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Home » Statement from Randall Smallbone, Chair of Burlington Economic Recovery Network, Regarding Fairness for Local Business During COVID-19

Statement from Randall Smallbone, Chair of Burlington Economic Recovery Network, Regarding Fairness for Local Business During COVID-19

*Please see below a statement from Randall Smallbone, Chair of the Burlington Economic Recovery Network (BERN) led by Team Burlington.

GENERAL NEWS

February 11, 2021

On December 10, the Burlington Economic Recovery Network (BERN), Team Burlington and the City of Burlington advocated at a special meeting of Council to call on the Province for business equity and capacity caps in retail stores to be based on store occupancy rather than hard caps and closures. With Premier Ford’s announcement on February 8th, we learned that the Province has listened.

When Burlington businesses return to the colour coded reopening Framework on February 16, our retail businesses will be able to stay open in all tiers including grey/lockdown, and occupancy will be based on a store’s capacity limits.

As we anticipate rapid adjustments to zones and rules for businesses based on the response to new variants, this change in policy will be critical in helping our retail businesses continue to generate revenues and survive through COVID-19 restrictions.

On behalf of BERN and Team Burlington, we are appreciative of the support from City Council, and to the Province for listening to the needs of businesses and recognizing that safety measures cannot be applied as a “one-size-fits-all” solution. These changes will undoubtedly make a significant difference for our small businesses by allowing them to keep their doors open and remain competitive in today’s challenging market.

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PLEASE NOTE: To stay updated on what the City of Burlington is doing regarding COVID-19, please visit the dedicated pages burlington.ca/coronavirus (and subscribe) and bit.ly/mayormeedwardCOVID19updates, and our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page — bit.ly/COVID19BurlingtonFAQ that are updated as new information becomes available.

A consolidated page for information and updates on the work of the provincial Ministers’ COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution Task Force is available at bit.ly/COVIDVaccineUpdates.

Halton Region has also created a dedicated COVID-19 Vaccine webpage for up to date information on the status of our COVID19 vaccination program.

A Burlington COVID-19 Task Force has been created to help support our community through this unprecedented emergency — updates will be provided at burlington.ca/COVID19taskforce.

To report an incident of non-compliance with provincial emergency orders, please contact the Halton Regional Police Service COVID-19 Hotline: 905-825-4722.

We’ve also created a dedicated page to feature the local organizations and businesses that have inspired us during the COVID-19 pandemic by taking action to support our community in new and creative ways — head to bit.ly/covidwallofinspiration.

HELPFUL RESOURCES & RELATED LINKS:

Community questions and requests regarding City of Burlington services can be directed to Service Burlington by phone at 905-335-7777, by email at city@burlington.ca or online.
Halton Region has created a Reopening Schools resource webpage for parents, students and teachers at halton.ca/covid19.
For further COVID-19 information, including where to get tested, please visit Halton Region Public Health halton.ca/coronavirus
Residents can stay informed at burlington.ca/coronavirus as well as on our social media channels: @cityburlington on Twitter and facebook.com/cityburlington
Questions about the cancellation of Recreation programs can be directed to rentals@burlington.ca or liveandplay@burlington.ca or 905-335-7738
City of Burlington: www.burlington.ca/coronavirus
Resources for Residents & Non-Profit Organizations: www.burlington.ca/covid19resources.
Halton Region: www.halton.ca/coronavirus
Government of Ontario: www.ontario.ca/coronavirus
- Provincial Emergency Orders: https://www.ontario.ca/laws/regulation/200052
Government of Canada: www.canada.ca/coronavirus
World Health Organization: www.who.int
Joseph Brant Hospital: josephbranthospital.ca/covid-19
Team Burlington Business Supports: burlingtonchamber.com/team-burl-supporting-burl-business-during-covid-19/
Burlington Food Bank: call 905-637-CARE (2273), or visit burlingtonfoodbank.ca
Food for Life: call 905-635-1106 and press 7, or visit foodforlife.ca
Canadian Mental Health Association – Halton Branch: call 289-291-5396, or visit halton.cmha.ca

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*Posted by John Bkila, Mayor’s Media and Digital Communications Specialist

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