Business resiliency, readiness and resourcefulness

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City of Vaughan and Niagara University continue online speaker series

The next session of the Niagara University online speaker series, in collaboration with the City of Vaughan’s Economic and Cultural Development (ECD) department, will be taking place on Wednesday, May 27 from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. The live series launched on Wednesday, May 13, to educate, engage and enrich the public from the comfort of their homes during the global COVID-19 pandemic. 

This session, Financial Resiliency: Restarting Business and the Economy in a COVID-19 World, will feature senior business advisors from the Ontario Ministry of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade, members of the university’s faculty and alumni, in addition to community leaders. The virtual gathering will explore how businesses – small and large – are planning for reopening and using this time as an opportunity to re-evaluate their business models to strategically position themselves to maximize financial security. The public is asked to register in advance to take part in this free, live interactive online session.  

On Wednesday, May 13, Mayor Maurizio Bevilacqua helped kick off the speaker series by joining business and community representatives for a virtual discussion titled Moving Beyond Crisis Together: Plan for Returning to Work after COVID-19 Niagara University and Vaughan Business Leaders Panel. In addition to the collaborative speaker series, Mayor Bevilacqua took part in a virtual town hall today presented by the Vaughan Chamber of Commerce titled A Conversation with Political Leaders on Reopening our Economy, where business resiliency and resourcefulness was further discussed. 

This is the latest in a series of measures implemented by the City of Vaughan to assist the business community.

Digital Boost Vaughan Small Business Resiliency Program 

The City has launched a free training and mentorship program – Digital Boost Vaughan Small Business Resiliency Programto help local businesses adapt to the changing environment caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Vaughan businesses interested in participating are asked to register at vaughanbusiness.ca/DigitalBoost to secure their spot by Monday, June 1. Upon registration, a representative from the ECD department will contact the registrant to help cater the training to their specific business needs. Training will begin Tuesday, June 2 with workshops running through June and July, and mentorship to follow. All training components will be delivered virtually to abide by physical distancing rules. 

Local business directory 

For the latest information on local businesses that are open during the current state of emergency, visit Vaughan’s Open for Business online directory. The voluntary listing includes both essential services and businesses that are open or providing modified operations by phone, online, takeout or delivery in compliance with provincial and municipal regulations. Vaughan businesses interested in being included in the list must apply and can do so through this online form. 

The City of Vaughan remains committed to providing relief to entrepreneurs and small-business owners and maintaining the competitiveness of the local economy. 

For more information on support for local businesses sign up for the City’s ECD eNewsletter, contact the ECD department by email at ecd@vaughan.ca or by phone at 905-832-8526. 

To receive the City’s latest COVID-19 updates as they happen, sign up for the City Update eNewsletter at vaughan.ca/CityUpdate and follow the City’s Twitter, Facebook and Instagram channels. 

Those who feel unwell and believe they have symptoms related to COVID-19 should contact York Region Public Health or Telehealth Ontario at 1-866-797-0000. 

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