Provincial Antigen Screening Program
North Dundas Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with the South Dundas Chamber of Commerce is able to offer free rapid tests for small- and medium-sized businesses in our community.
Businesses (including non-chamber members) with 150 employees or less are welcome to participate in this program. The goal of the program is to identify asymptomatic or pre-symptomatic cases of COVID-19 in the workplace that might otherwise be missed, helping to curb the spread in the workplace, at home and around the community.
FREE Covid-19 rapid screening tests for all businesses in North Dundas with less than 150 employees!
You can pick up kits (by appointment only) at the South Dundas Chamber office (soon also available for pickup in North Grenville).
For asymptomatic employees only. Recommended by Ontario Health that employees test themselves twice per week. Those who test positive or inconclusive must go for a lab-based PCR (polymerase chain reaction) test. Tests can be ordered directly through [email protected].
For any questions relating to the program please contact Tracy McMillan at [email protected].
Digital Main Street – Ontario helping Small Businesses establish online presence
The Ontario government is investing $10 million towards the Digital Main Street program for 2021-22 to help over 13,000 small businesses expand their digital presence and market their services online. As businesses enter Step 3 of the Roadmap to Reopen, the renewed program will provide small businesses with $2,500 grants, technical training, and digital resources to help them reach more customers in person and online, positioning them for a stronger recovery.
Small businesses across Ontario with a brick-and-mortar location and one to 50 employees can apply for $2,500 Digital Transformation Grants, which they can use to purchase new technology and digital services.
With this additional funding, Digital Main Street will continue to support diverse small business owners throughout the province. To date, the program has provided over 20,000 businesses with support for their digital expansions, while generating jobs for more than 1,600 students and recent graduates.
In addition to Digital Main Street, the government is working to gather information on how to best continue supporting small businesses through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Ontario-based accounting software company FreshBooks.
The MOU will help small businesses and entrepreneurs by using its data to help identify weaknesses and gaps that government programs can address to help more small businesses recover and grow. The extensive FreshBooks database provides information across a variety of sectors and regions in Ontario.
Small businesses can access resources that offer free test kits to help them stay open and stay safe, mental health supports, financial planning, and personalized advice through the Small Business COVID-19 Recovery Network at ontario.ca/smallbusiness.
The North Dundas
Chamber of Commerce
The founding of the North Dundas Chamber of Commerce was a logical response to the 1997-8 merger of four precursor municipalities into the Township of North Dundas. Today, our Chamber represents the diverse interests of member businesses, from farming to fashion, across a broad spectrum of pursuits operating out of charming villages, busy and burgeoning subdivisions, and a sprawling rural countryside mosaic that quietly bustles with activity just beyond the southern boundary of the Nation’s Capital. This is beautiful North Dundas, and we are proud to do business here.
What does the Chamber do for member businesses?
For starters, the North Dundas Chamber of Commerce strives to raise awareness about the benefits of patronizing local business to the consumer base in the township and regions beyond. Ongoing campaigns around shopping locally are one aspect of that effort. This carries over to the business-to-business side of local trade as well: The Chamber encourages member enterprises to spend their dollars with other members when possible.
Within our organization, businesses find common cause by networking, sharing experiences as entrepreneurs and building alliances that benefit the bottom line and the community.
The North Dundas Chamber of Commerce also lobbies local government and, when called upon, the senior levels of government. From taxes to zoning issues, we have a good track record of gaining the ear of local policy makers when necessary. Today, for example, the Township of North Dundas offers help restoring business façades — a program that may not exist today if not for the strong partnership forged over the years between the Chamber and municipality.
The Chamber is always looking for new ideas to improve the business experience in North Dundas. Send us your ideas! www.northdundaschamber.com.
Facebook: www.facebook.com/NorthDundasChamberofCommerce.
