OCC COVID-19 ADVOCACY RESPONSE
The Ontario Chamber of Commerce (OCC) is taking concerns from the business community and communicating them to all levels of government.
Feedback from Ontario Business
We have established an online form for Ontario business to share their specific needs and concerns as they face new challenges that the COVID-19 crisis has generated.
Support for Chambers of Commerce/Boards of Trade
We are regularly updating a COVID-19 Communications Toolkit to support Ontario’s Chambers of Commerce and Boards of Trade.
Please reach out to Ariel Benjamin, Specialist, Public Affairs to access the communications toolkit and if you have any questions or suggestions.
Letters to Government
While we offer support for individual concerns and connect businesses with government officials, we also continue to send letters to government in a coordinated effort to advocate for policy and regulatory changes that will help industry manage the disruption caused by COVID-19.
All letters will be published on our website here. To date, we have sent the following letters:
- Chamber Network calls for coordinated approach to reopening Ontario’s economy
- Investing in the Development of a New US Customs and Border Protection Facility (USCBP) at Billy Bishop Airport
- OCC Letter of Support: Continued Operation of Enbridge’s Line 5
- Keeping Ontario Business, Workers and Citizens Safe
- OCC Letter of Support for COVID-19 Testing upon Arrival at Toronto Pearson International Airport
- Implementing Title Protection for Qualified Occupational Health and Safety Professionals in Ontario
- 2020 Provincial Pre-Budget Submission
- OCC Letter of Support: Bill 43, The Freeing Highways 412 and 418 Act
- OCC Letter of Support: Restaurants, Bars, Alcohol Industry and Food Delivery
- Small and Medium-sized Employers (SMEs): Skills Gaps and Future Skills
- Strengthening privacy protections in Ontario
- Policy Report Card 2019/20
- Industrial Electricity Rates Letter CME-OCC-AMPCO
- THE SHE-COVERY PROJECT – Confronting the Gendered Economic Impacts of COVID-19 in Ontario
- Digital Health Interoperability
- Amendment To Allow for Delivery and Curbside Pick-Up for Recreational Retailers
- The Ongoing Recovery Of Our Restaurants and Food Service Industry Across Canada
- Encouraging Municipal Collaboration On Health and Safety Guidelines During COVID-19
- Small Business, Big Impact: How SMEs Are Pivoting During COVID-19
- OCC Tourism Sector Submission To Standing Committee
- In Data We Trust: Unlocking the Value of Data in Ontario
- Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy Consultation
- Patio Liquor Licenses in Ontario
- Immediate Need to Fix the CECRA rent subsidy program
- Multi-Association Rent Letter to Premier Ford
- Ontario’s Post-COVID-19 Economic Recovery and ICI Construction
- Reopening Canada Memo
- A coordinated Approach to Reopening Canada’s Economy (Federal)
- A Coordinated Approach to Reopening Ontario’s Economy (provincial)
- Retraining Ontario’s workforce to recover from COVID-19
- Health policy reforms during the COVID-19 pandemic
- Provincial Access to Capital During the Reopening and Recovery Phases of COVID-19
- Federal Access to Capital During the reopening and recovery phases of COVID-19
- Providing Further Rent Relief for Commercial Tenants
- New Health and Safety Guidelines for Employers
- Electricity Rate Relief for Businesses During COVID-19
- Providing rent relief for commercial landlords and tenants
- ‘Good Samaritan’ liability legislation related to the COVID-19 pandemic
- Supporting Ontario’s beverage alcohol industry during COVID-19
- Need for industry consultation and central body with decision-making authority for construction projects in Ontario
- Ontario chamber dedicated to Ontario’s recovery
- Essential services support during the COVID-19 pandemic
- Supporting Ontario’s agri-food and agricultural sectors during the COVID-19 pandemic
- Access to capital during the COVID-19 pandemic
- Support for manufacturers during the COVID-19 pandemic
- Further support for small business during the COVID-19 pandemic
- Accelerating Internet connectivity during the COVID-19 pandemic
- OCC letter of support regarding inclusion of self-employed workers in the Canada Emergency Response Benefit
- Support for Canada’s airports during the COVD-19 pandemic
- Supporting Ontario’s most vulnerable during the COVID-19 pandemic
- Amendment to allow for delivery and curbside pickup for recreational retailers
- Support for Ontario’s Tourism Industry During the COVID-19 Pandemic
- Supporting the food supply chain during the COVID-19 pandemic
- Further temporary amendments to the ESA during the COVID-19 pandemic
- Supporting renters during the COVID-19 pandemic
- Releasing cash flows for business during the COVID-19 pandemic
- Supports for small business during the COVID-19 pandemic
- Working with municipalities to support business during the COVID-19 pandemic
- Temporary amendments to the ESA and OHSA during the COVID-19 pandemic
- Extending deadline for submissions during the COVID-19 pandemic
OCC Media Releases
- January 26: Mounting Debt Not the Solution for Jobs or Economy
- January 19: Ontario Business Community Launches the COVID-19 Ontario Vaccination Support Council
- January 12: Collective Approach Required To Get Virus Under Control
- January 6: Ontario Chamber Welcomes Arrival Testing Pilot at Pearson Airport
- January 5: Ontario Chamber Calls for Faster Deployment of COVID-19 Vaccine in Canada
OCC in the News
- January 2021: Toronto Star (1, 2, 3), Toronto Sun, BNN Bloomberg (1), BNN Bloomberg (2), BNN Bloomberg (3), Financial Post
Public health and safety are priorities for all Ontario businesses. We will continue to monitor and assess new developments pertaining to COVID-19 closely and work with our members, partners, and all levels of government to provide support to Ontario business.