City releases toolkit to help businesses reopen safely

OTTAWA – The City of Ottawa has developed a business reopening toolkit, in consultation with Ottawa Public Health (OPH), to help businesses answer critical questions before they can reopen safely.

“The gradual easing of COVID-19 restrictions in the months to come will bring new challenges for local businesses to navigate, as well as opportunities to innovate,” the city released in a statement today (May 20). “As Ontario begins to reopen the economy, we encourage all Ottawa businesses and organizations to ensure they are prepared to go back to work safely.”

 Members of the Ottawa business community can access the toolkit online. It provides guidance on preparing your workplace, employees and operations to resume while ensuring physical distancing, and also provides links to official resources such as public health signage, sector-specific guidelines and government financial assistance programs. Information and resources will be updated regularly on the website as guidance from the Government of Ontario and Ottawa Public Health continues to evolve.

“Businesses are the backbone of our community and it is critical that we have the supports in place to help them succeed,” Mayor Jim Watson said. “Together with councillors Laura Dudas and Eli El-Chantiry and our Economic Partners Task Force, the city is pleased to help recovery efforts by providing this roadmap for you to reopen in a way that is good for business while ensuring the safety of employees, clients and customers.”

“Thank you to Ottawa businesses for all your efforts to date,” OPH medical officer of health Dr. Vera Etches said. “Getting people back to work safely is a priority. You are making a difference in our community. We all need to keep introducing physical distancing into our work processes, so that we can do our best to avoid a resurgence of infection as we move forward with relaxing current restrictions. Stay updated on the latest guidance to help keep yourselves, your employees, and our community healthy and safe.”

For up-to-date information on the COVID-19 pandemic in Ottawa, visit ottawa.ca/covid19 or call 311 (TTY: 613-580-2401).