BC Centre for Disease Control:

The Provincial Health Officer maintains an up to date website with comprehensive information regarding the virus, its symptoms, how it spreads, how to protect yourself and family, etcetera: BCCDC

This site also contains information for schools, childcare, self isolation and testing.

Health Canada:

Health Canada provides updates on the outbreak, travel advice, symptoms and treatment, etc: Health Canada

Information for Travelers:

The Government of Canada issues Travel Health Notices at this site: Travel Notices

 Additional resources:

• BC Centre for Disease Control channels to follow:
  • Twitter: @CDCofBC
  • RSS Feed
• Public Health Agency of Canada
• World Health Organization Situation Reports
• Speak to someone:
  • Novel Coronavirus information: 1-833-784-4397
  • Health information 8-1-1
• Email for Novel Coronavirus information: phac.info.aspc@canada.ca

Helpful Business Resources:

Mission Regional Chamber of Commerce – COVID-19 & Your Biz

Small Business BC: Resources for Small Businesses Affected by Coronavirus (COVID-19) (regularly updated)

PreparedBC – Emergency Plan for Small Businesses

World Health Organization (WHO) – Getting your workplace ready for COVID-19 (Feb 27, 2020)

Greater Vancouver Board of Trade – Business Preparedness Checklist 

British Columbia Economic Development Association

Money for Businesses

The Government of Canada is taking immediate, significant and decisive action to help Canadians facing hardship as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak.

On March 18, 2020, the Prime Minister announced a new set of economic measures to help stabilize the economy during this challenging period. These measures, delivered as part of the Government of Canada’s COVID-19 Economic Response Plan, will provide up to $27 billion in direct support to Canadian workers and businesses.

Support for Businesses

Support for Canadians

In the links above you can find information and resources for:

• Temporary Income Support for Workers and Parents
• Longer-Term Income Support for Workers
• Income Support for Individuals Who Need It Most
• Flexibility for Taxpayers
• Role of Financial Institutions
• Mortgage Default Management Tools
• Supports to Businesses
• How the Government of Canada will support Business through the Canada Account
• Helping Businesses Keep their Workers
• Flexibility for Businesses Filing Taxes
• Ensuring Businesses Have Access to Credit
• Supporting Financial Market Liquidity 

Business Development Bank of Canada

As part of the Federal Government’s announcement about help for businesses, BDC is offering:

• Small Business Loan Up to $100,000 can be obtained online in as little 48 hours from time of approval.
• Working capital loan Get extra funds to bridge cash flow gaps and support everyday operations.
• Purchase Order Financing Increase your cash flow to fulfill domestic or international orders with very flexible terms.

Hubs & Groups: Check out these grassroots communities of support. Most are on social media platforms and many include an ask/offer component. Please respect the guidelines of each group.

Esquimalt Farmers Market Online Market Place Group – An online Facebook group for vendors to connect with customers directly, outside of market hours. Vendors must be a current EFM Vendor in good standing to use the group for sales or connections.

COVID-19 Coming Together: Regional Facebook groups to help people connect to share resources, support each other, show solidarity for healthcare workers and the vulnerable, build community, and amplify social movements fighting for critical access to healthcare, housing and workers’ rights. Current regional groups: Vancouver and Victoria/Lekwungen and W̱SÁNEĆ Lands.

Utilities Links/Resources:

BC Hydro
Shaw
Telus
Rogers
Fortis BC
West Coast Express (Translink)

Date: April 30, 2020
Title: St. Joseph’s Foodbank Message

St Joseph’s Foodbank is open and meeting the needs of current customers and welcoming new customers. We are now pre-assembling our hampers and taking the necessary precautions to ensure the safety of all during these challenging times. The hours of the Foodbank are now extended from 8:30 am-noon every first and third Thursday of the month.

Date: April 3, 2020
Title: Vulnerable Persons Action Team (VPAT) Update & COVID-19 Volunteer Opportunities.

Volunteer Opportunities

Those looking to volunteer in Mission to assist those in need during the COVID-19 outbreak, can contact Chelsey Hogness at chogness@mission.ca  or at 604-217-7598.

Vulnerable Persons Action Team Update

Some highlights from the work that the VPAT has been doing in the community:

• A COVID-19 task force has been established and they having been holding weekly Conference Calls.
• Setting up an emergency food security plan is one of the VPAT’s top priorities.
• The team has been collecting social services staff cell numbers for vulnerable people to access.
• The VPAT has been performing daily risk assessments in the community to respond to those most in need.
• The group has been connecting with Mission Community Services Society on Senior Needs.
• They are keeping track of how much food that food serving agencies have in stock.
• 5 Food Drop Spots have been identified for homeless by the VPAT. A Map is being created to outline these areas.
• The team is working to ensure that the population can obtain the food they need, especially the most vulnerable individuals including but not limited to: infants, young children and women, elderly people, homeless people, people living with HIV/AIDS and other chronic illness, disabled people, and home-bound individuals.
• The VPAT has been inquiring with restaurants and schools that have recently shut down for leftover food that could be donated for vulnerable persons/the homeless.
• Door to door services that are currently in operation and VPAT is working to keep sustained: Meals on Wheels, Starfish Backpacks prioritized with other school food programs, Food Bank, Food Centre.
• Working with local food supply companies/stores to limit stock, disallow hoarding.
• Develop a network of volunteers for food provision work including: obtaining food, preparing food, storing food and distributing food. Those looking to volunteer can contact Chelsey Hogness at chogness@mission.ca  or at 604-217-7598.
• The Following Food Services are available:
  • Copper Hall: Providing breakfast 8am – 9am M/W/Fri & Dinner 6pm – 7pm T/Th/Sun
  • MY HOUSE: Open M-F 11am – 5pm for takeaway food, showers, laundry, crisis referral
  • Haven: Providing 3 meals per day
  • Mission Friendship Centre Society:  M-F lunches via brown bag takeaway
  • Food Centre: Hamper distribution available for pickup on Monday and Wednesday between 0900-1100, and Friday between 0900-1200.
  • St. Joseph’s Food Bank: Drive through only, Inventory slightly down, taking guidance from Food Banks Canada. Contact Wendy Neigel (Food Bank Manager) at 778-201-5000

Date: March 23, 2020
Title: Vulnerable Persons Action Team (VPAT)

An update from the department of Social Development:

We appreciate the calls and emails of concern for our vulnerable populations in Mission which includes persons living homeless, families facing minimal income and food insecurity, shut in Seniors and other population groups.

Municipal Social Development staff collaborate with BC Housing, Fraser Health and community social service and housing agencies on action steps moving forward. A Vulnerable Persons Action Team (VPAT) has been established for Mission as an emergency response measure to act as a communication hub for core agencies providing food and urgent medical and mental health needs to vulnerable pockets of the community. The VPAT will identify resources in critical need among agencies including items, food and staff/volunteers moving forward as well as share communication and directives from BC Housing and Fraser Health.

It is important to note that at this time there is no interruption to the community food supply in mission, hoarding of items is not necessary and the lack of items on shelves impacts the exact people we are trying to assist.

20 Things We Are Doing Right Now

1. A Vulnerable Persons Action Team has been established and will hold weekly conference calls (more as needed) communicating need to the public as it arises through the District website and social media channels.
2. A Food Security Plan has been started looking at Access and Utilization.
3. Communication has been developed with the School District on families previously accessing meal supports through the school to identify those in greatest need and offer continuation where possible.
4. Identifying telephone resources for public use to assist in stress management and anxiety reduction.
5. Communicating with food suppliers and grocers to ensure an ongoing and stable food supply in our grocery stores as well as strategies to store, prep and distribute meals for large groups of people if necessary.
6. The Outreach walkabout teams are distributing the following items to homeless camps: food packs, soap, bottled water, hand sanitizer, information sheets (COVID-19 symptoms and emergency response phone numbers, self isolating, safer drug use, etc.), disposable gloves as well as communicating the importance of hand washing.
7. Tracking the locations and numbers of people in each encampment across Mission for adequate emergency response.
8. Engaging those living in encampments to establish drop sites for food and supplies moving forward.
9. Delivery of hand sanitizer to camps and sustaining stock.
10. Exploring a regular schedule for garbage pick up, biohazard material pick up, etc.
11. Identifying critical hot spots that persons living homeless gather that can be utilized in the event of a community blackout of services (food delivery, health check insurance, etc).
12. Creating signage for encampments that communicate the current situation, key contacts and numbers to call if one feels they are symptomatic.
13. Creating a form that outreach teams can use to communicate with public health and keep track of symptomatic individuals.
14. Ensuring adequate harm reduction supplies where possible and discouraging shared needle use.
15. Exploring access to safe storage for individual possessions should quarantine be necessary.
16. Exploring care options for pets for individuals should quarantine and temporary removal from pet be necessary.
17. Exploring transportation options for ill individuals to quarantine sites.
18. Exploring viable quarantine sites.
19. Exploring frequency of outreach walkabouts and future staffing/volunteer needs.
20. Establishing communication hub with social service agencies on individual pandemic strategies, increased cleaning protocols, agency skills checklists, etc.

How Can I Help?

1. Donations such as feminine hygiene products, soap, toothpaste, hand sanitizer, disposable gloves, masks, baby formula, diapers, hand wipes, new and unused Tupperware and takeout containers, cleaning supplies, hydration tablets, extra food,pain relievers, stomach remedies, cough and cold medicines, fluids with electrolytes, vitamins – please contact one of the people listed below to arrange drop-off.
2. Donations of food items that are not expired are valued however as food products pass through multiple hands they can be a source of contagion. Please contact specific food distribution sites  for clarity on the current donation process for that specific site.
3. Read and share reputable science/evidence based information such as through Fraser Health and the BC Centre for Disease Control  – Stay posted on Municipal communication updates which will include call outs for volunteers and help from community as needed.

Addressing Recent FAQ’s

1. Why are non-profits closed? Aren’t they in place to help people? 

While the main offices of our core non-profits may be closed to limit the spread of the virus to staff and clients, the following services are still being offered:

Mission Youth House – Food takeaways, showers, laundry, crisis conversations

Mission Friendship Centre – Lunch takeaways, medical and mental health needs by appointment

Copper Hall/Hope Central – Breakfast (8am – 9am) Mon, Wed & Fri, Supper (6pm – 7pm) Tues, Thurs, Sun)

Haven in the Hollow – Shelter beds still in operation and food provided

Emergency Weather Response Beds – Still in operation

2. I am seeing persons living homeless clustering together – why aren’t people keeping separated?

Thinking about the uncertainty and stress you may be experiencing, people living homeless face many more unknowns and barriers and are also experiencing stress and fear which draws people sleeping outside into closer contact for survival safety. Staff from multiple agencies are communicating the need loud and clear to maintain physical distance however it remains a personal choice as to whether a person chooses to do so. We continue to work on options for physical distancing moving forward.

3. Is someone thinking about the kids who are dependent on school breakfast programs and starfish backpacks for food?

Yes, we are in communication with both the School District and Starfish Backpack Coordinator to ensure continuation of these services where possible

4. Where are the drop sites for the homeless?

We do not publish the locations of these drop sites to protect the safety of the camp residents. If you are interested in donating to this need please contact one of the people below.

Donation Contacts:

Kirsten Hargreaves (Manager of Social Development), Office: 604-820-3752, Mobile: 604-302-8567  khargreaves@mission.ca

Chelsey Hogness chogness@mission.ca

• Switchboard/Corporate Administration 604-820-3700 info@mission.ca
• Finance 604-820-3717 tax@mission.ca
• Forestry 604-820-3762 forestry@mission.ca
• Building Inspections 604-820-3726 inspections@mission.ca
• Bylaws/Business Licence 604-820-3727 bylaw@mission.ca / businesslicence@mission.ca
• Planning 604-820-3748 planning@mission.ca
• Engineering 604-820-3736 engineering@mission.ca
• Public Works 604-820-3761 pworksadmin@mission.ca
• Parks, Recreation and Culture 604-820-5350, #0 for Reception. leisureservices@mission.ca
• Mission Fire & Rescue Service (Non-Emergency) 604-820-3793 firehalladmin@mission.ca
• Visitor Information Centre/Economic Development 604-820-5375 or Toll Free 1-866-814-1222 edc@mission.ca / tourism@mission.ca
• R.C.M.P. (Non-Emergency, Phone Only) 604-826-7161