Mar 27th 2020

Sign our Petition – TABIA, OBIAA and other BIAs have come together to put together a letter of support for Ontario Small Businesses.

Please send the following to the emails provided below to show the Provincial and Federal Government of what small and local businesses NEED BEFORE APRIL 1st!

Copy this Letter

URGENT REQUEST FOR APRIL 1 SMALL BUSINESS RELIEF
March 25, 2020

Dear Premier Ford,

I’m appealing to you on behalf of the Kensington Market BIA. I am sure you agree that Small Businesses play a vital role in supporting our local economies and the Canadian way of life. Over the past several years this group has been largely overlooked – BUT now is the time they need you more than ever – their survival is imperative as this group of people will play a vital role in rebuilding our amazing country and bringing back community “spirit” and togetherness when this pandemic and physical distancing is over.

Small businesses employ millions of Canadians and help serve as the backbone of community and economic life. If these businesses aren’t saved from ruin over the next few months, local businesses will need to be rebuilt from scratch with new owners and “neighbourhoods” will suffer for years to come.

The Challenge

  • Hundreds of thousands of Canadian small business owners have effectively lost their jobs due to COVID-19 either because revenue has drastically reduced or from being required to close
  • Expenses (rent, utilities, etc) remain with no protection if they default
  • Expenses (rent, utilities, etc) remain with no protection if they default
  • Business assets and have ZERO protection if they default
  • Those open, are struggling to pay staff (the 10% government contribution isn’t enough to balance the loss of revenue)

Mediate Request (needed NOW)

  • Small business owners need cash, and they need relief on their expenses — especially rent
  • Provincial Government: needs to immediately order the banning of lock-outs by commercial landlords if a tenant cannot pay rent due to COVID-19 and provide off sets to landlords with federal funding help.
  • Federal government: needs to order a financial lockdown country wide so all payments freeze including rent, mortgages, taxes etc. until we get through this – not a downloading to some and not others
  • For businesses that have been able to keep some employees, they need enhanced wage support similar to those in other countries

Medium/Long-term Recommendation – Main Street Bailout

Only strong immediate action by governments, large financial institutions and insurance companies will ensure Canada’s small businesses survive this devastating time. In order to ensure small businesses not only survive, but can thrive when social distancing is over we encourage you to consider the full Proposal for a Main Street Bailout savesmallbusiness.ca.

Thank you for taking the time to hear from me and for taking the immediate action needed.

You can send this letter in TWO ways:

1. Email your MPs, MPPs, Councillors, and all representatives of government, including the opposition with this PDF attached.  – Addresses provided below;

2. OR; copy the letter above and submit to the websites provided below;

Do More

Also please sign a petition at, savesmallbusiness.ca.

Please keep sharing the petition with your network and applying pressure to your politicians (local and otherwise) to focus on the needs of small businesses.

Here are their current asks from Businesses!

  • Please fill out this survey so we have a better understanding of how many people are struggling to pay rent, retain staff and negotiate debt. The information provided through this survey will only be used in aggregate, meaning we won’t share your name or business publicly unless you explicitly give us permission. We will use this data to push the government for relief and get more media coverage.
  • If you are willing to share your story with media, please provide your phone number via the survey.
  • We are looking for a couple of people to help amplify this campaign. If you or someone you know has the capacity to design infographics, develop websites or do compelling social media, email Sara at admin@savesmallbusiness.ca. We have received some modest financial support for the hard costs of this campaign via supportive partners, so these could either be volunteer or paid roles, depending on your need.
  • Keep sharing this campaign! Now’s the time to make our voices heard.

 

 

COVID-19