Insight Newsletter: Special COVID-19 Edition 3

Stay up to date on relevant and timely business and economic news and resources during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

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Building customer confidence

Does your business have a safety plan?

All businesses re-opening as part of BC’s Restart Plan must have a COVID-19 Safety Plan on-site that outlines the policies, guidelines, and procedures the business has put in place to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission. WorkSafeBC’s website contains easy-to-use information on the required COVID-19 Safety Plan and Returning to Safe Operation general guidelines.

Display our branded safety commitment statement

The Township of Langley has partnered with the Greater Langley Chamber of Commerce, Tourism Langley, and the four local Business Associations in our community to create a Safety Commitment Statement to let customers know the steps your business has taken to minimize the possibility of customers and employees being exposed to COVID-19.

The print poster can be displayed in a highly visible area of your business for customers to see, and the digital decal can be added to your business website. By displaying the poster and decal, your business commits to maintaining a compliant COVID-19 Safety Plan.

To get a poster or decal for your business, email invest@tol.ca with a picture of the business owner and/or employees standing in front of your business holding your visible COVID-19 Safety Plan. Make sure to include your full legal business name and address. Staff will review your submission promptly and a printed poster/digital decal will be delivered to successful businesses. Your picture submission will also be featured in our new online photo gallery of businesses that have reopened in the Township of Langley – another way to let customers know that you’re Open for Business.

Building your online business market and increasing your profile

Hire-a-Student funding

Trying to understand how to move your bricks-and-mortar business online? You’re not alone! Faced with a changing sales landscape due to COVID-19, many small businesses have had to adapt quickly, taking their sales online rather than in-store. Whether you’re looking to build a new website, develop a digital marketing strategy, or build up your social media presence, having a tech-savvy resource on your team is a must. The newly expanded, provincially funded Innovator Skills Initiative (ISI) grant program can help add this type of talent to your small business.

The ISI is a wage subsidy program that helps companies and non-profits hire post-secondary students for tech roles. It’s running until April 30, 2021. Eligible companies can get up to $10,000 in wage subsidies to hire a BC student.

Local students seeking work experience opportunities  - School District No.35

School District No. 35 is interested in working with local businesses to provide local high school students with valuable work experience and potential apprenticeship opportunities for the fall. If your business is looking to hire students this summer, School District No. 35 is offering to share your job posting information with its Career Advisors until the end of June at no cost. If this seems like a great fit for your business, please reach out to Dustin at invest@tol.ca.

Free online gift card platform

SupportLocalBC in partnership with LOCO BC has created a website for online direct-to-consumer gift card sales at no cost to local independent businesses. Businesses do not need to supply physical plastic cards as customers will purchase digital cards online. Businesses will receive the full value paid by e-transfer each month. Visit SupportLocalBC and sign up for this free opportunity to build your customer base online.

Patio permitting and mobile food vendor permits

Patios

The Township has adopted a new policy directive supporting the temporary expansion of service areas for businesses with existing liquor licences. While occupancy limits cannot change, the new measures will permit seating in previously unused places such as parking lots and sidewalks, where possible, to provide sufficient space for social distancing requirements. Establishments that would like to expand patios onto private property have Council pre-approval to go ahead with their plans.

Those who want to expand patios onto public space, such as sidewalks, require a permit from the Township’s Engineering Division at 604-533-6006 or enginfo@tol.ca.

Food trucks

Council also expanded the scope of where food trucks can operate in the Township. The Township will now be accepting business licence applications for any zone where restaurant use is permitted, and issuing licences on a seasonal basis for each location where the vendor requests to operate.

Food trucks making use of the new provisions must provide food for take-out only, with no tables, chairs, or covered areas, and must comply with all bylaws. Visit our Business Licences webpage to apply.

We’re here to help your business

The Township’s Economic Investment and Development team remains available to help support our local business community. Contact Val, Nav, or Dustin via email to invest@tol.ca or call us at 604-533-6084. For general Township COVID-19 updates visit tol.ca/covid19.