Important COVID-19 Information

COVID-19 Information for DBBIA Businesses

Downtown Brampton BIA Business Preparedness Planning Overview

Ontario Announces Additional Workplaces that can Reopen- May 14, 2020

COVID-19 Guidance: Essential Workers – May 2, 2020

Following advice from Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health, as of 12:01 a.m. on Monday, May 4, 2020, certain businesses and workplaces may reopen as long as they comply with strict public health measures and operate safely during the COVID-19 outbreak.Businesses that are not identified on this list must keep their physical place of business closed.

Click Here for the list of updated Essential Workplaces

Health Experts Say the COVID-19 Outbreak Has Likely Peaked in Ontario

Ontario Unveils Guiding Principles to Reopen the Province

Advocacy Letters for the Downtown Brampton Business Community

DBBIA Letter to the City of Brampton

Mayor supports small business and rent relief letter

A Message from the Associate Minister of Small Business and Red Tape Reduction

IDA Canada Letter to Prime Minister Trudeau

Letter from Mayor Brown to Minister Clark On Commercial Rent

BBOT letter to Hon Steve Clark Min of Municipal Affairs re Commercial Rent

Your COVID-19 Employment Questions Answered:

With the spread of COVID-19 and the partial, temporary and full closures of many businesses, we know that small business owners have questions about how to deal with their employees. Join Stephen Wolpert and Marc Kitay, partners at award-winning employment law boutique Whitten & Lublin for a session to answer questions like:

-Am I allowed to lay my staff off during this emergency?
-What are the consequences of doing so?
-What if I can’t afford to rehire them when the emergency ends?
-Are my employees eligible for employment insurance or wage subsidies?
-If I am the owner but I am on payroll, am I eligible?
-What steps can I take to protect myself from claims by my employees?

Click Here to watch the full video

Downtown Brampton BIA COVID-19 e-News

City of Brampton

NOTICE OF WORK – Investigation of the Existing Tunnel

In preparation for Downtown Reimagined and to inform future projects, the City of Brampton continues to investigate the existing tunnel.

The investigative work will take place overnight (9pm to 7am) from April 13 – May 1, 2020 at the following locations:

East side of Main Street from the CIBC to Vivian Lane;
West side of Main Street from approximately 50 metres south of Nelson Street West to McKinney Lane;
North and south sides of Queen Street, approximately 30 metres west of Main Street; and
Diplock Lane from approximately 45 metres south of Nelson Street to McArter Lane.

There will be minor traffic and pedestrian impacts at the locations noted above and best efforts will be made to minimize construction noise. Parking lanes and sidewalk will be closed overnight, beginning at 9pm, and will re-opened at 7am.

For more information, please visit: www.brampton.ca/downtownreimagined

Tunnel Investigation – Drawings

Business Resources

Additional Resources

OBIAA Business Resources

OBIAA Letters

Business Survey(s)

City of Brampton – Economic Support Task Force – Business Impact Survey for COVID-19

HOW TO APPLY FOR EI DURING COVID-19

Apply as soon as possible after you stop working. If you wait
more than 4 weeks after your last day of work to apply, you may
lose benefits.

Scenario 1 – You are under isolation or quarantine: Apply to EI NOW as SICK BENEFITS.

Scenario 2 – You are laid off from work due to shortage of work due to Covid– 19 – Apply for EI NOW under Regular EI benefits – Shortage of Work

Scenario 3 – You are laid off from work due to your place of business closing due to Covid -19 – Apply for EI NOW under Regular EI Benefits – Involuntary Leave

Scenario 4 – You are NOT ELIGIBLE for EI benefits but want to apply for the new Package announced for those not eligible for EI – you must wait until this passes the House of Commons – which should be by April and applications and money will flow by May. You will be given application instructions once the applications are approved for production.

Click Here for the Employment Insurance benefits and leave website

Safety Checklist for Businesses

For businesses whose operations are closed during this time, Ottawa Police have created a safety checklist to ensure your shop or restaurant remains secure. Police recommend the following guidelines:

Keep the lights on
Remove ALL cash and receipts
Do not leave any valuables clearly visible or accessible
All safes and tills should be emptied and moved off-site for safe storage
Keep all cash drawers open to show that nothing is in the drawers
All ATM’s should be emptied and moved off-site for safe storage
All alcohol products removed from bar and put in secured storage areas (no alcohol left visible from outside)
Consider posting “NO CASH or Valuables on Premises” signage
Deactivate all scheduled FOB door openings (ie. Cleaners, deliveries, etc)
Disconnect all kitchen gas lines from their gas source

Make regular site visits to monitor your shop/business and to manage inventory and storage conditions (consider scattering the times this is done to not establish a pattern)