By Bob Peters,
Cornwall Ontario – As Ontario begins to reopen the economy, each business owner in Cornwall will need to examine their operations and make changes to meet public safety guidelines. Cornwall Economic Development has developed an online Business Reopening Toolkit to help in this process.
The Toolkit is a collection of resources that include a 6-page guidebook, and a number of posters, fact sheets and guidelines – including an easy to use calculator for determining the maximum number of people allowed in a store under current social distancing guidelines.
“The business community is an extremely important part of Cornwall and it is essential that they feel supported throughout these unprecedented times,” said Mayor Bernadette Clement. “We are delighted to make this tool kit available to assist in reopening the economy and keeping our residents, staff and business leaders safe and protected.”
Public health safety guidelines require that people maintain a distance of 2 metres (6 feet). Business owners are required to meet a number of standards such as providing a protective barrier at cash points and limiting the number of people in a store at any time.
“Consumers and store staff work need to work together to keep each other safe,” says Bob Peters, Manager of Cornwall Economic Development. “In addition to gathering all of the guidelines in one easy to access place, we have also provided design files that business owners can use to print off colourful posters, signs and floor decals.”
Business Reopening Toolkit
The toolkit provides the following resources, compiled from a number of sources including the Eastern Ontario Health Unit and Province of Ontario.
- 6-Page Reopening Guidebook
- Posters Signs and Decals
- Maximum Occupancy Calculator
- Factsheets and Guidelines
- Sector Specific Workplace Safety Protocols
- Download the above documents in one handy space:
The Business Reopening Toolkit is just one of several measures the City of Cornwall has implemented to provide relief during the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to offering free parking in the Downtown and Le Village shopping distiricts, the City is deferring property tax payments and has also established the Small Business Emergency Support Loan to help local businesses.
The Cornwall Business Enterprise Centre is also offering a series of free webinars for local business owners to get caught up on best practices.
For additional information on the COVID-19 pandemic and supports available to businesses, including a toolkit for local business owners, please on the link below..
We summarize the latest news about the impacts of COVID-19 on Cornwall businesses on a daily basis. Click on the following link to view:
