September e-Publication

Regional Business Impact and Recovery Survey

Survey takes 6 minutes to complete

The survey will work in partnership with local municipalities to assess the implications of COVID-19 on the local business community. The results will provide insight on how our Region’s (broken down to each Municipality) local business community has been dealing with the economic impact of COVID-19 and its path to business recovery. The information collected from the survey will help guide economic development stakeholders from across the Region to provide relevant information to the business community, develop programs and services to support local business recovery, and advocate for upper-level government resources.

COVID-19 Update Posters

Seniors

Youth

Businesses

COVID-19 Stimulus & Grant Updates

SME Relaunch Grant

The Small and Medium Enterprise Relaunch Grant offers financial assistance to Alberta businesses, cooperatives, and non-profit organizations that were ordered to close or curtail operations, and that experienced a revenue reduction of at least 50%, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Eligible organizations can apply for 15% of their pre-COVID-19 revenue, up to a maximum of $5,000 in funding.

Businesses, cooperatives and non-profits can use these funds as they see fit to help offset a portion of their relaunch costs, such as implementing measures to minimize the risk of virus transmission, which could include:

physical barriers
purchasing personal protective equipment and disinfecting supplies
paying rent and employee wages
replacing inventory and more

To find more information: https://www.alberta.ca/sme-relaunch-grant.aspx

Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) - CLOSED

The Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) ends when you have received 28 weeks of benefits or on October 3, 2020, whichever comes first. For those who applied through the Canada Revenue Agency, the last four-week period for the CERB was August 30, 2020 through September 26, 2020.

On August 20th, 2020, the Government of Canada announced changes to the Employment Insurance (EI) program and new recovery benefits that will better support Canadians. These recovery benefits are subject to Parliamentary approval.

As of September 27, 2020 if you are eligible for Employment Insurance, further information can be found on the Employment Insurance benefits and leave web page.

Legislation for the new recovery benefits is currently before Parliament. If passed, the benefits would apply retroactively to begin as of September 27, 2020 to avoid a gap in coverage after the CERB. More information on the proposed new Recovery Benefits will be made available online in the coming weeks.

CEWS Phase 5 - November 21

CEWS Periods 5 to 9 (July 5 to November 21, 2020)

Eligible employers who had any drop in revenue can now qualify for the wage subsidy, starting with the claim periods that began July 5.

As a Canadian employer who has seen a drop in revenue due to COVID-19, you may be eligible for a subsidy to cover part of your employee wages, retroactive to March 15. This subsidy will enable you to re-hire workers, help prevent further job losses, and ease you back into normal operations.

Changes to CEWS as of claim period 5:

the subsidy rate varies, depending on how much your revenue dropped
if your revenue drop was less than 30% you can still qualify, and keep getting the subsidy as employees return to work and your revenue recovers
employers who were hardest hit over a period of three months get a higher amount
employees who were unpaid for 14 or more days can now be included in your calculation
use the current period’s revenue drop or the previous period’s, whichever works in your favour
for periods 5 and 6, if your revenue dropped at least 30%, your subsidy rate will be at least 75%
even if your revenue has not dropped for the claim period, you can still qualify if your average revenue over the previous three months dropped more than 50%
the maximum base subsidy rate is 60% in claim periods 5 and 6
the maximum base subsidy rate will begin to decline in claim period 7, gradually reducing to 20% in period 9

CEWS Infographic

CERCA Extension - August 31

Application Process:

New applicants can apply for up to 5 months of rent assistance (from April through August) all at once. Once the initial application is pre-approved, you must then opt-in for September.

Extension Information:

Anyone who is eligible for CECRA for small businesses is also eligible for the extensions.

If you have already been approved for rental assistance

Login to the CECRA Portal using your existing username and password.
Select “Apply for Extension”. You must request July and August before opting-in for the September extension.
Select the tenants you wish to include in the request from the prepopulated list of tenants in your initial application. (You can’t add tenants to the list and can only apply for the extensions once.)
Submit your request.
Notify your tenants that you have requested the extensions.

You have submitted your application and are waiting to hear if it has been approved

You may apply for the extensions once you have received an email notification that your existing application has been approved.

If you have previously been approved, you automatically qualify for the extensions and no additional documents are required. Not all tenants in the original application need to be included in the request for the July and/or August extension.

Your loan will be forgiven

CECRA for small businesses offers you a forgivable loan worth 50% of the value of your small business’ rent each month. The loans will be forgiven if you comply with all applicable program terms and conditions — including to not recover forgiven rent amounts when the program is over.

NOTE: In the event of default, you (the property owner), will be obligated to repay the loan in full.

To find more information: https://www.cmhc-schl.gc.ca/en/finance-and-investing/covid19-cecra-small-business

Tourism Cooperative Investment Program

Travel Alberta acknowledges the extraordinary circumstances and challenges that tourism businesses are dealing with in our province. The Cooperative Investment Program is to assist tourism operators and regions across Alberta to RESTART consumer marketing activities and aid in the development of traveller products, experiences, and packaging in a COVID-19 travel environment.

The second intake of applications for the Cooperative Investment Program will be open from September 1-30, 2020.

Learn More

Award Finalists Announced!

Business of the Year 1 - 35 Employees | Sponsored by: Main Street Law LLP

Homegrown Foods Ltd.
Hyperspace Comics & Games Ltd.
Twice as Nice Consignment Ltd.

Business of the Year 36+ Employees | Sponsored by: Zender Ford Sales

North Central Co-op Association Ltd.
Bridge to Care

Community Award of Distinction | Presented by: Village of Wabamun

Gossamer Gallery & Gifts
Wabamun Lakeside Liquor
Wabamun Medical Clinic

Cultural Diversity Award of Distinction | Sponsored by: TransAlta

Horizon Orthodontics
Spruce Grove Public Library

Growth & Community Award of Distinction | Presented by: Parkland County

Elements Games & Collectibles Ltd.
Vanity Collective Salon and Spa Inc.
Wildflower Hair Salon Ltd.

Marketing Award of Distinction | Sponsored by: Panda Rose Consulting Studios Inc.

A-Win Insurance
Gossamer Gallery & Gifts
Tammy Colbow - Royal Lepage Noralta Real Estate

New Business of the Year Award of Distinction | Sponsored by: Decker Properties Group Inc. and Decker Properties Management Ltd.

BioMass Energy Techniques Inc.
Unlimited Chrome Inc.

Outstanding Customer Service Award of Distinction | Sponsored by: North Central Co-op

Crave Beauty + Wellness Lab
Twice as Nice Consignment Ltd.
Vanity Collective Salon and Spa Inc.

Young Entrepreneur Award of Distinction | Sponsored by: EQUS REA Ltd.

Brave Girls
Crave Beauty + Wellness Lab
Too Cool Cookies and Cones

The Greater Parkland Regional Chamber Business Awards of Distinction are held annually in celebration of the best of the businesses in the Greater Parkland Region of Spruce Grove, Stony Plain, Parkland County and Wabamun.

The awards will be held virtually on Thursday, October 22. You can catch the live stream on our Facebook page.

Full Press Release

Hon. Pierre Poilievre visits the Tri-Region

Hon. Pierre Poilievre

Cheque presentation to Parkland Head Injury Association from the Golf Tournament 50/50

MP Dane Lloyd

Left to right: Hon. Pierre Poilievre, Jodie MacPherson, Julie Roberts, Cathy Fournier, Kendra Wambold

In partnership with the Acheson Business Association, the Greater Parkland Regional Chamber of Commerce welcomed the Conservative Shadow Minister for Finance, MP Poilievre to provide his insightful perspective on the COVID-19 pandemic and how it has presented our businesses and economy with a unique set of challenges.

Missed the event, you can check out the video of the event on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=754491835121519

Watch the Video on Facebook

Chair's Blog

The month of September symbolizes a refocusing of our energies. It is the first month of the Autumn or Fall Season and a time to reflect and prepare for the Winter Season ahead. It is also a time to gather up the harvest in preparation for upcoming months.