Celebrating #SmallBusinessWeek2020

NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 20, 2020
 
SMALL BUSINESS: TOO BIG TO IGNORE
Chamber Network Kicks Off Small Business Week Conversation About Digital and Skills Access
 
(PETERBOROUGH, ON – October 20, 2020) – The pandemic has highlighted challenges for small businesses: their access to digital technologies and skills. With Small Business Week 2020 underway, the Ontario Chamber of Commerce, Peterborough Chamber of Commerce and partners are kicking off a vital conversation today about these gaps with the launch of their report, Small and Medium-Sized Employers (SMEs): Skills Gaps and Future Skills. The report is a Skills Next project and a collaboration between the Ontario Chamber of Commerce, Ryerson University’s Diversity Institute, Public Policy Forum, and the Future Skills Centre.
 
“We are deeply concerned about the impacts the COVID-19 crisis is having on small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), charities, and not-for-profit organizations in Ontario,” said Stuart Harrison, President & CEO, Peterborough Chamber of Commerce. “They are the backbone of the Canadian economy, accounting for more than 90 percent of jobs in the private sector. Yet they face critical labour shortages, skill mismatches, and challenges related to broadband internet access that threaten their competitiveness.”
 
“Broadband is a basic infrastructure requirement in today’s economy, but the ongoing pandemic has made it even more essential to public health and economic resilience,” added Ashley Challinor, Vice President, Policy, Ontario Chamber of Commerce. “For businesses and workers, particularly those practicing physical distancing, connectivity is necessary to ensure they can remain productive by using digital tools such as video conferencing. Without adequate access, those in rural and remote regions will be vulnerable to additional layoffs and business closures.”
 
Canadian Small Business Week takes place during the third week of October every year. This year, the celebration will occur October 18-24, 2020. Over the course of Small Business Week, the OCC and the Peterborough Chamber of Commerce will be participating in the “Small Business: Too Big To Ignore” campaign across the province, actively engaging small businesses in discussions about the top obstacles impeding their growth and the ways in which these challenges can be overcome.
 
Small Business Week Activities:
All week: Like & share our Small Business Graphics on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter & LinkedIn
Add the Peterborough Chamber #LoveLocalPtbo Facebook Frame to your profile photo
Wednesday, October 21, 2020: Peterborough Business Excellence Awards 7pm – YouTube & Facebook
Thursday, October 22, 2020: Ontario’s Economic Health Survey 
 
Learn more about Small Business Week and read the Skills Gap & Future Skills Report
 
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About the Greater Peterborough Chamber of Commerce
The Greater Peterborough Chamber of Commerce is a member-based organization. Our main focus is to channel the collective strength of the business community to improve the economy. This includes providing representation on numerous committees, conducting surveys, issuing discussion papers and developing policy positions on issues of significance to our members.
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About the Ontario Chamber of Commerce
For more than a century, the Ontario Chamber of Commerce (OCC) has been the independent, non-partisan, indispensable partner of Ontario business. The OCC’s mission is to support economic growth in Ontario by defending business priorities at Queen’s Park on behalf of its network’s diverse 60,000 members.
 
For more information, please contact:
Sandra Dueck, Vice-President, Greater Peterborough Chamber of Commerce
E-mail: sandra@peterboroughchamber.ca    Phone: (705) 748-9771 ext.215

#LoveLocalPtbo