Action Now: Rent relief for small & medium business
It is clear that local businesses require a rent relief program with improved administration and eligibility.
Team Burlington has penned an advocacy letter to Premier Ford and PM Trudeau regarding the effectiveness of the Ontario-Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance Program (OCECRA) to assist property owners and tenants in escalating their concerns to senior levels of government. The letter highlights problems related to the current program's eligibility criteria and the administrative complexity and burden on the applicants.
Local businesses are invited to add their signature to THE ADVOCACY LETTER and place on company letterhead. Upon completion, please return a signed copy to info@burlingtonchamber.com on or before Monday, May 25th, 2020 at 4 pm. The Chamber will forward copies to the Office of the Premier, the Office of the Prime Minister and all Provincial and Federal Ministers and representatives noted on the correspondence.
We have heard from the business community that the burden of fixed costs are often the most crushing while under emergency orders to closed their doors to customers. We also know that municipalities have the clearest understanding of their local economic landscape. This letter is a strong step in bringing more voices to the call for rent relief through improved program administration and eligibility.
The key to ensure ongoing economic stability is rent relief that is reasonable and easy to secure uptake by commercial property owners. The federal-provincial government needs to simplify the eligibility by allowing for more participation. This is the key to having all parties at the table.
It is also clear that there is a groundswell of support for rent relief - not deferral. Small and medium business owners, including retail, hospitality, and services are calling up to governments to deliver programs that will allow them to survive the pandemic and resume rental payments once restrictions are lifted. It is important the principal of fairness and equity include governments, business operators and commercial property owners all come together to execute a program that ensures we have jobs to go back to when this is over.
By making the advocacy changes, when the Ontario-Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance Program (OCECRA) opens next week, we all anticipate a positive uptake. Here’s a look at why?
Since the emergence of the COVID-19 crisis, Team Burlington has been taking a coordinated approach with Burlington’s business support organizations. in supporting businesses during COVID-19. Team Burlington is reassessing workplans and priorities daily as the COVID-19 crisis continues to ensure our business community has the most up-to-date resources, information and support they need. During this challenging time, efforts have focused on advocating for the interests of business and the provision of relief measures to ensure the viability of businesses into the future with all levels of government.
