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.
COVID-19 Pandemic Preparedness Toolkit
The OCC & Hicks Morley have created a COVID-19 Pandemic Preparedness Toolkit to support Ontario businesses.
Organizations need to be prepared for any human resources or operational-related disruptions. The guidelines and resources contained in this toolkit have been prepared to help businesses plan for and adapt to the disruption of COVID-19 and any future influenza pandemics.
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:
- OCC Letter of Support: Continued Operation of Enbridge’s Line 5
- 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
- November 20: Troubled Times Call For Clear Signals
- November 11: Business Confidence Remains Low Amid Second Wave and Continued Uncertainty
- November 5: Business Community Welcomes Pandemic Supports; Incentives for Growth and Competitiveness in Ontario’s Budget 2020
- November 4: Accelerating Internet Is Imperative to Economic Recovery
- November 2: Ontario Business Should Play a Key Role in Budget 2020
- October 28: Ontario Chamber Announces Ontario Business Achievement Award CEO of the Year
- October 20: Chambers of Commerce and Boards of Trade Support Canada United to Help Local Businesses and Accelerate Business Recovery
- October 15: Small Business: Too Big To Ignore
- October 9: Further Support for Business Critical
- October 8: Grim View on Economy, But Businesses Cautiously Optimistic About Their Outlook
- October 7: Support for Small Business Means Support for Economic Recovery
- October 6: Regulatory Modernization Must Adapt to COVID-19 Realties
- October 2: Additional Regional Economic Funding Welcomed By Chamber
- August 27: Chambers of Commerce and Boards of Trade Support Small Businesses by Shopping and Dining Local with The Canada United Shopping Weekend
- August 24: Joseph Stiglitz Kicks Off Ontario Chamber of Commerce’s Ontario Economic Series
OCC in the News
- Week of November 23: Newstalk 1010 (1), Newstalk 1010 (2), The Niagara Independent
- Week of November 16: Exchange Magazine, CBC News, Sault Star, BNN Bloomberg
- Week of November 9: Exchange Magazine (1), Exchange Magazine (2), Skies Magazine, Northern Ontario Business
- Week of November 2: Toronto Sun, Info News, Financial Post, MSN Canada, Toronto Sun, CBC News, Windsor Star
- Week of October 26: Restro Biz, Cision, Fort Mcmurray Today, Electric Energy Online
- Week of October 19: Cision, DailyHive, Hotelier Magazine
- Week of October 12: Cision, Toronto Sun
- Week of October 5: Toronto Sun (1), Toronto Sun (2)
- Week of September 28: Daily Commercial News
- Week of September 21: Financial Post
- Week of September 14: Toronto Sun
- Week of September 7: Global News, CTV News (1), CTV News (2), BNN Bloomberg (1), BNN Bloomberg (2), BNN Bloomberg (3), The Star
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.