ADVOCACY IN ACTION
Advocacy win – Extension to Temporary Layoff Provision
June 25, 2020
After listening to feedback from the collective voice of BC business, the provincial government has extended the temporary layoffs provisions to a maximum of 24 weeks expiring on Aug. 30, 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The extension will save many Whistler businesses from foreclosure if they had to pay out severance to their temporarily laid-off employees due to COVID-19. We understand that in most instances, employers want to bring back their teams, but more time is needed. The extended timeframe gives businesses more time to recuperate and reopen their doors.
This is an advocacy win for the Whistler Chamber and the rest of our Chamber network across BC. Thank you to everyone who took part in the surveys and brought their voices to this pressing conversation. Many of you shared in the most recent MindReader survey that the temporary layoff provision was top of and with your help, we made sure the provincial government knew that. See the results of the survey on this issue.
“This is an important advocacy win for the Whistler Chamber and our Members along with our provincial chamber network! This much needed extension will save many Whistler businesses from bankruptcy and foreclosure. Thank you to all of our Members and the broader business community who participated in making our voices heard.”
Melissa Pace, CEO, Whistler Chamber
Thank you to the BC government for acting on the BC business network’s request to further extend the temporary layoff provision in the Employment Standards Act to August 30th. By providing this flexibility for businesses, the provincial government is helping to get more British Columbians back to work.
We will continue to listen to our Members’ concerns and advocate for the Whistler business community. More than ever we want to hear from you, so please get in touch and let us know how we can be supporting you and your businesses on the road to recovery.
BC Delegation to Ottawa
Val Litwin, CEO of the Whistler Chamber joined the BC Delegation to Ottawa on February 3 and 4, 2016, on invitation by the Honourable Shirley Bond, Provincial Minister of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training.
2015 Whistler Labour Survey
The 2015 Whistler Business Labour Survey was an action item coming out of the Chamber-hosted “Finding Solutions to Whistler’s Labour Issues” meeting on August 18th where nearly 100 local businesses attended
Garibaldi at Squamish
As a business organization, the WCC supports well-considered growth and intelligent investment that drives long term economic health in the Sea to Sky Corridor. Yet the proposal put forward by Garibaldi At Squamish, Inc. in its current form does not appear to support either.
BC Family Day
Moving Family Day to the 3rd Monday would cause unnecessary compression in BC destination mountain resorts which could have a negative impact on the guest experience. Avoiding a holiday overlap, however, provides British Columbians – and out-of-province guests – with better quality Family Day and vacation experiences respectively.
IOC inclusion of LGBT community
As a business community, we encourage the IOC to recall its Olympic Charter when it says it will cooperate with competent organizations and authorities in the endeavor to place sport at the service of humanity, as Russia’s anti-gay stance threatens to overshadow the games.