New City of Ottawa task force looking to limit damage to small businesses amid pandemic

The City of Ottawa is establishing an Economic Partners Task Force in order to find ways to support local small businesses, restaurants, tourism operators and special events, as well as their employees, during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson spoke with the heads of the city's BIAs, the Ottawa Board of Trade, le Regroupement des gens d’affaires, Ottawa Tourism and Ottawa Festival Network on Monday afternoon.

Watson plans to co-chair the new task force, alongside City Councillor Eli El-Chantiry who is a former small business owner and the mayor’s representative with BIAs. 

The rest of the task force includes the following local business leaders:

• Mark Kaluski, Chair, Ottawa Coalition of Business Improvement Areas (BIAs)
• Sueling Ching, President and CEO, Ottawa Board of Trade
• Lise Sarazin, directrice générale, Regroupement des gens d’affaires (RGA)
• Michael Crockatt, President and CEO, Ottawa Tourism
• Carole Anne Piccinin, Executive Director, Ottawa Festival Network

Watson explained that the task force is expected to advise city staff on how the city can help the business community as the coronavirus pandemic evolves. 

The mayor said city staff are currently assessing ways to help small business owners get through this crisis. The city's Planning, Infrastructure and Economic Development team is leading the way, and will be working with the task force to maintain open lines of communication, as well as assess and roll-out a number of measures to support locally-owned shops and restaurants.

The city's finance department is evaluating whether or not Ottawa is in a position to enact tax deferral measures that would help some small businesses manage their cash flow and payroll obligations.

Watson added, the city will be there to help with the economic recovery as well, once the community overcomes these challenging times.