Today’s Top Story
Improved Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy Bill Passes The House
This afternoon MPs in the House of Commons passed Bill C-20, including the improved CEWS, which was announced on Friday last week. The Senate must now study the bill before it can be implemented. We have called for the bill to be swiftly passed and are grateful MPs on all sides worked to achieve that goal. We are hopeful the Senate will now do the same. The improved CEWS will help get Canadians back to work.
For Your Attention
Media Spotlight: Challenges Facing The Food Service Industry
Following the news release and joint letter issued on July 20 by our organization and 20 other business groups (including Restaurants Canada, Molson Coors and numerous provincial, territorial and local chambers of commerce and boards of trade), there has been significant media coverage of the dire situation the food services industry finds itself in. Please share the information about the challenges facing the industry across your social networks.
Government Of Canada Creates The ‘Essential Services Contingency Reserve’ Program
The Essential Services Contingency Reserve will allow organizations that provide essential services to apply for temporary, urgent access to personal protective equipment and other critical supplies. It aims to help bridge gaps in their supplies to avoid any significant disruptions in services to Canadians. Eligible associations and organizations will be able to apply online for a range of equipment, available for purchase at cost. Registration will begin in early August.
Governments Of Canada And Manitoba Announce New Program To Help Agri-Processors Mitigate The Spread Of COVID-19
The governments of Canada and Manitoba announced a new $3-million cost-shared Canadian Agricultural Partnership program to support projects that will help agricultural processors mitigate the spread of COVID-19. It will provide financial assistance to agri-food and agri-product processors, food distributors and agri-food industry organizations for:
- Personal protective equipment and sanitation supplies.
- Business continuity practices, training and resources to support COVID-19 mitigation.
- Materials, supplies and equipment rentals needed to adapt production processes to meet social distancing and other precautions related to COVID-19 (beginning in September).
Free Upcoming Webinars
July 22, 1:00 p.m. ET | Working Remotely Through A Crisis And Flex Work Long Term, Hosted By Canadian Western Bank
Join us for a webinar with Canadian Western Bank’s Chief Information Security Officer and Senior Vice President of Client Solutions to discuss the future of working remotely through a crisis and the long-term outlook for flex work. Get tips for setting up effective work areas for employees, how to support employees’ mental health and what major cyber security threats exist for SMEs now and post-pandemic.
How We’re Helping Canadian Business
CBRN Reopening Toolkit
As businesses prepare to reopen or revamp their operations amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, there are numerous issues and challenges to consider. Our toolkit is designed to provide guidance, or access to guidance, for business owners and senior managers responsible for re-establishing their operations while ensuring the health and safety of operators, staff, customers and the general public is at the forefront.
Join Us In Supporting Small And Local Businesses
We’re excited to be participating in the #CanadaUnited campaign —a nationwide social media campaign to encourage Canadians to buy local — and we hope you will join us in lending your support for small and local businesses.
#CanadaUnited is offering relief grants of up to $5,000 to help Canadian small businesses with their recovery efforts as a result of COVID-19. Your participation is important! The grant funds will grow over the next several weeks as every campaign video watched and social media post liked and shared will result in a 5¢ contribution from RBC!
Our member chambers of commerce and boards of trade are asked to watch their inboxes as details on how to help amplify the campaign, along with a marketing toolkit, will be distributed tomorrow at 1:00 p.m. ET.
A #TeamCanada Approach
The Glencore Community Support Fund
Our member Glencore has launched the Glencore Community Support Fund, which is a $25-million fund designed to be flexible and responsive and complement existing efforts by local Glencore teams to provide the support their communities most need at this time.
Chilling Out With The Great Canadian Concert Series
Our member Toyota Canada and SiriusXM are hosting The Great Canadian Concert Series, a two-night musical event taking place on July 22 and 23 at 7:30 p.m. ET that you can enjoy from the comfort of your couch. Hosted by singer-songwriter Julian Taylor, The Great Canadian Concert Series showcases incredible musical talent from across Canada. Follow The Great Canadian Concert Series and enjoy!
