Please visit our new London Business COVID-19 Portal for the most up-to-date information.

Archived content:

Table of Contents - Quick Links

1. Stay Informed
2. Economic Relief
3. Webinars
4. Local Business Support for Employers
5. Can Your Business Help?
6. A Note From the LEDC Team
7. Contact Us

Stay Informed 

The following websites are providing updates about COVID-19 as they happen. Monitor these in addition to other local media outlets for more information.

Stop the Spread Business Information Line Now Open at 1-888-444-3659

Daily Updates:

• Middlesex-London Health Unit
• City of London
• Public Health Agency of Canada
• Center for Disease Control and Prevention
• Government of Ontario
• Government of Ontario: COVID-19 Multilingual Information Sheets
• World Health Organization
• The Conference Board of Canada
• List of Essential Workplaces (Ontario) 

Economic Relief 

• Overview of the Ontario and Federal Government's financial support for businesses
• FedDev Ontario Extends and Expands Regional Relief & Recovery Fund (RRRF)
• Canadian Government Funding for Manufacturers: Top Grants and Loans
• The Federal Government's resources for Canadian Businesses.
• Top 5 Government Funding Programs for Hiring and Training
• If your tourism agency or small-to-medium sized business is affected by COVID-19, Canada's Regional Development Agencies can help you keep your business running
• BDC stands ready to support companies and entrepreneurs impacted by the coronavirus COVID-19

• The Government of Canada has launched a COVID-19 Economic Response Plan. Discover support being offered to businesses

• The Business Credit Availability Program (BCAP) will allow the Business Development Bank of Canada and Export Development Canada to provide more than $10 billion of additional support, largely targeted to small and medium-sized businesses
• The Canada Revenue Agency will allow all businesses to defer, until after August 31, 2020, the payment of any income tax amounts that become owing on or after today and before September 2020
• A number of measures to help businesses support their employees have also been announced. The one-week waiting period for Employment Insurance (EI) sickness benefits has been waived and new enhancements to the Work-Sharing Program have been introduced. Additionally, an Emergency Support Benefit will be introduced for workers facing unemployment who are not eligible for EI
• Canada's six biggest banks will provide financial relief to Canadians impacted by the economic consequences of COVID-19

• Farm Credit Canada will receive support from the Government of Canada that will allow for an additional $5 billion in lending capacity to producers, agribusinesses, and food processors

Webinars 

Upcoming

• The Achievement Centre is offering free access to online learning around sales and leadership
• March 26 @ 2:00 pm: Managing an Unexpected Remote Workforce - The Conference Board of Canada
• March 26 @ 2:30 pm: Supporting Employee Transition - Ahria Consulting
• March 31 @ 12:30 pm:Livestream - iLunch - Meet the Funders - Interactive Ontario.

Past

• Communicating in Crisis: 4 Proven Strategies to Communicate During Quarantine - IABC London
• Leading Through Crisis - Communications Strategies for Leaders - The Ivey Academy
• How to Cope with the Impacts of COVID-19 on your Business - Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC)
• Making the Most of Working from Home - Ahria Consulting
• Managing the Impact on Global Supply Chains - TechAlliace, Export Development Canada (EDC)
• Navigating Marketing and Communications Amidst COVID-19 - reux, TechAlliance, LEDC, Leap Junction, Pillar Nonprofit Network, Small Business Centre, Propel Entrepreneurship
• Advice for Employers Dealing with COVID-19 - The Conference Board of Canada
• How to manage virtual teams and remote work - Ahria Consulting
• Navigating through COVID-19 - the role of HR - Ahria Consulting
• Leading in turbulent times - Ahria Consulting

Local Business Support for Employers 

• Consys Group Inc. has prepared a quick assessment tool to assist with determining how remote-work ready your business is. Once you complete the form and submit your answers, they will contact you with your assessment results in addition to some recommendations and guidance in setting your remote office up for success
• Western IT Group is offering no-charge consultations to review your organizations business continuity planning (BCP) and discuss options surrounding Voice over IP (VOIP) and Remote Access for employees, allowing your organization to remain agile and implement measures to have employees working remotely in a timely and efficient manner while minimizing operational downtime. 
• tbk is offering free work-from-home consulting to companies as they transition into a remote model. To reach out for free support, email tbk at workfromhome@tbkCreative.com
• The Food Safety Alliance (FSA) supplies antimicrobial chemicals and antiviral disinfectants to the food, beverage, and cannabis production sectors. Their disinfecting and sanitizing services are also applicable to manufacturing and other commercial facilities. Contact the FSA directly to learn more.
• rTraction has compiled a list of places in London where you can buy gift cards and/or products online in order to help businesses that have had to close their storefronts because of COVID-19.  
• The Conference Board of Canada has a series of videos to understand the impact of COVID-19 on Mental Health
• LEDC is here to support employers during these challenging economic conditions. Stay in the loop - subscribe to the LEDC newsletter for future updates regarding COVID-19 and please contact our team for support.
• Business Closures
  • London Free Press
  • CTV News London
  • CBC News London

Can Your Business Help? 

Provincially

Ontario welcomes help from businesses and organizations who can supply emergency products and innovative solutions to support our response to COVID-19. Please click the links in the corresponding bullet point that your business can help with:

• If your business or organization can provide medical products such as ventilators, swabs, masks and eye protection

• If your business or organization can help communities withstand the pandemic and you have a solution for:

  • virtual mental health services for people who are vulnerable or living in remote communities
  • supply chain resiliency monitoring
  • financial planning and advising for small businesses that can be delivered online at low-cost including advice about relief programs and how to apply

• If your business or organization has ideas, other products or services that could help Ontarians

Nationally

Are you a business that can supply products and services in support of Canada's response to COVID-19? The following are in high-demand:

Products

• Disposable N95 masks
• Disposable surgical masks
• Nitrile gloves
• Vinyl gloves
• Gowns
• Bottles of hand sanitizer
• Other prevention products

Services

• Guard/security services
• Nursing services
• Food services
• Laundry services
• Accommodation maintenance services
• Personal services
• IT support services
• Other services

For more information, please visit the Public Works and Government Services of Canada website.

Additionally,  if you are a Canadian manufacturer or business that can assist Canada in meeting the need for medical supplies, your help is needed.

If you can say yes to the following, the government wants to hear from you.

• You manufacture in Canada and/or have ready access to necessary inputs through your supply chain.
• You have equipment or facilities that can be rapidly re-tooled to meet medical needs, including for personal protective equipment (PPE) such as gloves, masks, and surgical gowns; sanitizers; wipes; ventilators; and other medical equipment and supplies.
• You have skilled workers who are able to respond and who could be available for work in the current circumstances.

The Plan to Mobilize Industry to fight COVID-19 directly supports businesses to rapidly scale up production or re-tool their manufacturing lines to develop products made in Canada that will help in the fight against COVID-19.

The National Research Council's Industrial Research Assistance Program will build on its existing relationships with thousands of Canada's most innovative small and medium-sized businesses to pose challenges to the marketplace for innovative solutions to fight COVID-19. The most promising solutions will be selected for procurement, working with Innovative Solutions Canada.

Please send a short summary of your offer to ic.mid-dim.ic@canada.ca.

A Note From the LEDC Team 

As London, Canada's lead economic development organization, the London Economic Development Corporation (LEDC) is committed to supporting the local employers and employees that drive our economy.

With health and safety top of mind right now for both the community and our staff, the LEDC will provide support via phone, email, and video conferencing. We are postponing upcoming events, meetings, and engagements until further notice and will provide these opportunities virtually wherever possible. 

This includes the London & Area Works Job Fair on April 21. We are currently exploring virtual options for a spring job fair and will notify registrants on the next steps.

We are monitoring COVID-19 closely and will continue to follow the recommendations outlined by the Public Health Agency of Canada.

These are dynamic times. Please get in touch with our team so we can support you through these challenging economic conditions. 

We look forward to staying connected virtually and hosting you at one of our events, workshops, or meetings in the future. 

Stay healthy, stay safe, and stay resilient!

-The LEDC team

Contact Us 

Looking for additional resources or information? Have an innovative idea to support local businesses during COVID-19? Let's generate solutions together. 

Please contact us using the Contact Form at the bottom of this page and let us know!