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The Ontario government will launch a first-of-its-kind program June 1 to make free naloxone kits (and free training) available at workplaces where there is a risk of staff witnessing or experiencing an opioid overdose.

 

In 2022, there were 2,521 confirmed probable opioid deaths in Ontario, which represents a 12% drop in cases compared to 2021. Despite this, the number of deaths last year remains substantially higher compared to what was observed prior to the pandemic (2017-2019).

 

Naloxone is a life-saving medication that can temporarily reverse an opioid overdose, restore breathing within two to five minutes, and allow time for medical help to arrive.

 

“Ontario, like the rest of Canada, is in the middle of an opioid epidemic made worse by a toxic supply of recreational street drugs,” said Monte McNaughton, Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development, when the program was first announced last year.

 

According to a report released last summer by researchers from the Ontario Drug Police Research Network (ODPRN) at St. Michael’s Hospital, one in 13 opioid-related deaths in the province between 2018 and 2020 occurred in the construction sector. The reasons behind this, say researchers, are a complicated mix of pain management, job insecurity and having nowhere else to turn.

 

Bars and nightclubs have also seen increased opioid usage and accidental overdoses, often because of recreational drugs laced with deadly opioids such as fentanyl and carfentanil.

 

For up to two years, Ontario will provide free nasal spray naloxone kits to businesses at risk of opioid overdoses through the Workplace Naloxone Program and free training needed to equip staff with the tools to respond to an opioid overdose.

 

Businesses can determine if they are eligible for the program and find additional information on accessing naloxone kits and training at Ontario.ca/workplacenaloxone. Once the requirement is in effect, Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development’s inspectors will take an education-first approach to enforcement.

 

 

We reached out to Tushar Anandasagar and Hina Ghaus at Gowling WLG to provide some legal insight as to what this new legislation will mean for some businesses:

 

Q. What prompted the Province to introduce this OHSA legislation?

 

A. The province is recognizing that the ongoing opioid crisis is affecting workplaces across the province – something needed to be done.

Opioid overdoses may be preventable or possible to delay (to an extent) – the province has adopted the role of educating employers on steps they can take to recognize and reduce the severity of overdoses.

These measures also have the effect of reducing the load on the healthcare system – the province is pushing for early triage and prevention rather than escalation.

We’re already doing many of the same things when it comes to allergies – for instance, many workers with severe allergies are already carrying around EpiPens.

Many social changes start at the workplace – there is a good chance that we will start to see this protocol (or something similar) extending beyond the workplace.

The opioid crisis is ubiquitous - we have already seen other provinces discussing the adoption of similar requirements for workplaces.

 

 

Q.  Is there a possibility the free training and access to the kits could be extended beyond two years and could funding be provided by another source?

 

A.  Definitely. Our sense is that this is just the start.  There are numerous benefits associated with early prevention rather than treating severe overdose cases via the healthcare system. A stitch in time saves nine.

 

 

Q. Are workers legally required to make their employers aware they could overdose?

 

A. Not by operation of statute – the onus is on the employer to spot a potential health and safety issue and create systems to make the workplace as safe as possible.  Of course, nothing prevents a worker from voluntarily disclosing a substance use disorder to their employer. Aside from statute, employers may be able to establish early warning systems via fit for duty policies – such a policy would require the employee to report to work while not under the influence of an impairing substance. Employers are then responsible for enforcing the policy.

 

 

Q. What kind of privacy issues come into play with this legislation?

 

A.  An employee’s disclosure of a substance use disorder is considered strictly confidential information – the employer should be prepared to treat this information as it would any other medical information received from an employee

Appropriate protections should be put in place to safeguard the information – shared with only those managers or supervisors who “need to know”.

These issues, and sample scenarios, are discussed in the province’s updated guidance on naloxone in the workplace:  https://www.ontario.ca/page/naloxone-workplace

 

 

Q. What are potential concerns surrounding this legislation, if any, that managers of workplaces deemed as at-risk should be aware of?

 

A. There are risks associated with non-compliance with the OHSA – for instance, primary liability may result if the employer doesn’t run through a naloxone kit risk assessment to determine if there is a risk of a worker overdosing at work.  Every employer is required to do this.

There are also risks associated with running a deficient risk assessment or ignoring risks that come to the employer’s attention – for instance, an employee self-discloses that they have a substance use issue, and the employer does nothing.

Another consideration is what could possibly happen if a worker administers naloxone and the recipient has, for instance, an allergic reaction – as per the province’s current guidance, the Ontario Good Samaritan Act should kick in to relieve workers of liability when they are administering naloxone in good faith.

 

 

Q.  What should be the first steps an at-risk workplace should take when it comes to introducing this program?

 

A. Every workplace needs to run through a naloxone risk assessment – employers may wish to engage a third party to demonstrate that they have done this, as needed.

If naloxone risks are detected during the risk assessment, the employer should plan for implementation by referencing the OHSA guidance published by the province – this will necessarily mean engaging with staff, the OH&S rep, the JHSC, etc.

There are specific training requirements which need to be in place, which have been referenced within the province’s guidance. As needed, the employer should also prepare to procure naloxone kits – there may be free naloxone kits available depending on the sector the employer operates within.

 

 

Q. Can workplaces not deemed ‘at-risk’ access the program?

 

A.  All workplaces can access the Province’s guidelines and training resources. As for the free naloxone kits and on-site training, we know the Province is initially focusing on high-risk workplaces. In future we may see an expansion of the training programs and free kits to non-high-risk environments.

 

 

Q. Is it difficult to make changes to the OHSA?

 

A. Yes and no – some changes are met with objection from employers (and employer associations), trade unions, and other stakeholders (e.g., fine increases, doubling of limitation periods, etc.). It really depends on the type of change that is being made.

 

 

Q.  How will compliance of the legislation be monitored?

 

A. Effective June 1, 2023, we can expect standard MOL audits for employers – they will ask about naloxone kits in the same way that they currently ask about harassment policies, etc. There may also be acute responses triggered by workplace accidents – for instance, if there is a serious workplace accident and there is some indication that substance use disorder may have contributed to the situation, the employer’s risk assessment may be called into question, and they may be found not to have complied with these new OHSA requirements if they failed to identify reasonably apparent risks.

Once again, employers will need to be mindful of proving that they have undergone a risk assessment (document, document, document), particularly if they have concluded that there is no risk in the working environment.

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Work is well underway on Phase 3 of Cambridge Memorial Hospital’s expansion plan as it continues to transform into a state-of-the-art healthcare facility, providing an even bigger boost to the community.

 

Building on this momentum has been a key priority for CMH even before the sod turning for its long-awaited expansion project in 2014.

 

“A strong community requires great infrastructure, great education, great healthcare and great businesses,” says Cambridge Memorial Hospital CEO Patrick Gaskin. “They all need to be ‘firing’ and working together. It’s symbiotic that we rely on each other in order to create an amazing community.”

 

CMH’s continued impact on the community, as well as a look at the current state of Ontario’s healthcare system, will be included in the ‘checkup’ he will provide during a conversation with Cambridge Chamber of Commerce President & CEO Greg Durocher at our Good Morning Cambridge Breakfast on April 4.

 

“We are more than a hospital,” says Patrick, referring to the transition CMH continues to undergo. “We’re really part of the fabric of the community in many ways.”

 

That will become even more apparent once the expansion work on the Wing B patient care tower is complete and CMH moves forward with its new strategic plan. Approved last June, the plan identifies five ‘pillars’, among them finance, community health and partnerships, as well as advance care equity.

 

“We’re looking at how we provide care and service for the community and address the needs of our equity seeking populations, and how do we restructure our services in order to do just that,” says Patrick, noting CMH has already begun to implement new best practices guidelines this year.

 

He says partnerships are pivotal for CMH going forward, which includes working with the Southwest Ontario Aboriginal Health Access Centre (located across from CMH on Coronation Boulevard) by providing a part-time patient care navigator at the hospital to assist the indigenous community.

 

“This is about how do we look at services differently within our organization,” says Patrick, describing another partnership with several organizations to increase mental health care.

 

“Right now, were in the pilot phase of having a community mental health clinic in the hospital operating from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. every day to meet the urgent mental health needs for our community,” he says, noting the clinic is staffed by community partners including Langs, Porchlight Counselling & Addiction Services and CMHA (Canadian Mental Health Association).

 

Strengthening ways to assist hospital staff is also part of the new strategic plan says Patrick, explaining that recruitment and retention are important priorities.

 

“It’s an understatement to stay that healthcare is in for a tough time,” he says. “So, we’re talking about how we are supporting staff and their wellbeing and what will that look like, and how do we continue to make CMH an even better place to work.”

 

At the same time, patient care will be enhanced even further with the completion of the next phase of the expansion resulting in a total of 200 beds at CMH. The work on Wing B, which will contain single occupancy accommodation and no ward rooms, will be officially completed in the fall of 2024.

 

“We continue to be on track and overall are ahead of schedule,” says Patrick, noting ‘rebooted’ sections of Wing B will open in stages. “The nice thing is the fundraising for the capital expansion is complete and we’re able to invest the community’s money into Phase 3.”

 

He says the purchase of a new MRI is a much-needed priority to replace the one purchased in 2012, adding these important pieces of equipment should be replaced every 10 to 15 years to keep pace with changing technology.

 

“It’s a workhorse and is very needed,” he says, adding all programs at CMH are on a trajectory for expansion. “It is less about buildings and more about the kind of care that we can offer.”

 

Find out more by attending our Good Morning Cambridge Breakfast on Tuesday, April 4 from 8 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. at the Galt Country Club.

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Nominations are now being sought for the Cambridge Chamber of Commerce’s Community Awards 2020-2022.

 

These awards - which have not been held since 2019 due to the arrival of COVID-19 – provide an important opportunity to celebrate the contributions and achievements of non-profit organizations, charities, and service clubs in Cambridge and Township of North Dumfries.

 

“There are so many individuals and organizations that have been doing some amazing things, especially during the last two years, to make our community an even better place to live and work,” says Cambridge Chamber of Commerce President & CEO Greg Durocher. “We want to ensure these community leaders receive the recognition they deserve.”

 

There are 10 award categories highlighting non-profit organizations, their collaboration with others, volunteer work, leadership, physical health and mental wellbeing, and education. As well, there is the Lifetime Achievement Award that will recognize the accomplishments of an individual who has been a driving force in the non-profit sector for more than 15 years.

 

“While it is a Lifetime Achievement Award, it does not in any way assume that the individual is retiring, leaving or otherwise,” says Greg. “It is really about recognizing the incredible leadership, contribution and tireless service an individual has lent us all, that most would assume it must take a lifetime to contribute all they do.”

 

Previous winners of this award have included former Langs CEO Bill Davidson (who has since retired) in 2018, and YWCA Cambridge CEO Kim Decker in 2019.

 

“They are perfect examples of the type of community champions that we wish to acknowledge with this award,” says Greg. “And we know there are others out there who have the same calibre of community commitment.”

 

He says commitment is also an important characteristic of the recipient of the Board Member of the Year Award.

 

“These are people who actually put their lives on hold in some ways to help guide the many organizations in our community who provide financial aid, services, and sometimes just help to others,” says Greg. “Not only do these people volunteer with their organization, but they also roll up their sleeves, get down to business and ensure their organization’s governance and operations keep them sustainable and delivering the services that are needed.”

 

Past recipients have included Mary Adamson from Argus Residence for Young People, Cambridge Memorial Hospital Foundation’s Angelo Loberto, and Paul Drouillard for his work with the Cambridge Shelter Corporation.

 

Along with these long-time Community Awards categories, the Chamber has also introduced several new ones this year including Innovation in Learning, Community Leadership, Community Impact, Community Collaboration and Healthcare Hero. This latter award is aimed at recognizing those in the non-profit sector for their involvement in creating or promoting programming or initiatives to assist with the physical health or mental wellbeing of residents.

 

“Our healthcare community has done an exceptional job throughout the pandemic keeping us safe, so this award will provide the ideal opportunity to say thanks,” says Greg, noting many in the non-profit sector and service club volunteers are often somewhat hesitant when it comes to recognizing their own impact and encourages organizations to nominate themselves. “Now isn’t the time to be shy. It’s the time celebrate what makes our community so great.”

 

Nominations close Sept. 1, 2022. For more, visit: https://bit.ly/3bhY7wZ

 

The award categories include:

 

Community Collaboration
Nominees for this award provide outstanding examples of collaboration within their communities.

 

Community Leadership
Nominees for this award stand out because of their exceptional professional and/or volunteer achievements in the community, which are above and beyond their role in a paid position as a CEO or executive director.

 

Community Impact
Nominees for this award recognize new and better ways to address a need in the community despite the many demands, and sometimes too few resources available.

 

Innovation in Learning

Nominees in this category, either individually or in a group setting, have worked selflessly to supply or support educational resources, programs, or initiatives that strive to prepare the next generation of talent in our community and/or provide them with a pathway toward a brighter and successful future.

 

Healthcare Hero
Nominees for this award are being recognized for their involvement in the creation or promotion of methods that keep the physical health or mental wellbeing of residents in Cambridge and the Township of North Dumfries at the forefront through a variety of programming or initiatives that encourage a healthier lifestyle and community in general. 

 

Board Member Award

This award is presented to a board member who have demonstrated outstanding service to a not-for-profit organization in City of Cambridge or Township of North Dumfries through the giving of their time, talents, and resources as a board member to further the goals and objectives of the organization.

 

Volunteer of the Year:

Nominees must have been involved in volunteering for the equivalent of at least 100 hours over a 12-month period.

 

Organization of the Year - Under 10 Employees

Are you a not for profit organization or service club that provides outstanding programs, services, events, or campaigns that support the needs of the community and its residents?

 

Organization of the Year- 11 and Over Employees

Are you a not for profit organization or service club that provides outstanding programs, services, events, or campaigns that support the needs of the community and its residents?

 

Lifetime Achievement Award:

Awarded to an individual who, over the past 15 years or more, has made significant contributions to the community and has improved the quality of life for citizens or whose accomplishments have brought recognition to the Waterloo Region.

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A shortage of rapid antigen screening kits threatens to hamper the ability of local Chambers to assist Waterloo Region businesses stay safe over the next few weeks, says Cambridge Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Greg Durocher.

 

Since the start of April, the Cambridge and Greater Kitchener Waterloo Chambers have been working with Health Canada and the Province to provide free self-screening kits to small and medium-sized businesses throughout our Region.

 

Since that time, more than 700,000 of the kits have been distributed, not to just to Chamber members but all SMEs with less than 150 employees. The goal of the program was to identify asymptomatic or presymptomatic individuals from spreading COVID-19 in the workplace, at home and around the community.

 

“Up until December, everything was running very smoothly, and people were ordering kits and they were keeping workplaces safe,” says Greg, noting a provincewide shortage has altered that at very critical time for businesses. “There are a number of workplaces that are in a very vulnerable situation that are essential and it’s very important they screen employees every couple of days. You can’t have an essential business close their doors for 14 days.”

 

The Chamber initiative, which began as a pilot program and was quickly implemented provincewide by other Chambers through the Ontario Chamber of Commerce network, is waiting on a delivery of approximately 150,000 of the kits to fulfill orders placed by businesses through its Chambercheck.ca portal.

 

“But the fact of the matter is we have at least 1,600 businesses who are now waiting in the cue to get their kits and we don’t have any,” says Greg, noting that leaves approximately 70,000 employees in Waterloo Region without access to rapid screening until at least mid-January.

 

“Even when we receive our order that still won’t be enough because to test that many employees we need at least 280,000 kits,” he says, explaining proper screening requirements call for employees to use the kits at least twice a week.

 

The Chamber’s last order of 50,000 kits – a week’s supply - arrived Dec. 6 and was quickly allocated to businesses or re-allocated to other businesses (including restaurants) if they were not picked up. 

 

“We know there are many workplaces that have to have them,” says Greg, adding a decision by the Province to distribute a single box of screening kits containing five tests to students over the Christmas break may not have been the best method. “It’s a great idea, but not enough has been handed out. Five tests aren’t enough and there isn’t a real strategy attached for their use and to even retain some tests for going back to school. Just handing them out is no real strategy.”

 

He says distributing through workplaces has been a great way to reach more people. 

 

“We’ve always said from the very beginning of this to the Province that about 63% of Ontarians are in workplaces so if you make rapid screening kits available for employees you have the potential to reach 63% of the population,” says Greg, noting not all employees may wish to take part in the screening program unless it was mandated. 

 

He says it would have proven cheaper for the Province to distribute more screening kits to workplaces and even curtail the resale of the kits for exorbitant amounts online.

 

“The BESTWR (Business and Economic Support Team of Waterloo Region), along with the Chambers, started encouraging the Province to do rapid screening in May of 2020 and it took them almost a year to get out and going because we stepped up to the plate and said we would do the pilot program,” says Greg. “We literally wrote the playbook so they could pass it on.”

 

He says running the free screening program through the Chambers has also ensured all the necessary safety protocols are followed.

 

“We have all the safeguards in place to make sure these kits are being used correctly and continue to be accessible to answer any questions if businesses have had a problem,” says Greg. “It really has been a seamless program, but now we’ve seen an unnecessary pause during the most critical time for these businesses.”

 

For information, visit Chambercheck.ca

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The decision by Premier Doug Ford’s government to extend its COVID-19 sick days program has pushed the issue of paid leave back into the spotlight for many employers and their employees.

 

The province announced Dec. 7 that it’s COVID-19 Worker Income Protection Benefit, which require employers to provide up to three paid days off related to the pandemic and was to expire at the end of December, will continue until July 31.

 

But what happens after that date remains unclear, especially as the pandemic continues to drag on.

 

“In terms of what we do going forward, this is a question that deserves debate and discussion because on the one hand, there is a sound rationale to having a program like this in place, but the government can’t be footing the bill for everyone endlessly,” says Daniel Safayeni, Vice-President of Policy for the Ontario Chamber of Commerce. “And on the other side, small businesses have been disproportionately impacted by the crisis and the cost of doing business has gone up.”

 

He says it is worth noting the government budgeted $1 billion for the provincial program and that less than one-tenth – approximately 10% - has been used since it was launched last April. Under the program, employees receive a maximum of $200 per day, with the province reimbursing the employer. To date, employers have submitted more than $80 million in wages for sick pay claims for more than 235,000 workers.

 

“What we’ve seen in the numbers, on average by those who’ve used it, is no more than two sick days,” says Daniel.

 

The idea of transitioning this support to a more permanent sick day program of 10 days is something the Ontario Federation of Labour has been lobbying the provincial government to implement. In fact, a poll conducted by Envrionics Research in the last two weeks of November of 2021 indicated that 80% of the 1,210 respondents supported the Federation’s call for 10 permanent employer-paid sick days. 

 

“It is far past time for Ford’s Conservative government to finally do the right thing and introduce permanent, adequate, employer-paid sick leave and Ontarians overwhelmingly agree,” said Patty Coates, Ontario Federation of Labour President, in a Dec. 9 post on the group’s website. “The Worker Income Protection Benefit is temporary and inadequate. While Ontarians face the rise of a new COVID-19 variant and flu season, we urgently need this common-sense health measure to keep ourselves and our communities safe.”

 

But rising inflation and budgetary constraints faced by many businesses at this time would make implementing such a permanent program difficult, which is why Daniel says careful discussion is imperative.

 

“Ideally, there is a balance that can be struck in some future version of this program (Worker Income Protection Benefit) in which the government can still support these three sick days, particularly for smaller businesses that are in-person and don’t have the remote capabilities or don’t necessarily have the resources to fund an additional benefit like this,” he says, adding many larger businesses may already have sick day policies in place. “Perhaps there is some evolution that can occur for those that don’t, and that expense is eventually transitioned over to the employer. But this stuff needs to be done in consultation with the business community and the timelines need to match the economic backdrop.”

 

Daniel says implementing a more permanent paid sick leave program should not be part of any election promises.

 

“Right now, it’s getting mixed up within the context of an election,” he says. “It also has to be thought of within a broader package of benefits and compensation that employers are providing.”

 

And while the pandemic continues, especially for workplaces like smaller manufacturers, Daniel says the need to extend this program is important.

 

“The other backdrop to this is there is a war on talent and labour shortages and you’re seeing businesses trying to compete in the benefits they offer and to try and be an attractive place to work,” he says, adding providing a safe workplace for employees should remain the top priority right now, especially in the ‘essential’ sectors of retail, administration, and manufacturing. “It’s in no one’s best interest for a business to be in a situation in which they are risking the health and safety of their employees and by extension, the continuity of their business operation.”

 

Daniel says now is the time to investigate where this paid sick day benefit program can lead.

 

“It was wise of the government to extend this program, but let’s use the time we have between now and July to determine what the next step for this will look like,” he says. “As a Chamber network, we need to continue to do more work to understand where our members are at this time and what avenues for us going forward could be used to have a productive solution in place.”

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It’s been just over a month since the first batch of rapid antigen screening kits were distributed to Waterloo Region SMEs through a pilot program created in partnership with the Cambridge and Greater Kitchener Waterloo Chambers of Commerce and Communitech.

 

And since that time, close to 2,000 of these SMEs (under 150 employees) are now offering their workers the opportunity to screen twice a week, with more placing their orders via our ‘www.chambercheck.ca’ (recent winner of the Ontario Chamber of Commerce’s Power of the Pivot Award) site every day as businesses continue to look for ways to navigate their way through this pandemic.

 

The program is now being rolled out provincially and nationally thanks to the Canadian and Ontario Chambers of Commerce who are currently working with other Chambers and government leaders to ensure all SMEs have access to this valuable ‘weapon’ in the fight against COVID-19.

 

“In my 20 years with the Chamber, I can’t think of another program in the Chamber Network that has had a much impact on business as this program has had,” says Cambridge Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Greg Durocher. “I’m so proud to be the Chamber where it started and was piloted because it gives me confidence in our ability to deliver national programs that are innovative.”

 

He says the need for rapid screening to identify those who are asymptomatic was first noted by members of the BESTWR (Business and Economic Support Team of Waterloo Region) during the early days of the pandemic. The team, which Greg serves on with representatives from the Waterloo Region Economic Development Corporation, Great Kitchener Waterloo Chamber of Commerce, Communitech and Waterloo Regional Tourism Marketing Corporation, was formed 13 months ago to assist local businesses address COVID-19-related challenges.

 

“We knew testing and more testing was key when it comes to controlling the spread and understanding its impact on people and the economy,” says Greg, who credits Communitech President and CEO Iain Klugman with procuring the kits from the Federal Government who were distributing them at the provincial level in long-term care facilities and larger essential workplaces only.

 

“They (Province) really didn’t have a mechanism in place to get them out to smaller and medium-sized businesses,” he says, noting the two local Chambers joined forces to assist once the Province approved that screenings could be conducted by non-healthcare providers since the procedure is not as ‘evasive’ as a PCR test. The Abbott Panbio Antigen kits provided through the Chamber program are more than 90% effective.

 

“We knew we were part of a pilot project to determine if this was feasible and acceptable and workable in every jurisdiction in Canada,” says Greg, adding bringing the screening kits directly to workplaces rather than have employees visit a secondary location to be screened, was clearly the best option.

 

He likens the journey to building an airplane during mid-flight.

 

“We kind of built the program in real time, not unlike on what’s happened during the pandemic,” says Greg, adding the Chambers have also developed a ‘playbook’ which is being used as a guide for other Chambers to help them set up their own programs.

 

Locally, orders are placed at www.chambercheck.ca and volunteers prepare the kits for pick‐up at the Cambridge Chamber’s office at 750 Hespeler Rd. A representative from each SME responsible for supervising the self‐screening collection onsite is needed for the initial pick‐up and receives video training to properly supervise the screening process and safely dispose of the used kits. Each SME is required to electronically submit their screening results and the accumulated data is reported to the Ministry of Health bimonthly. If a screen results in a positive for COVID‐19, the employee is required to leave the workplace and notify public health to arrange for a PCR Test at an approved Public Health Collection Site and await further instructions from Waterloo Region Public Health.

 

“This program is not intended for employees working at home,” says Greg, noting Ontario’s current Stay at Home Order clearly indicates even those employed by an essential business, must work from home if they can. “They’re already  safe at home, so they shouldn’t be coming into the workplace.”

 

He says rapid screenings are voluntary and admits that some employees, for personal reasons, may be hesitant to take part.

 

“But you could remind them that it’s not about them, this is about the people who work around them,” says Greg, adding when someone tests negative, they feel more confident and comfortable working around others and being around their own families. “We’ve noticed through this whole process that this has become more of a mental health tool as much as it has become a medical tool.”

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