Regional Council approves $1.1M to support local economic recovery

Waterloo Region – Today, Regional Council approved funding for two programs supporting the local business community: a COVID-Safe Ambassador Program for small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) and a Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and COVID-19 retrofit program for SMEs. 

Both programs will be rolled out over the coming months alongside community partners, including the Greater Kitchener-Waterloo Chamber of Commerce, the Cambridge Chamber of Commerce and Explore Waterloo Region. The programs are funded through the $3 million Strategic Investments for Business Supports approved by Regional Council over two years to enhance supports and services to businesses beyond COVID-19.

“Since the onset of COVID-related safety measures, businesses have been asking for increased clarity and information on how to operate safely in different stages of the Province’s framework,” said Helen Jowett, Regional Councillor and Regional Economic Development Committee Chair.  “The COVID-Safe Ambassador Program is a direct response to this need and is the first of its kind in Canada. We are certain it will help increase customer confidence as our region moves into economic recovery.”

The program, which is free and voluntary for businesses, will hire and train students from local post-secondary health programs to act as ambassadors, tasked to help educate businesses. The ambassadors will be available for in-person consultations and to provide businesses with customized information and resources based on Ontario’s colour-coded stages. Businesses who work with the program’s ambassadors will receive a sticker to be displayed in the workplace’s window. The intention is to provide business owners, employees and patrons with additional confidence in the safety of the workplace.

The program has been designed by NSF International, a global public health and safety organization, in cooperation with local business organizations, and reviewed by Region of Waterloo Public Health. The first phase of the program, which is targeted to launch in early May, will support up to 5,000 SMEs across Waterloo Region.

The second program to receive funding is a Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and COVID retrofit program for SMEs. Through a partnership with Explore Waterloo Region, $200,000 will go toward an existing funding program for local businesses. The funding provides businesses with compensation for the additional costs required to buy PPE and install other minor COVID-19 related retrofits.

The PPE program began earlier this year when the Federal government provided Waterloo Region with some initial funding, however the demand was higher than the funding provided.

“Local businesses requested 300 per cent more funding than was available,” said Regional Chair, Karen Redman. “As part of Regional Council’s Vision for Beyond COVID-19, the doubling of this program is part of our $3 million strategic investment through the 2021 budget to help alleviate financial pressures business owners have been forced to take on.”

More information on the COVID-Safe Ambassador Program and applications to apply for retrofit PPE funding will be available in the coming weeks.   

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