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Resources for Businesses

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Explore this page to see what resources are available for businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

 

B.C. Business COVID-19 Support Service

The B.C. Business COVID-19 Support Service has been set up to serve as a single point of contact for businesses throughout the province looking for information on resources available during the COVID-19 pandemic. The service is operated by Small Business BC and will act as a one-stop resource to answer questions about supports available to businesses from the provincial and federal governments, industry and community partners.

 

PPE Marketplace

Small Business BC has established a Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Marketplace to connect businesses with suppliers of non-medical safety equipment. Visit the Marketplace to find PPE for your business or to list your services as a PPE supplier.

 

Federal Resources

Visit the Government of Canada’s COVID-19 Economic Response Plan - Supports for Businesses page to explore a number of federal programs and subsidies for Canadian businesses.


Provincial Resources

Visit the Provincial Health Officer's page to review provincial health orders, notices, & guidance.

Visit the B.C. Government's COVID-19 Supports for Businesses page to explore a wide-range of supports for businesses in British Columbia affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

WorkSafeBC Resources

WorkSafeBC has released industry-specific guidelines and resources. Businesses in all sectors are required to use these guidelines and resources to develop their COVID-19 safety plans and post those plans for employees and customers as they resume operations.Click here to access WorkSafeBC's guidelines.

WorkSafeBC has also made available a COVID-19 Workplace Safety Plan template and printable informational posters for businesses. Click here to access these WorkSafeBC resources.

 

Town of Sidney Resources

    Business Liaison Visits

    The Town appreciates all the measures that our business community has taken to keep their staff, customers, and the community safe and healthy. For Sidney businesses looking for additional advice regarding how to operate safely, follow public health orders, and implement WorkSafeBC protocols, the Town is here to help.

    Sidney businesses can email information@sidney.ca to book an appointment with one of our Business Liaison Ambassadors who can come to your business and offer advice and suggestions geared towards your particular operation.

    Business and Pedestrian Use of Public Space in the Downtown Core

    What the Town of Sidney is Doing
    The Town of Sidney is moving forward with options for increasing public space for pedestrians and businesses in the downtown commercial area.

    Town staff are monitoring pedestrian levels, lineups for commercial businesses and demand for outdoor seating for food vending businesses. Pinch points will be addressed by repurposing on-street parking spaces as protected pedestrian spaces or outdoor seating areas. Staff will ensure that accessibility is maintained. If closing streets to traffic or repurposing entire block faces of on-street parking spaces is warranted, staff will report back to Council and initiate public engagement.

    On June 8, 2020, Council adopted an amendment to Sidney’s Off-Street Parking and Loading Bylaw which allows restaurants, cafés, and pubs to use a maximum of 50% of their privately owned parking spaces for outdoor seating for patrons, while still ensuring that the number of designated accessible parking spaces is maintained. Businesses looking for more information on the Off-Street Parking and Loading Bylaw amendments can email developmentservices@sidney.ca.

    Council also adopted an amendment to the Sidewalk Café Regulations and Licensing Bylaw which allows business owners to apply to the Town for a permit to place outdoor café seating for patrons in public on-street parking spaces in addition to the previously permitted outdoor café seating on public sidewalks. The amendment also increased the minimum width of sidewalk space to be kept clear for passing pedestrians from 2 metres to 3 metres in order to allow for safe physical distancing between all users of our downtown public spaces. Businesses looking for more information on sidewalk and roadside cafés can email engineeringadministration@sidney.ca.

     

    Business Associations

    Regional, provincial, and national business and economic development associations are working hard to compile resources for our local business community. If you have any questions regarding resources available for businesses, visit their websites or contact them directly.