By Sheldon Spackman

Making It Simple

Chamber offering support for employers, workers during COVID-19 pandemic

Mar 20, 2020 | 2:39 PM

The Red Deer and District Chamber of Commerce has created an “information pipeline,” of sorts, on how to guide local employers and their staff through the COVID-19 pandemic.

Chamber CEO Rick More says with an overload of information coming in daily from all three levels of government, the resources they’re highlighting pertain specifically to businesses.

“Our members want to know what process, or how to apply for some of these things,” explains More. “Sure, it’s good to get all of that money, but how do we get it?”

As a result, More says the Chamber has created three categories of resources that local business can search under to find out more about recently announced government support programs, including from the federal, provincial and municipal governments.

“We’ve separated them so there’s no confusion there,” adds More. “Everyone has their own specific things to deal with, so they can take these resources and click on some important links. Anything from income support, temporary layoffs, flexibility of taxes, work-sharing, anything like that.”

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More notes every business will have its own story to tell.

“We figured ‘let’s not inundate them with everything that comes in,’ but we’ll certainly tell them the process of how to access these things.”

More cites an announcement by Canada’s major banks this week regarding mortgage deferrals as an example of something the Chamber can help both residents and businesses find information on quickly.

“To defer up to six months, I think that will help ease some panic,” admits More. “Bills aren’t the thing we want to do right now. There was a lot of businesses that were limping going into this, and it’s not like we had the reserves to take on any global problem like this, so whether it be laying off of employees or how they get to keep them, I think all those are good.”

More highlights the resiliency central Alberta businesses are showing during this time of crisis.

“Our members in the service industry in what they’re doing with take-out,” he exclaims. “I’ve talked to a few of the restaurants and stuff, they’re buzzing on take-out, and it’s keeping the wolf from the door sort of thing. I think you’re going to see trends change, even after all this stuff – what’s the new norm?”

More stresses that if there’s any way to support each other, whether it be through ordering take-out or being friendly to a neighbor, to certainly do it.

“I’ve always said that in tough times, we become better humans again,” says More. “That will be the resolve at the end of the day, because we will all be judged after this is done. Hopefully each person can say I did what was right.”

Visit reddeerchamber.com for more information and to access the online resources.