents to the #SupportFredLocal webpage. 

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Grant Thornton tax partner John Di Liso is hosting a webinar tackling common questions that have surfaced regarding the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS). The event is scheduled for Thursday 7 May 2020 at noon. Discussion will include eligibility criteria, qualifying periods, application process, issues and opportunities, and frequently asked questions. You can register here. 

COVID-19 has placed a significant amount of pressure on employees, employers and families. Isolation, fear for the well-being of loved ones and financial strain are creating disruptions in all our lives. During these difficult times, it is important to know the resources that are available to help you stay mentally healthy. We encourage you to check out the mental health resources on the Canadian Business Resilience Network website, especially now during Mental Health Week. Please share them with your friends, family and colleagues. 

Join Dallas Mercer as she shares what businesses need to think about when developing their exposure mitigation and response plans to COVID-19 and how a “one-size fits all” approach falls short. Click here to register. 

As you develop your re-opening Operational Plans, I encourage you to check out JD Irving Ltd’s COVID-19 workplan to glean ideas and measures you may be able to take in your workplace. Thanks to JDI for sharing! 

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If you haven’t yet checked out the Fredericton Chamber of Commerce’s Open, Operational and/or Offering help business directory, now would be a great time to do so. We have made it more user friendly and continue to ask 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 that are available!  More than 400 businesses and organizations have listed their services, products and how you can access them including nearly 20 offering free services to assist you during this time!! 

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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