Vital updates:

• The Ontario government is investing $83 million through the Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) to provide grants to help eligible non-profit organizations recover from COVID-19 and continue the delivery of vital programming in their communities. Interested organizations can get more information at otf.ca. The OTF’s Resilient Communities Fund will provide grants of up to $150,000 to help eligible non-profit organizations rebuild and recover from the impacts of COVID-19 with support for:
  • Equipping board members and employees with supports to implement new approaches, prepare for change and build resiliency (e.g. organizational training and coaching, strategic planning and implementation, research & development, mental and physical health and wellbeing supports);
  • Improving and increasing ability to access financial resources and develop new and/or alternative sources of revenues (e.g. develop fundraising plans, identify fundraising and financial technology resources, seek opportunities for public-private partnerships and social finance);
  • Adapting or re-imagining the delivery of programs and services to meet the needs of the community, employees and volunteers (e.g. identify new health and safety processes and required personal protective equipment, technology supports, staffing and volunteer recruitment and training);
  • Procuring equipment or renovating spaces to meet the changing needs of the organization, its programs and services, and adapt to new ways of working (e.g. equipment and/or renovations to meet changing technology health and safety, and service delivery requirements); and
  • Creating and/or adopting new approaches for organizations to work together to meet the needs of communities (e.g. peer learning, professional development, networking, resource, knowledge and data sharing).
• The federal government has entered two agreements to secure millions of doses of potential COVID-19 vaccines. Both companies began Phase 3 clinical trials of their vaccine candidates in the last week, and are expected to deliver vaccines for the public in 2021. The government has not confirmed how many doses it has negotiated for or how much it is paying, as it is currently in negotiations with other national and international firms to purchase other vaccines.
• Health Canada is recalling 51 hand sanitizers, which it advises consumers to stop using immediately. The sanitizers contain “unacceptable types” of ethanol or denaturants which can pose a health hazard. Health Canada provides an approved list of hand sanitizers. Under mask bylaws, businesses are required to provide hand sanitizer at public entrances and exits to their premises. We recommend choosing sanitizers from the Health Canada approved list for the safety of your customers and staff.

Reading recommendations:

• A record number of companies have sought creditor protection under COVID-19 — and more are on the way, Pete Evans, CBC News
• The death of the city, Aitor Hernández-Morales, Kalina Oroschakoff and Jacopo Barigazzi, Politico
• 6 potential solutions to ease the COVID-19 news media crisis, Patrick White, The Conversation