The Delta Chamber of Commerce has gained support from business organizations across the country in its work to advocate for the federal government to partner with provincial and local governments to provide guaranteed, flexible funding and a streamlined approval process to address long term climate change related disaster mitigation projects.

This week, a Delta Chamber of Commerce policy resolution, supported by co-sponsoring neighbour chambers, the Richmond Chamber of Commerce and Surrey Board of Trade, entitled “Funding for Climate Change Adaptation – Severe Weather Disaster Mitigation Through Flood Protection” was adopted at the Canadian Chamber of Commerce virtual AGM. As a result, the resolution will now become a policy of the national chamber, which represents over 200,000 businesses across Canada and will form part of its advocacy agenda with the federal government.

The resolution includes recommendations to develop and implement a national action plan to address the specific issues of flood prevention and adaptation and asks for collaboration between multiple stakeholders. In a letter to Delta MP Carla Qualtrough about the adoption of the Chamber’s resolution, Delta Chamber of Commerce Board Chair Yvonne Anderson said that the low-lying areas of Delta and Tsawwassen First Nation are protected by  “67km of dikes which need to be upgraded and raised by at least 1.2 metres in order to meet sea level rise by 2100”, and a 2009 report by the Collaborative for Advanced Landscape Planning at UBC showed that over 25,000 people were at risk of displacement and $5.85 billion in land and building value were at risk of damage at the time. These figures have only grown since the time of reporting.

Recent estimates have the cost to raise and upgrade the dikes and seawalls around Delta, to meet the 2100 sea level rise, at $2 billion. Other communities in ocean and river-front communities across Canada face similar challenges. The federal government’s funding program to support communities in building, upgrading, or repairing large-scale infrastructure projects (Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Fund) currently totals only $2 billion for all projects across all of Canada.
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“We thank our fellow Chambers and Boards of Trade for their support and are pleased to report that our assembly voted 97% in favour of adopting our policy resolution. This level of support shows us that the issues of climate change adaptation and mitigation measures are becoming critical  for communities across Canada.” said Garry Shearer, Executive Director of the Delta Chamber of Commerce. “We’re calling on the federal government to take collaborative action in order to develop a strategic plan for funding and approval of flood prevention infrastructure investments over time through taking action on these recommendations before it’s too late.”
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The Delta Chamber of Commerce is a member-based organization of business and professional people, which works to promote our members’ collective commercial interests; to build a healthy economy and improve the quality of life in our community and to advocate for the interests of the Delta business community with all levels of government. 

​Today the federal government introduced new, proposed legislation for targeted supports to help hard-hit small businesses and other organizations experiencing a drop in revenue. These program changes are intended as “go-forward” measures (not retroactive) to help support businesses “safely get through the second wave of the virus and the winter, cover costs so they can continue to serve their communities, and be positioned for a strong recovery.”
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The proposed funding includes the following:

• Canada Emergency Rent Subsidy (CERS)
  • Replaces CECRA program, which ended September 30th, 2020
  • Administrated through the CRA instead of the CMHC program like the CECRA program had been
  • Subsidy provided directly to tenants instead of through the landlord
  • Provided on a sliding scale, up to a maximum of 65% of eligible expenses until December 19, 2020. Organizations would be able to make claims retroactively for the period that began September 27 and ends October 24, 2020
  • In addition to this 65%, a top-up would be available for organizations temporarily shut down by mandatory public health order; bringing the total available for these businesses up to 90% of eligible expenses
• Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS)
  • Extended to June 2021
  • Subsidy rate to continue at the current max rate of 65% of eligible wages until December 2020
• Canada Emergency Business Account (CEBA)
  • Expansion of program for those already eligible for CEBA
  • In addition to the current $40,000 a further interest-free loan of up to $20,000 available, of which half (up to $10,000) would be forgivable if repaid by December 31st, 2022
  • Application date is being extended to December 31st, 2020

 
This proposed legislation follows on the passage of legislation last Friday which created new federal financial supports for individuals facing income loss due to COVID-19 and takes over with the end of the Canada Emergency Response Benefit program. You can find a summary of these individual federal financial supports here.

Application Process for Provincial Small and Medium-Sized Business Recovery Grant Program Now Open - Apply Now!

The Small and Medium-Sized Business Recovery Grant Program will invest up to $300 million in targeted financial support for some of the hardest hit businesses that employ between two and 149 BC residents and have experienced declines in revenue since March 10, 2020. Grants of $10,000 to $30,000 are available. An additional $5,000 to $10,000 grant is available to eligible tourism-related businesses that have been hit especially hard by COVID-19.The program runs until March 31st, 2021 or until the funds are fully allocated, whichever comes first. Learn more at:
www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/economic-recovery/business-recovery-grant
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The Delta Chamber of Commerce is here to support you and your business during this challenging time of COVID-19. If you have any questions around the programs, services, and supports available, please contact Lydia Elder our Manager of Policy Development, Government & Stakeholder Relations who will glad to assist you. You can contact her by email at lydia@deltachamber.ca or by phone at 694-946-4232.