I've just listened to the PM's morning address and he opened by saying "ask for help if you need it".  He also stated that he will be doing a call tonight with all of the Premiers to discuss what's needed.

 

Julie - we've been asking for help for small business owners and their landlords.  In yesterday's email we detailed the issues:

- 75% wage subsidy isn't helpful for all of the small businesses that have been mandated to close - they don't have employees to subsidize. 

- The $40K loan has parameters that don't work for most small and medium businesses - specifically the wage range of $50k to $100K and the 5% interest that will be charged if the loan isn't paid back by Dec. 2022.  Also, the loan is just adding to already increasing debt for all businesses.

- The help that is needed and is being asked for is the creation of a rent relief program for both our businesses and landlords.  One that can be accessed immediately, one that doesn't add to every ones increasing debt.

 

Peter - it's our hope that you can somehow get the above issues onto the Premier's list for his discussion with the PM tonight.

 

Paula - Can the Mayor try to get the above issues onto the Premier's list for the discussion tonight.

 

Yesterday a number of our members and landlords pushed the above messages via media interviews.  I've selected one to include in this email today.  Nathan Hines, owner of The Auld Spot Pub, participated in CBC's Power & Politics.  Here is the link - once you're on the site please scroll about 3/4 of the way down the page and you'll get to the program and the interview.  I think Nathan's comments perfectly mirror the frustrations that are being felt by all.  Julie, Peter, Paula - I urge you to please take a moment to watch.

Last night Peter Tabuns emailed me to ask - if the $50k minimum for the $40k loan is too high, what would be a better minimum figure.  I didn't want to answer until I heard back from all of you, our member businesses.  Would $40k or $30k minimum work better?  If you could please reply and press "reply all" so that Julie, Peter, Paula and I get your answer.

Thank you so much to all of our businesses who have posted the graphic and message on your social media platforms and shared the campaign with your fellow colleagues and friends and urged them to post as well.

I want to create phase 2 of the campaign and this would involve promoting the rent range that small businesses have to pay.  I'm not sure that people understand that commercial rent is often much higher than residential rent and we want to make that clear.  I don't want to know what you each pay in rent (that's your personal information) - I want to know what range is good to promote.  If we said that commercial rents can range from $3,000 to $10,000 a month would that be appropriate?  Please let me know.

 

Thanks,

Susan