We've been working on Round 2 of the Don't Turn Out The Lights campaign that was launched last week.  We need your help again in getting this out on all of your social media platforms.  Attached please find the Round 2 graphics for social media (Instagram, Twitter, FaceBook) and the Social Media directions and suggested text sheet.  Again, I'm asking you to break the usual rules surrounding social media posts and post this on a regular basis (along with the posts you're doing for your businesses).  This is an awareness and pressure campaign and, like all campaigns, the more it is seen the more effective it is.  Our BIA social media manager, Eszter, will be regularly posting this and I know that a lot of you follow us on social media so when you see our post perhaps you can use that as a reminder to repost on your sites.

 

Based on conversations that Albert Stortchak (Board Chair) and I have had with our MP Julie Dabrusin and our MPP Peter Tabuns over the past few days, it was suggested that Round 2 should be specifically directed towards the Provincial Government - Premier Ford and Minister Prabmeet Singh Sarkaria (Minister of Small Business and Red Tape).  Also attached is the rent relief proposal created by the NDP this past weekend.  Peter shared it with us on Monday morning and said that they needed help getting it in front of the Government.  I've also attached the current information pertaining to small businesses that Premier Ford's Ontario government has issued as part of their Ontario Action Plan - it is woefully lacking in addressing the true need - rent relief for small businesses and their landlords.

 

There was also a very good article addressing the issues posed by the Federal Emergency Loan program for small businesses - here's the link:

Meet the legit small businesses who don't qualify for the government's emergency COVID-19 loans
Some small businesses desperate to access the federal government's emergency COVID-19 loan program say that $40,000 could save their business, but they don't qualify because of how the rules have been set up.

Read in CBC News: https://apple.news/AxxgmlJ3UQmeB-h0eLeinaw

 

Thank you all for your help with this.  As always, your voice matters and needs to be heard in order to push for changes that are so badly needed.

 

Susan