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COVID 19 Resources for Business

The Parksville & District Chamber of Commerce (P&DCC) is urging our Members, network and community to support local businesses impacted by economic challenges caused by the virus by looking to do business with a local business first. We also encourage everyone to exercise reasonable precautions and planning in light of this pandemic.

While it is important to treat the COVID-19 pandemic with seriousness, it is also important not to compound the real challenges this virus is causing our business community by unduly curtailing and restricting our own activities locally.

Please use the updates and resources below to make sure your business, your employees and your customers stay safe and remember to "Call A Member 1st". Here is a direct link to the P&DCC Membership Directory.

 

RECOMMENDED PROTOCOLS

  • Frequent hand washing and covering your face when coughing or sneezing.

  • Stay home if you are sick (and create a culture where this is encouraged in your workplace)

  • Leverage technology and consider remove work for your team where possible.

  • Social distancing

  • BC COVID-19 Symptom Self-Assessment Tool

 

RELIABLE SOURCES

 

BUSINESS RESOURCES

 

OPERATIONAL/STAFFING SUPPORT

  • Employment and Social Development Canada: Several measures are available to assist employees who have been laid off or are unable to work due to quarantine. This includes waiving the one week waiting period for EI sickness benefits and priority application processing for related claims.

  • Uber Eats: The company has created a support package to promote "contactless" delivery from local restaurants, which includes waiving delivery fees and a daily payout option to assist restaurants with cash flow.

  • Work-Sharing Program: Work-Sharing is a federal government adjustment program designed to help employers and employees avoid layoffs when there is a temporary reduction in the normal level of business activity that is beyond the control of the employer. Temporary special measures have extended the maximum duration of work-sharing agreements from 38 weeks to 76 weeks for businesses affected by COVID-19.

  • Government of Canada Travel Health Notices

 

FINANCIAL SUPPORT/RELIEF

  • Export Development Canada (EDC), in partnership with the federal government and Canadian banks, will ensure customers impacted by COVID-19 have access to credit.

  • CMHC is working to address mortgage payment difficulties. 

  • BC Hydro: The COVID-19 Customer Assistance Program provides customers the option to defer bill payments or arrange for flexible payment plans with no penalty. Customers are encouraged to call BC Hydro's customer team at 1-800-224-9376 to discuss options.

  • Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) has resources available include:

 

SIGNAGE/VISUALS

 

UPDATED HELPFUL ARTICLES AND LINKS

 

P&DCC COMMUNICATION

Stay up-to-date on future P&DCC events and announcements by following our social media channels:

Economic Development MOU

The Parksville & District Chamber of Commerce is pleased to be part of a collaborative working agreement with key business and tourism stakeholders. A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) among the Lighthouse Country Business Association (LCBA), the Parksville & District Chamber of Commerce (PDCC), Parksville Downtown Business Association (PDBA), Parksville Qualicum Beach Tourism Association (PQBTA) and Qualicum Beach Chamber of Commerce (QBCC) has been developed to support a cooperative relationship to promote business and group 5tourism in the Oceanside Region.

The partners agree to focus their collective efforts on developing a strategic plan identifying economic drivers, developing a position statement on business attraction, growth and retention and promoting economic development in the region. To have a successful economic development strategy in place, the partners recognize working together on common goals better serves the community and a stronger regional economy.

The roles and responsibilities of each organization will not change but the MOU will enhance the opportunity of working together with common goals in mind.

  • PQBTA - mandate is external destination marketing.
  • PDBA – promotes and enhances businesses within a defined area of downtown Parksville.
  • PDCC & QBCC - The Chambers are the voice of business and deliver visitor services in their respective communities.
  • LCBA – advances the interests and prosperity of the businesses within the Lighthouse Country.

Partners finalized and signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on November 28, at the QB Town office lobby. On hand to sign for each organization were:

Sandy Herle, representing Parksville Downtown Business Association

Sarah Duncan, representing the Qualicum Beach Chamber of Commerce

Jeannie Maltesen, representing the Parksville & District Chamber of Commerce

Paul Drummond, representing the Parksville Qualicum Beach Tourism Association

Dietmar Baumeister – Quint, representing the Lighthouse Country Business Association

 

read more

Parksville Holiday Light Up - November 29

Calling all businesses: Please Register your business for the Light Up and Window Decor Contest Registration FORM or call the Chamber office at 250-248-3613. There are prizes to be won! Judging will take place November 27 and contest winners will be announced at the Holiday Light Up on November 29. 

Join us on November 29 at 6:00pm for the Parksville Holiday Light Up event at the Parksville Community Centre. (132 Jensen Ave., Parksville) This is a free, family friendly event. 
Get pictures with Santa, decorate cookies, enjoy carollers, hot chocolate and popcorn and Tour the Festival of Trees in the community centre. Food trucks on site and a Kids Market will be set up. It's a great way to spend a Friday night with the family.

View Event Poster

 

 

Orange Bridge Business District

A common thread that came from our 2019 Business Walk was that the merchants in the area close to the orange bridge felt there was room for some improvements in terms of appearance and services. The Parksville & District Chamber of Commerce took the comments seriously and organized several breakfast meetings to discuss the business needs of the area. From those meetings, the ‘Orange Bridge Business District’ was created with the goal of working together to unite the businesses in the district.

Our first project is streetlight pole banners along the 19A and they are designed to both beautify and define area of the city referred to as the ‘Orange Bridge Business District’. We’ve come a long way with a beautiful design created by Robert Held himself! Kim Burden, Executive Director presented the project on July 15, to city council for their approval. The banners are produced locally and the cost to design, produce and install will be a shared cost among the business owners taking into consideration their highway frontage.

‘We see this as a first step in defining the district and using this as a template for other regions we want to work with in the region. It’s about working together with a group of businesses and creating something we can all be proud of that is inviting to visitors and locals. We’re anxious to move forward on the banner project and wait to hear from council in September’, said Kim Burden, Executive Director for the Parksville & District Chamber of Commerce.

Banner design:

OrangeBridgeBannerFinal

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