Advocacy

Earlier this week, Board Chair Rich Patterson and Vice Chair Karima Jivraj sent an advocacy letter to our PM regarding the railway disruptions. As the situation continues to escalate, we know that businesses in our community are feeling the impact. We pledge to continue advocating for New West businesses moving forward, and will always support you throughout these challenging times. We encourage you to reach out to us if you have any concerns or are in need of support, as we work through these difficult times together. ChamberLetterRailStoppage

Many people are stocking up on supplies and with good reason. While panic is not warranted, prudent preparation is. The economic impact of this pandemic will be painful for many people, but the small businesses who are just getting by may be the hardest hit. There will likely be a desire for many families to isolate themselves and this could have a disastrous effect on our local economy. Our request is that, if you need to shop, we ask you to consider supporting your local small business. Our community is better when it is full of thriving and vibrant small businesses. They are the ones who support your lacrosse or baseball team and the ones whose families go to local restaurants and shops. Please consider them in the coming weeks and months as the response to COVID-19 unfolds. Coming together as a community In times of uncertainty there is a tendency for people to isolate themselves and especially considering the implications of being together. This pandemic, and its financial implications will cause many people a significant amount anxiety and stress for people. As a community we have a choice about how this will affect us, now and in the coming weeks and months. We may not see each other face to face as much as we used to, but that doesn’t mean that people don’t need social contact. It is critical for mental health and well being and an important factor in mitigating anxiety, stress and overwhelm. We at the chamber encourage you to stay connected with the people you care about through encouraging messages and regular check ins via phone, skype, or other means. When we fail, we tend to fail alone. There are a lot of elements of the current situation which we have no control over but if we follow the advice of the health professionals, we will get through this. Also, if we continue to support each other as the financial impacts begin to show themselves, we can make sure that no one gives in to despair, and that when we get to the other side of this crisis, we are a stronger community for it What public-facing businesses can do Public Health officials continue to advise that the risk of infection in Canada remains low but the public is worried. Show that you are taking steps to protect the health of customers and employees. Step 1 – Take these actions Have hand sanitizer available for your customers. Regularly disinfect surfaces, especially commonly touches surfaces like doorknobs. Here is a link on how to clean to prevent the spread of the flu. https://www.cdc.gov/flu/school/cleaning.htm Make sure that your staff is regularly washing their hands with soap for 20 seconds. Instruct your staff to stay home if they are sick. Step 2 – Make sure your customers know you are taking these actions Print and post signs in your store explaining the steps you are taking to protect their health Be seen to be taking the steps (like