Dear Members,
Today, Friday, March 27, the federal government announced the following:
- A 75 per cent wage subsidy for qualifying businesses, for up to 3 months, retroactive to March 15, 2020.
- New loan programs for businesses, including interest-free loans of up to $40,000 for small businesses and not-for-profits.
- Deferral of GST/HST remittances and customs duty payments to June 30, 2020.
- Deferral of customs duty and sales tax for importers on payment deadlines for statements of accounts for March, April, and May to June 30, 2020.
- Additional measures from CRA for individuals and businesses
- Further details on these new measures are expected by Monday, March 30.
- The Chamber will host a webinar on Monday, March 30, at 2 PM with MP Sean Casey and MP Sean Fraser to discuss these initiatives and other federal supports for businesses during the COVID-19 crisis. To register, click here.
Today, the provincial government announced:
- Non-essential businesses will remain closed indefinitely as the situation continues to be re-evaluated on a regular basis.
- The eligibility of the Employee Gift Card Program has been expanded to include any Islander laid off between March 13-31, 2020, regardless of their hourly wage (instead of being only for those making less than $25/hr as originally announced).
- Expansion of the PEI Broadband Fund to support equipment and installation of mi-fi units and wi-fi signal boosters for businesses and the self-employed.
As we settle into our temporary new normal, we also want to update you on Chamber activities to date:
- On Wednesday, we launched the COVID-19 Business Impact Survey. We ask you to please take a few minutes to tell us about your experience since COVID-19 has hit our community.
- Through these challenging times, we have witnessed the kindness and generosity of our business community shine through. To celebrate this, we launched the #BrightSideOfBusiness webpage, which showcases the innovative and creative ways businesses are supporting fellow Islanders.
- We’ve introduced the Chamber Live webinar series, starting Monday, March 30. Stay tuned for more webinars to come.
- A Chamber resources page that is updated daily.
- Regular member updates as new information for business become available.
- Relevant links on Chamber Facebook and Twitter pages.
As your Chamber, we are here for you. Please continue to reach out with your questions, comments and concerns.
Sincerely,
Dawn Binns, President
Greater Charlottetown Area Chamber of Commerce