Beautiful weather has been making its way over Halifax and after a particularly dark spring we're happy to see our province finally reawakening. Nova Scotians stayed together, while apart, and were able to flatten the curve. Now, we are beginning to enjoy quality time with our families and friends in our own bubbles.
We’re pleased to see restrictions lifting, public beaches opening on weekends and the June 5 date for reopening allowed businesses to welcome guests and provide a much-needed boost to the economy.
Our team at the Halifax Chamber has created a toolkit to help our members and the business community get ready for reopening. Under the new public health guidelines, businesses must keep employees and customers safe while providing safe customer experiences to ensure continued operations. You can also find local providers of PPE on our resources page. Our new normal may look different but we can work together to make it safe for all of us, as we continue to move forward together.
We have resources available on our website to help you navigate the reopening phases and available funding. Some resources include information on the upcoming Canada Emergency Business Account (CEBA) and the extended support of Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS). You can also find a list of provincial resources.
Along with federal and provincial support, the Chamber continues to support its membership with free webinars every week. We partner with experts in labour law, marketing, mental health, workplace safety and more important topics to help businesses navigate COVID-19 with a new added focus on preparation for reopening and adhering to new guidelines.
I highly recommend taking advantage of these resources. They provide helpful information on how to properly plan, prepare and open doors for the new normal. I also encourage you to talk to your staff; keep them informed of your plans. With schools closed and daycare centres aiming for a mid-June open, we all need to be mindful that while we are all in the same storm, we are not all in the same boat. Let’s continue to help our neighbours and keep Halifax and Nova Scotia both safe and prosperous.
Thank you to all of you for sharing your strength and resilience with those who needed it the most. I’m confident in our ability to stay on the current track. We will get through this together and we’ll keep the virus away. Let’s make sure our reopening plans are in order, that we follow the set guidelines and get back to work safely.
In this issue of Business Voice, we’ve focused on the not-for-profit sector and their critical role in both economic contributions and programming for our city’s most vulnerable populations. Over 250 of our members are not-for-profits and, now more than ever, they need our support. Monetary donations aren’t feasible for everyone, but there are lots of other ways to help out. Volunteer, share their content on social media, donate gently used clothing and household items, and encourage a friend to do the same.
Happy reading – We’re in your corner.
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