COVID -19 Current Status Report for Brome-Missisquoi Businesses
In order to keep you informed during this pandemic period, here is a list of current measures put forth by our governments as well as some of the resources available to enterprises.
Government measures to support businesses in a pandemic context
Health
Urgences Québec
Emergency Measures Plan
https://www.urgencequebec.gouv.qc.ca/En/situation-urgence/Pages/pandemie.aspx
Santé et Services Sociaux Québec for Quebec Health and Social Services information
Overview of the situation (pandemic)
https://www.quebec.ca/en/health/health-issues/a-z/2019-coronavirus/situation-coronavirus-in-quebec/
Financial Support
Business Development Bank of Canada, the BDC
https://www.bdc.ca/en/pages/special-support.aspx
1-877-232-2269
- Working capital loans of up to $2 million with flexible repayment terms such as principal postponements for qualifying businesses;
- Flexible repayment terms, such as postponement of principal payments for up to 6 months, for existing BDC clients with total BDC loan commitment of $1 million or less;
- Reduced rates on new eligible loans;
- Additional details regarding Business Credit Availability Program (BCAP) measures, including industry specific support, to be announced in the coming days;
Investissement Québec
Concerted-temporary-action-program-for-businesses.html
- A loan guarantee is the preferred form of financing. Financing can also take the form of a loan from Investissement Québec.
- Investissement Québec aims to work in close cooperation with financial institutions and federal authorities in order to share risks.
- The minimum funding amount is $50,000.
- Refinancing is excluded.
- This measure is designed to support the business’s working capital.
Emergency Assistance Program for Small and Medium-Sized Businesses
The Emergency Assistance Program for Small and Medium-Sized Businesses is designed to provide support, for a limited time period, to qualifying businesses experiencing financial difficulties due to COVID-19 and who require working capital of less than $50,000.
Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy
To help Canadians and businesses get through these tough economic times, the Prime Minister, announced that the Government is proposing to introduce a wage subsidy of 75 per cent for qualifying businesses, for up to 3 months, retroactive to March 15, 2020.
CNESST
Within the context of the present crisis, the CNESST, work health, safety and equity norms agency has implemented several flexibility measures for businesses https://www.cnesst.gouv.qc.ca/salle-de-presse/communiques/Pages/20-mars-2020-quebec.aspx (in french)
Workers’ Support
Temporary Aid for Workers Program
PATT, programme d’aide temporaire aux travailleurs)
This program offers financial assistance to meet the needs of workers, who, because they’re in isolation to counter the propagation of the COVID-19 virus, cannot earn all of their work income and are not eligible for another financial assistance program.
Contingency Plan for Business Continuity
Here is a model for a contingency plan which aims essentially to allow your business to alleviate some of the impacts the present COVID-19 pandemic context might bring about for your business. The measures and decisions that need to be implemented are listed according to their role, in order to help you make the best decisions while maintaining your operations.
We thank our partner, Sherbrooke Innopole, who has graciously shared this tool with us to help you better manage the present situation.
Download plan here
The COVID-19 Pandemic’s Economic Impacts Measure
In order to draw an up-to-date picture of the economic impacts of the present pandemic for our businesses, and to support our government authorities’ decisions for implementing alleviating measures, the Ministère de l’Économie et de l’innovation is asking the CLD to compile all pertinent and important information concerning the COVID-19 pandemic’s economic impacts for its businesses and territory. These include such information as layoffs, closings, supplying issues, financial losses ($), etc. We ask you to share this information with one of our advisors so we can follow up with the MEI.
Industrial Enterprises:
Benoit Lévesque, Industrial Advisor
blevesque@cldbm.qc.ca
Tourism Enterprises
Guylaine Beaudoin, Tourism Development Advisor
gbeaudoin@cldbm.qc.ca
Agri-food Enterprises
Leslie Carbonneau, Agri-food Development Advisor
lcarbonneau@cldbm.qc.ca
Business Funding projects
Justin Francis, Business Advisor—Financial Support
jfrancis@cldbm.qc.ca
Startup Projects
Rafaël Gendron, Business Development Advisor—Entrepreneurship
rgendron@cldbm.qc.ca
Registering for the Brome-Missisquoi buy-local platform
As announced recently, in the coming weeks we are going to be launching a new web platform to promote buying local in Brome-Missisquoi. Retailers in the region who would like to post their products or services may do so now by following this link.
Register me in the buy-local platform
Whether you already have an online boutique or not, you can register for the platform. For further information, you can contact the Chambre de Commerce de Brome-Missisquoi at dg@ccb-m.ca.
Please note that, for food sector businesses, we are in the process of developing a solution with the Maturin.ca platform, thus businesses in this sector will be personally contacted by the CLD staff. For more information, contact Leslie Carbonneau at 450 266-4928, poste 225 of by email at lcarbonneau@cldbm.qc.ca.
