Business as usual? Helping women entrepreneurs move forward in a time of uncertainty.
This is an uneasy time for all Canadians. For entrepreneurs, there are many additional layers of uncertainty around things like supply chains and export, business closures, remote working and employee illness. We are working with our members to provide relevant resources that will help you today, and as you move your business forward.
Find a wealth of advice, insight, resources, articles and more from the symposium on our event resources page.
Thank you to all of our participants, panelists and presenters for making this event so useful and successful.
NEWS – GOVERNMENT AND MAJOR LENDERS
May 16 – Minister Ng announces more support for women entrepreneurs amid COVID-19
May 15: Government extends the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy
15 mai: Le gouvernement étend la Subvention salariale d’urgence du Canada
April 27 – Canadian Business Resilience Network
27 avril – Réseau de résilience des entreprises canadiennes
April 15 – Expanded access to Canada Emergency Response Benefit Announced Toda
15 avril – Qu’est-ce que la Prestation canadienne d’urgence?
April 8 – Small businesses take note: Updates to eligibility requirements to Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy
April 6 – Today’s the Day: Apply for Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) with CRA
6 avril – Demander la Prestation canadienne d’urgence (PCU) auprès de l’ARC
Key Links
- Government of Canada COVID-19 Economic Response Plan/
- Government of Canada Resources for Businesses/
- Find an outline of the Federal Government’s COVID-19 Economic Response Plan, which includes specific information for individuals, businesses and sectors.
- BDC – Supports For Entrepreneurs/
- Canada Revenue Agency/
- Find financial help during COVID-19 – 10 questions
Trouver de l’aide financière pendant la COVID-19 - Work-Sharing Program/
Resources by Audience:
Small Businesses:
- Attend: Resiliency for entrepreneurs – why is this topic so important right now? Take a deep dive during a 5-day free program from Forum for Women Entrepreneurs launches June 8.
- Watch: EDC: COVID-19: Get financing and support for your business Join a panel of experts will provide guidelines on how you can access the financial relief and safeguards available to you.
- Watch: AmberMac – A Conversation with Small Business Minister Mary Ng
- Read/Watch: Canadian Chamber of Commerce – The Five Things SMEs Need to Know/
- Watch: BDC – COVID-19: Economic Impact and the Way Out (En/Fr)
- Read: Women’s Enterprise Centre of Manitoba – 8 Business Tips to mitigate the COVID-19 disruption
- Read: WBECanada – Strategies for Women Owned Businesses During COVID-19
- Consult: CFIB – Coronavirus and Small Business, Keeping You and Your Business Safe/
- Consult: Canadian Franchise Association Resources
- Consult: MNP – Business Advice Centre
- Tools: BDC – Business Continuity Plan and Templates for Entrepreneurs/
Manufacturers:
- *NEW* Opportunity: Government of Canada – Calling suppliers – Cloth Face Coverings
- Opportunity: Government of Canada – Calling all suppliers – Help Canada combat Coronavirus disease (COVID-19)/
- Consult: Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters – Daily Update
Non-Profits/Arts:
- Read: $60M in advance funding to help stabilize backbone of arts sector as it faces COVID-19 crisis/
- Consult: Imagine Canada – Resources for Canadian Fundraisers
- Consult: Canada Council for the Arts – Important Info Related to COVID-19/
Freelancers and Start Ups:
- Read: Innovation Management – 8 Tips for Startup Entrepreneurs During COVID-19 Crisis Favourite Tip: “It’s important to be transparent when communicating the situation with investors and to work with them together so that, on the one hand, the startup operates on a minimum of resources, and, on the other hand, the investor remains committed.”
- Read: The Verge Guide to Working at Home
Resources by Topic:
Business Pivoting & Planning
- Listen: 411 – How to Pivot Your Small Business from Biz Chix Podcast
- Watch: Learn to Flourish – How to Rapidly Transition Your Live Classroom Instruction to Online Learning
- Watch: Career Contessa has made all of its webinars available for *free* – March 27: Addressing Job Loss + Coronavirus – What You Can Do (start at the two minute mark to avoid audio issues)
- Read: Professional Meetings and Conventions Association – Take My Event Online: Where Do I Start?
- Tool: BDC – COVID-19: Business planning tools for entrepreneurs
Funding and Finances
- Attend: Webinar – EDC, May 28: COVID-19: Manage your cash flow and ramp up for business; COVID-19 : Gérez vos liquidités et prenez de l’expansion
- Watch: Webinar – Start Up Canada –The 5Ws of Funding
Wage Subsidies and Payroll
- Watch: The Canadian Payroll Association – Payroll Continuity Planning: How Prepared is Your Organization
- Consult: Government of Canada – Temporary Wage Subsidies for Employers FAQ/
HR and Staff Management
- Read: The Practical Guide to Working from Home as a Team
- Watch: World Trade Centre Winnipeg – Surviving Work at Home
- Watch: Ultimate Software – Get Your HR Questions Answered
- Read: KPMG – Leading Successfully in Turbulent Times
Commercial Leases and Rent
Logistics and Work Spaces
- Office Preparation
- Read: WHO – Getting Your Workplace Ready for COVID-19
- Tool: WEOC Emergency Preparedness Checklist /
- Tool: Canadian Chamber of Commerce – Pandemic Preparedness Plan for Businesses
- Technology
- Remote Working:
- Read: Catalyst: I’ve Worked from Home for 12 Years. Here’s What I’ve Learned.
- Read: The Cut: How Am I Supposed to Focus on Work Right Now?
- Read: The Story Co., How to Engage and Lead Your Team Remotely
- Read: The Verge Guide to Working at Home
- Read: New to Working from Home? Here Are Some Tips to Help You Meet Like a Pro
- Read: New to Working from Home? Here Are Some Tips to Help You Meet Like a Pro
- Read: 10 Tips for Entrepreneurs to Actually Get Work Done While Homeschooling Kids
Export and Business Supply Chains
- Watch: EDC – Coronavirus (COVID-19): Managing the impact on global supply chains/
- Read: FITT – Guide: How COVID-19 delays could affect your supply chain from contracts to insurance and custom clearance
- Read: EDC – UPDATED FAQs: What Canadian exporters need to know about the coronavirus (COVID-19)/
- Read: EDC – How EDC is Helping Exporters During COVID-19/
- Consult: Trade Commissioner Website/
Wellness – Bien-être
- Watch: Webinar: Alberta Women Entrepreneurs –How to Protect Your Mental Health For Business Decision Making
- Read: Canadian Mental Health Association – COVID-19 and mental health – Includes many relevant Canadian resources
- Read: Canadian Mental Health Association –6 tips to respond to employee anxiety about COVID
- Read: Gouvernement du Québec – Mon enfant est inquiet en raison de la pandémie. Comment le soutenir ?
- Read: Canadian Paediatric Society- How can we talk to kids about COVID-19? Be “realistically reassuring”
COVID-19 PROVINCIAL UPDATES
- British Columbia
- Northwest Territories
- Nunavut
- Alberta
- Saskatchewan
- Manitoba
- Ontario
- Quebec
- New Brunswick
- Nova Scotia
- Prince Edward Island
- Newfoundland and Labrador