Members of Oshawa Mayor’s Economic Recovery Task Force on Friday reported operational and financial impacts that have never before been experienced, including widespread layoffs and uncertainty over the ability to maintain payroll and rent obligations.
Task Force members noted that the local economy is tenuous and that the landscape is changing at a rapid pace that drives uncertainty, said a city media release.
On Friday April 24, Oshawa Mayor Dan Carter and Regional Councillor Tito-Dante Marimpietri, Chair of the Development Services Committee, held the inaugural meeting of the Mayor’s Economic Recovery Task Force. Chaired by Councillor Marimpietri, the Task Force includes representatives from a broad spectrum of the local economy including its public sector and post-secondary institutions, small and main-street businesses, the development and real estate community and key economic sectors.
The mandate of the Task Force is to assist Oshawa City Council and staff to better understand the impacts that the Covid-19 crisis is having on the local business community. The Task Force will also review and provide advice to City Council on issues and opportunities related to the full recovery and ongoing transformation of the City’s economy.
Common challenges and impacts identified
Task Force members shared their experiences and identified common challenges and impacts directly related to the Covid-19 crisis, including:
- Financial pressures associated with commercial rent and utility payments
- Labour interruptions resulting from layoffs or temporary closures to their businesses, and
- Not having a clear understanding of government resources and supports available to them such as subsidy programs
Task Force members offered their thoughts on various opportunities and actions at all levels of government which will be further reviewed in the coming weeks.
“With the Economic Recovery Task Force now in place, the City of Oshawa can continue to focus and increase efforts to help the Oshawa business community during these challenging times,” said Oshawa Mayor Dan Carter.
Oshawa businesses are encouraged to contact Oshawa Economic Development Services at business@oshawa.ca. For more information on Economic Development Services, visit www.oshawa.ca/business and follow @InvestOshawa on Twitter.
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