Daily COVID-19 Update: June 17, 2020
Supports for Business
Minister of Finance to present an Economic and Fiscal Snapshot
Finance Minister Bill Morneau will present an Economic and Fiscal Snapshot on Wednesday, July 8, 2020. The snapshot will provide information on the current state of the economy and the Government of Canada’s response to support Canadians during the COVID-19 pandemic. Details on the timing and location will follow in the short term.
Read more on CTV and see the Canadian Chamber of Commerce response.
Support for Seafood Sector
Today the government announced that applications for the Opportunities Fund are now available for the seafood sector. It was also announced that applications for the Seafood Stabilization Fund will open on Monday, July 22. More information.
NSERC To Receive Extra Funding
As the Government of Canada focuses on responding to the challenges of COVID-19, it also recognizes the invaluable contributions of Canadian researchers in natural sciences and engineering. Today, the government announced more than $492 million in funding by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) through its Discovery Research Program. This funding will go to some 2,400 researchers across the country as they pursue research in a wide variety of natural sciences and engineering disciplines. More information.
Supports for Individuals
Camping will resume gradually at a number of national parks and national historic sites across Canada starting on June 22, 2020
Starting June 22, 2020, Parks Canada will begin to offer some camping services at select national parks and national historic sites across the country in alignment with the guidance of national, provincial, territorial, and local health authorities. Initially, camping will be available only to visitors with existing reservations. Parks Canada will gradually begin to accept new online reservations for some campgrounds over the coming weeks. Visitors should check the Parks Canada website regularly for updates and information on services available and reservation windows.
Given current limitations on international travel, existing reservations from international visitors, including visitors from the United States of America, will be cancelled and automatically refunded in full up to and including August 7, 2020. Parks Canada will monitor international travel restrictions and may adjust this date in the future. Canadians who plan to travel outside of their home province to camp at or visit a Parks Canada destination must follow the applicable provincial or territorial travel restrictions. Some provinces and territories allow only essential inbound travel at this time. Others require that outside visitors follow a self-isolation protocol. It is not possible to self-isolate at Parks Canada campgrounds.
The camping experience at Parks Canada will be different than in previous years. Visitors are required to have a reservation in order to camp at a Parks Canada place. Roofed accommodations such as yurts and oTENTiks will only become available at select locations later in the season. Visitors will have access to some trails, day use areas, green spaces, and some recreational boating.
Visitors are encouraged to visit the Parks Canada website, plan ahead and be well-prepared for their visit.
The Parks Canada website provides detailed information on what locations are open, what visitors can expect, how to prepare for a visit and what services may be available. It also provides advice on how to prevent the spread of COVID-19 while at Parks Canada places, including guidance on physical distancing, hygiene and other safety measures.
Community Supports and Resources
Finlay Bridge Resurfacing Project Begins June 24
Construction will begin on Wednesday, June 24, 2020 on the Finlay Bridge resurfacing project. The project involves the replacement of the existing asphalt surface with a more durable concrete surface, which will improve the smoothness of the bridge deck and extend the service life of the bridge. During construction, the bridge will be closed to all vehicular traffic. Motorists are reminded to follow all traffic signs and detours related to the ongoing construction. Construction is expected to be completed by the end of September 2020, weather dependent. More information
Advocacy
The Business Of Business: The Digitization Of Canada's Healthcare System
In this segment of The Business of Business, our President and CEO, Hon. Perrin Beatty, and Juggy Sihota, Vice-President of Consumer Health at TELUS, discuss the digitization of healthcare, including the changes in the structure of how healthcare is delivered since the pandemic began and the advantages as a result Watch now.
Webinars
COVID testing and stage 2 relaunch with GOA
Join Economic Development Minister Tanya Fir and Labour Minister Jason Copping on June 19 from 10:15 to 11:15 a.m. for a conversation on COVID testing and Alberta's relaunch. Please register in advance to ensure you are able to participate.
Grant Writing 101 webinar for business;
Save the Date: June 26 at 12:15 p.m Invest Medicine Hat webinar in partnership with Medicine Hat College about grant sourcing and writing basics.
Employee Mental Health During COVID-19
Pandemics are tough on HR professionals and your employees, alike. Join registered psychologist Tobi Ceh as she helps us identify struggling employees, understand what Mental Health is, and how to create a healthy workplace.
Register in advance for this webinar:
New Resources
ICYMI: CMHC Zoom Conference on the Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance Program
The recording of the recent discussion with CMHC representatives on the Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance (CECRA) is now available at https://youtu.be/fSjKKG1Jdps.
Understanding Travel Insurance In The World Of COVID-19
Once travel restrictions are lifted, people will have questions about travel insurance. What am I covered for? Is my current travel insurance policy sufficient? Where can I go if I have further travel insurance questions? We were joined by Group Benefits Consultant, Jessica Simpson, and Home and Auto Insurance Consultant, Ivan Tolentino, from our Essential Business Services partner, Johnson Insurance, for a webinar to discuss how COVID-19 has affected travel insurance. Watch now.
ATB COVID-19 Recovery Workbook
ATB has created a new workbook full of industry leading advice and guidance you may need to address disruption to many areas of your business.
#YXH2Gether
Share your stories and resources with us and on the YXH Business Support Group and connect with us for any questions you have.
Recognize your heroes by using the hashtag #YXHhero
“Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently.” – Henry Ford
For more resources visit our COVID-19 page
On Demand Webinars
Alberta Bits & Pieces Webinar. Watch Now.
Alberta Phase 2 Relaunch Town Hall Recordings. Listen Now.
Canadian Business Resilience Network Video Content
13 Ways COVID-19 and Your Business Part 1: Watch Now.
Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance Program explained. Watch now.
Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS) Explained: Watch Now.
Conflict Escalation & What to Do About It. Watch Now.
Crowdfunding through COVID-19. Watch Now.
Cybersecurity And The Ever-Evolving Work Environment, With Field Effect. Watch Now.
Destination Canada: The Visitor Economy: Watch Now.
BDC Economic Pulse (April 20): Watch Now.
Facebook: Build Your Online Presence. Watch now
Facebook: Getting Creative with your Mobile Phone, With Facebook. Watch now.
How to cope with the impacts of COVID-19 on your business. Watch Now.
How to Navigate Government Programs with KPMG. Watch Now.
The Importance of Human Resources & Being Strategic When Your Business is Being Temporarily Impacted. Watch Now.
Keeping Your Company and Employees Secure When Working Remotely. Watch Now.
Leading During a Crisis and Switching to Remote Work. Watch Now.
Maintaining Sales in the face of COVID-19. Watch Now.
Relaunching Your Business. Watch now.
Rent Relief in a World of the Coronavirus: Watch Now.
Shopify E-Commerce Tools. Watch Now.
Social Media in Crisis. Watch Now.
Strategies for How Businesses Can Persevere And Recover From COVID-19. Watch Now.
Understanding, Accessing and Optimizing the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy. Watch Now.
Understanding Travel Insurance In The World Of COVID-19. Watch now.
What To Feel When Stressors Collide, With Canada Life. Watch Now.
Working From Home During COVID-19. Watch Now.
Webinar Series
AMHSA, CSSE, Howatt HR, AUMA Mental Health Webinar Series. Click here.
APEX Alberta Webinars: Watch the recorded series
BDC Webinar Series. Click here.
BusinessLink: View upcoming events.
Buyandsell.gc.ca: Learn how to find bid opportunities. Register now.
CPA Small Business Webinar Series. Click here.
CPHR Alberta: HR Pandemic Essentials. Click here.
Conference Board of Canada Webinar Series: Mental Health and COVID-19. Click here.
Constant Contact Webinar Series: View the line up of sessions and register.
D2L Webinar Series: Digital Transformation for Associations. Watch Now.
Economic Developers Alberta (EDA) Wednesday weekly: Business & Economic Recovery During the COVID-19 Crisis
Free Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS)® IDS™ sessions. Register here.
International Economic Development Council Webinar series. Watch now.
Retail Council of Canada. Register here.
School of Public Policy. Register here.
StartUp Canada Women Entrepreneur Webinar Series: Click here.
Travel Alberta Webinar Series. Watch Now.
Upcoming Webinars
June 18: Alberta Municipal Health and Safety Association - Workplace Reboot 2.0. Register here.
June 18: Facebook and Instagram for Tourism Businesses: Building a Strong Foundation. Register here.
June 18: Edmonton Chamber Webinar: Alberta Relaunch. Register here
June 22: Mental Health for HR Professionals. Register Now.
June 22: Take Control of Your Business: 3 Simple Tools to Help Your Business Survive and Thrive with Bradshaw & Associates. Register Now
June 22: Employee Mental Health During COVID-19. Register here
June 23: Building a resilient workforce to thrive in the next normal. Register here.
June 24: How to Build an Effective Advertising Strategy. Register now.
June 29: Cyber-security Best Practices Workshop. Register now
Don’t forget Joe Social Media – Free Social Media training from May 1 – June 30 (times vary). Register here. Use promocode: Resilience
Check out more events on our Pandemic Training Calendar