COVID-19 Update: September 10, 2020

Dear ABLE BC Members and Industry Colleagues, 

Here’s what you’ll find inside today’s update:

  • Revised Public Health Order effective immediately: please complete our 3-question survey

  • ABLE BC in the news

  • ABLE BC Webinar on September 16: The Keys to Remaining Union-Free

  • Reminder: Serving it Right expires on September 15

  • Webinar Recording: Violence Prevention and Conflict Resolution

  • 2020 Foodservice Facts Report

  • Canada Commercial Rent Assistance Program Extended

  • New signage available: illegal to purchase liquor on behalf of a minor

Find all past updates from ABLE BC here.

As always, if you have any additional questions or need to reach us you can email: 
jeff@ablebc.ca or danielle@ablebc.ca.

Revised Public Health Order effective immediately: please complete our 3-question survey

On September 8, BC’s Provincial Health Officer, Dr. Bonnie Henry announced a number of strict new restrictions aimed at curbing the spread of COVID-19.

Effective immediately, all Liquor Primary nightclubs are ordered closed indefinitely. 

Additionally, liquor service at all liquor-serving establishments must cease at 10:00 pm.

Liquor-serving establishments must close at 11:00 pm, unless they are providing meal service, in which case meal service – but not liquor service – may continue until normal closing hours.

Music or other background sounds must be no louder than the volume of normal conversation. The goal is to ensure that patrons can converse without shouting (which can increase droplet spread).

Please note: a copy of the revised public order is still now available. We will circulate the order once it is posted.

ABLE BC spoke with the Premier’s Office shortly before Dr. Henry’s announcement. They understand how frustrating and disappointing this revised order is for all of you who have been meeting or exceeding the current stringent public health protocols.

We know the devastating impacts this could have for some of your businesses. ABLE BC is working furiously behind the scenes with government to try and achieve some logical amendments to the order and get clarification on what is defined as a ‘banquet hall.’

Help us out: please respond to our short survey about the new public order by 12:00 pm tomorrow (September 11). 

This information will be used in our discussions with the Attorney General and the Provincial Health Officer – specifically to demonstrate the significant financial impact of this decision while we seek to amend this latest order.

Complete the 3-question survey here. This survey does not apply to liquor stores.

ABLE BC in the news

ABLE BC’s Executive Director spoke to 20+ news outlets this week about the revised public order, the impact this decision could have on your businesses, and the work our industry has been doing to meet or exceed the current stringent public health protocols:

  • Vancouver Sun: Nightclubs, banquet halls shut down as health officials try to lower cases among youth

  • CBC News: ‘A difficult day’: Nightclub and banquet hall operators in BC react to forced closures

  • CTV News: Clubs and banquet halls ordered to close

  • CBC Radio: Nightclubs, banquet halls, bars, restaurants. What BC is doing.

  • Globe and Mail: BC closes nightclubs, banquet halls while Ontario pauses further reopening

ABLE BC Webinar on September 16: The Keys to Remaining Union-Free

Join ABLE BC and Ryan Anderson and Mark Bout (Mathews, Dinsdale & Clark LLP) for a free webinar on September 16 from 10:00 am to 11:30 am: Positive Employee Relations & Responding to Organizing Activity – The Keys to Remaining Union Free.

REGISTER HERE.

Sign up for a crash course in the fundamentals of union organizing, from the employer’s perspective. 

Learn about what drives employees to unions, as well as the traits of good managers who avoid that fate. Also get updated on important changes to the Labour Code that have impacted your right to talk to employees about unions so that you can avoid costly mistakes.

Leave this seminar knowing you have the keys to remaining union free.

REGISTER HERE and join us on Wednesday, September 16 from 10:00 am to 11:30 am. Once registered, you will receive the Zoom link.

Reminder: Serving it Right certifications expire on September 15

A reminder for you and your staff: for individuals who have a Serving it Right card with no given expiry date (issued before September 15, 2015), these SIR certificates will now all expire September 15, 2020.

If you received your SIR after September 15, 2015, the expiry date will appear on your certificate 5 years after issue. 

Recertifications can be done here.

Webinar Recording: Violence Prevention and Conflict Resolution

On August 26, go2HR, in collaboration with the BCHA and ABLE BC, hosted a webinar on violence prevention and conflict resolution in the workplace.

Watch the recording here.

Facilitated by Phil Eastwood, a leading expert in workplace violence and conflict resolution, this session covers:

  • An overview of the history of violence prevention in British Columbia, current WorkSafeBC regulations and the legal responsibilities that they place on employers across the province.

  • The proactive steps that those in the tourism and hospitality industry can take to minimize and mitigate risks and hazards that their staff are exposed to, with a focus on issues surrounding physical distancing policies and the wearing of face masks.

  • The role and legal responsibilities of employees, front-line supervisors and managers will be examined.

  • Risk assessing using traditional methods and recent advances in ‘Visual Literacy’ will be explored, as well as a discussion on preventative and best-practice training methods.

  • The 5 Myths regarding Workplace Conflict

  • 5 things that managers and supervisors can do right now to support their staff when they are faced with COVID-19 related aggression

  • Verbal Judo: A proven de-escalation technique

Watch the recording here.

2020 Foodservice Facts Report 

Restaurants Canada 2020 Foodservice Facts report is here.

Foodservice Facts takes a new direction in 2020. Given the unprecedented impact of COVID-19 on the foodservice industry across Canada, Restaurants Canada takes a deep dive into how consumer spending changed within the foodservice industry, how operators are adapting to these changes and what lies ahead for the future.

Download the report here.

Canada Commercial Rent Assistance Program Extended

On September 8, the federal government announced that Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance (CECRA) for small businesses will be extended by one month to help eligible small businesses pay rent for September. 

All provinces and territories continue to participate in this initiative and collaborate with the federal government to provide rent supports to those small businesses most in need. Current CECRA application deadlines will also be extended to accommodate this extension.

It was also confirmed: “This will be the final extension of this program as the government explores options to support small businesses as they face the ongoing challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic — including the challenges of fixed costs at a time when health concerns and precautions prevent many businesses from operating at full capacity.”

For more information please read the government news release or visit the CECRA website.

New signage available: illegal to purchase liquor on behalf of a minor

There is new laminated signage available for purchase in ABLE BC’s online store: it is against the law to provide liquor to a minor.

Order the new sign here.

Find all other signage, including free downloadable COVID-19 signage, in ABLE BC’s online store.

For more information:

Public Health Agency of Canada Website

Updates from the Government of British Columbia

Updates and Resources from WorkSafeBC

Updates and Resources from ABLE BC

Human Resources & Occupational Health & Safety Info from go2HR

If you have any other questions or concerns, please contact ABLE BC:604-688-5560 or info@ablebc.ca.

Ann Brydle