​BRAMPTON, ON (May 13, 2020) – Today, City Council endorsed Brampton’s Economic Recovery Strategy as a framework for the City to move forward with restarting the local economy. 

Small business advocacy
In response to the impacts of COVID-19 on Brampton’s small business community, including loss of revenue and continued threats of eviction, Mayor Brown issued a letter to the Provincial Government requesting a temporary ban on commercial eviction. This short-term solution would provide relief to businesses waiting for approvals of the Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance (CECRA) program.

The City encourages landlords in Brampton to consider applying for CECRA and work with tenants on rent payment plans to help them through this challenging time.

Economic Recovery Strategy
The Economic Recovery Strategy was guided by the Mayor’s COVID-19 Economic Support Task Force, which is co-chaired by Regional Councillors Michael Palleschi and Paul Vicente and has worked to coordinate recommendations and measures to support business relief efforts in Brampton through the COVID-19 pandemic. The Task Force includes members from the Federal and Provincial governments, the Brampton Board of Trade, the Downtown Brampton BIA, Chambers of Commerce, as well as representatives from Brampton’s business community.

The Economic Recovery Strategy aims to bring resiliency and competitive advantage to Brampton’s economy as it moves forward. These goals will be achieved by advancing immediate and longer-term actions in line with the Strategy’s four cornerstones. The four cornerstones, and some immediate actions, are:
• Innovation, Technology and Entrepreneurship
Fully adopting an innovation and technology transformation and capitalizing on entrepreneurship, through initiatives like expansion of Brampton Entrepreneur Centre offerings and officially launching and growing the downtown Innovation District.
• Investment
Seizing opportunities to attract and retain investment, including the launch of a “Support Local” campaign and Virtual Foreign Direct Investment Missions.
• Infrastructure
Expediting infrastructure projects, including the expansion of Algoma University.
• Arts, Culture and Tourism
Continuing towards digital innovation as the City reimagines the future of cultural engagement and support for the arts & culture sector. Immediate initiatives include virtual delivery of arts education, performances and events.

The talent pipeline will continue to be developed through partnerships with post-secondary institutions and the BramptonU movement and all projects and initiatives will be developed through the lens of diversity.

The Strategy will evolve over time as actions are implemented and evaluated.

Quotes
 
“COVID-19 has been an economic tidal wave for Brampton businesses, as it has all over the world. We continue to advocate for our business community as we plan for the rebuilding of our economy. I’m pleased that the Economic Support Task Force focused on recovery while providing in-the-moment support to local businesses, so we’re ready to restart our economy and support our businesses in their recovery as soon as possible.”
- Patrick Brown, Mayor, City of Brampton

“We have been fortunate to have many of our partners from our community, including Minister Sarkaria and MP Khera, at the Economic Support Task Force table with us to discuss the issues facing our business community, and to work with us on potential solutions. We came together to support our business community now and to plan for the recovery of our economy as we emerge from this crisis. We are truly stronger together, and we will get through this together.”
- Michael Palleschi, Regional Councillor, Wards 2 & 6; Co-Chair, Economic Support Task Force

“We have been on the ground with our business community since the COVID-19 pandemic began, meeting with them, advocating for them, and supporting them in any way we could. We are looking forward to helping them come out of this crisis strong and resilient by taking tangible steps that support them now and into the future.”
- Paul Vicente, Regional Councillor, Wards 1 & 5; Co-Chair, Economic Support Task Force

“Our staff have been working tirelessly with the City’s COVID-19 Task Force members to support our local businesses now, while looking to help drive their future growth and success. The City is taking a proactive approach that ensures a comprehensive response to COVID-19 that includes the many sectors of our local economy.”
- David Barrick, Chief Administrative Officer, City of Brampton

Background

Economic Recovery Strategy Four Cornerstones

Innovation, Technology & Entrepreneurship: The Innovation and Technology sector continues to be highly adaptable and resilient. A significant focus will be put on supporting innovation and technology companies through dedicated sector support as well as investments in the up and coming Brampton Innovation District. This support system has resources for innovation and tech companies in all stages including start-up, scale-up as well as SME’s and large corporations. Looking beyond the sector, economic resiliency will come from businesses in all sectors adopting new technology.

Infrastructure: The City of Brampton will be moving forward with short and long term infrastructure projects to help stimulate economic activity and position projects that can take advantage of federal and provincial stimulus funding. 

Investment: The “new normal” that is being created throughout the economy will provide opportunities as companies review, and potentially restructure, their operations and supply chains. The City of Brampton can seize these private-sector investment opportunities by supporting our local companies as they adapt to new realities, building on our strategic advantages like logistics, and looking internationally for companies that would benefit from investing in Brampton.

Arts, Culture & Tourism: The Culture Master Plan themes of Developing a Community of Practice and Building Brampton’s Identity not only remain relevant, but are required in the effort to transform the city’s current cultural environment into a thriving arts scene – replete with opportunities to produce, participate in and consume creative products that drive cultural and community progress, grow the local economy, attract investment and build Brampton’s identity. 

Task Force Members

Kamal Khera
Member of parliament (Brampton West), Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of International Development, Government of Canada

Prabmeet Sarkaria
Member of Provincial Parliament (Brampton South), Associate Minister of Small Business and Red Tape Reduction, for the Ministry of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade, Province of Ontario

Todd Letts
Chief Executive Officer, Brampton Board of Trade

Suzy Godefroy
Executive Director, Downtown Brampton BIA

Kristina Romasco
Chair, Downtown Brampton BIA and Owner/Operator, Dolcezza Custom Cakes

Andria Barrett
President, Canadian Black Chamber of Commerce

Pramod Goyal
President, Indo-Canada Chamber of Commerce

Jenny Lo
Founder and President, Brampton Chinese Business Association

Badar Shamim
Vice President, Portfolio Manager at Generation PMCA Corp and Member of the Board of Directors, Canadian Turkish Business Council

David Kapil
Advisor, Kapil Financial Services and Chair of Board of Directors for New Brampton

Todd Kerr
Vice President, Real Estate, Giampaolo Investments Limited

Steven Schipper
C.M., O.M, Executive Artistic Director, Performing Arts

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