NEWS RELEASE
TIMMINS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
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Today, The Chamber is pleased to announce an additional $30,000 contribution in the form of hand sanitizer to the Small Business PPE Support Grant thanks to a new partnership with Glencore Kidd Operations. The announcement comes as the Chamber continues distributing the fourth round of grants to just over 100 successful applicants in Timmins and Chapleau.
The PPE program assists local small businesses and organizations, with less than $2 million in annual sales, who were deemed non-essential in March. These businesses have not been generating revenues and will subsequently incur extraordinary expenses to comply with new requirements as a result of COVID-19.
Supplied through Compass Brewing and administered by the Chamber, this donation from Kidd Operations will see 3,000 bottles of hand sanitizer donated to businesses and non-profit organizations within Timmins. Interested owners and operators can apply for the hand sanitizer through the Chamber’s online application form and request the number of bottles they need. Upon approval, successful applicants can collect the hand sanitizer from Compass Brewing’s location.
“It is through the partnerships of Chamber members like Glencore Kidd Operations/Compass Brewing’s hand sanitizer initiative that we will see ourselves through this pandemic. We’re pleased to see more community partners come on board to support PPE for our smallest businesses who were hardest hit,” said Val Venneri, President of the Chamber. “To date, The Chamber has approved a total of 101 successful applicants totalling grants of $70,000, and this latest contribution by a great corporation like Kidd Operations will assist many more entrepreneurs with ensuring appropriate safety measures are in place.”
With the PPE grant— now with greater support from Glencore Kidd Operations, local businesses will have increased confidence in reopening and be better positioned to accelerate economic recovery and protect the health and safety of workers and the community of Timmins. The program continues as part of the recommendations of the Chamber and City Joint Business Continuity and Recovery Advisory Task Force and now boasts $150,000 in PPE support syphoned back into our business community.
“Our initial focus for donations of hand sanitizer was for frontline workers, and now we turn our attention to the business and service sector as stage 2 reopening begins in our part of the Province,” stated David Yaschyshyn, Manager, Environment and Community for Glencore Kidd Operations. “We want to ensure that our business community and local non-profit organizations are properly equipped to provide products and services safely.”
The Chamber continues to administer the suite of programming supported by founding funder Newmont Porcupine and in partnership with The Venture Centre, MNP LLP, Full Beard Brewing Co., Lake Shore Gold, and now Glencore Kidd Operations. Any business wanting to apply for initiatives under the Timmins Emergency Business Fund are encouraged to visit The Chamber’s website for more information.
“The Chamber is still encouraging business leaders to contribute to the Personal Protective Equipment Support Grant,” added Venneri. “If you are interested in providing support to the fund, contact the Chamber.”
To apply to any of the Chamber’s support programs, visit https://www.timminschamber.on.ca/support.html To view the Chamber’s COVID-19 Business Toolkit, visit www.timminschamber.on.ca/COVID-19
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