South Canterbury COVID-19 Support Team Business Assistance

 

The South Canterbury Chamber of Commerce is the official South Canterbury Covid-19 Response Team for business advice and funding support. 

This page brings together information relating to COVID-19, how it may affect your business and how you can stay up to date as new information becomes available.

The Government has a number of their agencies who may be able to assist business and we appreciate that if you are having difficulty you may not know which Government department you should contact for support.

CONTACT THE SOUTH CANTERBURY CHAMBER: +64 3 687 2733 or email your contact details to: enquiries@scchamber.org.nz 

COVID-19 Update

We are now in Alert Level 1.

  • While we are in Alert Level 1, this means COVID-19 is contained in Aotearoa New Zealand but Government reinforced that we still need to be ready in case the virus reappears in the community. It is still important to maintain good hygiene, practice your social distancing, continue to provide your QR poster to enable the public to keep track of where they have been and employees are being reminded to stay home if they are unwell. Click here for a reminder of what Alert Level 1 looks like.

 

Regional Business Partner Programme

The COVID-19 Business Advisory Fund is administered through the South Canterbury Chamber of Commerce via the Regional Business Partner Network (RBP).

The Government has allocated additional funding to support businesses through the COVID-19 pandemic

Businesses will need to register on the RBP website and owners can access funding from the COVID-19 Business Advisory Fund, for the following services:

    • HR & Employee Relations and Legal
    • Financial and Cashflow Management
    • Health and Wellness
    • Business Continuity Planning
    • Marketing Strategy
    • Digital Enablement Strategy.

This funding can be used with a range of registered providers and is 100% funded

For more information please contact Fiona Stevens on 03 687 2733 or by email at fiona@scchamber.org.nz.

THE TOURISM TRANSITIONS PROGRAMME

The Tourism Transitions Programme is a fund administered through the South Canterbury Chamber of Commerce via the Regional Business Partner Network (RBP).

The Government has allocated additional funding to support businesses through the COVID-19 pandemic. The Tourism Transitions fund is specifically for impacted tourism industry businesses.

Businesses need to register on the Regional Business Partner website and owners can access funding for the following services:

    • HR & Employee Relations and Legal
    • Financial and Cashflow Management
    • Health and Wellness
    • Business Continuity Planning
    • Marketing Strategy
    • Digital Enablement Strategy.
    • Hibernation Support (Tourism Transition only)

This funding can be used with a range of registered providers and is 100% funded.

For more information please contact Fiona Stevens on 03 687 2733 or by email at fiona@scchamber.org.nz.

Venture Timaru Professional Services Grants (PSG)

Business assessment, service matching and administration by the South Canterbury Chamber of Commerce.

To support the Timaru District’s small-medium enterprises (SMEs) affected by the impacts of COVID-19, a $400 grant has been made available by Aoraki Development (AD).

The grant enables Timaru SMEs to access professional advice and support from local business specialists, as they navigate the impacts of Covid-19.

Businesses will receive an additional $400 of support, thanks to the Advisors’ own contribution of time, providing a total of up to $800 of professional services advice.

The PSG sits alongside the Regional Business Partner (RBP) funding for Timaru District businesses that are unable to access RBP support or require a lesser amount of advice/support.

Visit the Professional Service Advisors, the criteria, and find out more here. 

COVID-19 Resources

 

Business Support:

 

COVID 19 Small Business Cashflow Scheme (SBCS) - Extended until end of 2020:

 

Temporary Loss Carry Back Scheme:

  • Temporary Loss Carry-Back Scheme - Tax changes to help businesses through the impact of COVID-19. Businesses expecting to make a loss in either the 2020 year or the 2021 year can use that loss to offset profits they made the year before. In other words, they can carry the loss back one year to the preceding income year. This can be done before the loss year return is filed.

 

Business Debt Hibernation:

  • Business Debt Hibernation - Business debt hibernation helps companies and other entities affected by COVID-19 manage their existing debts until they can start trading normally again. For example, businesses may agree with creditors to delay repaying some of their debt.

 

Contact Tracing:

  • Contact tracing for COVID-19 - Contact tracing for COVID-19 Information about how the Ministry of Health and district health boards trace contacts of identified cases.

 

Export Advice:

 

Immigration Advice:

  • NEW - COVID-19 Financial Support Tool

  • Government has made 3 changes to Temporary Work Visas - Announced 7th July. 6 month extension for employer-assisted temporary work visas; Stand-down period for lower-paid workers is delayed; Some Essential Skills work visas reduced to 6 months. Visa status information for workers and employers. Visit the NZ Immigration COVID-19 Key Updates page to find out more.

  • Immigration New Zealand COVID-19 guidance - Information about Alert Level, visas, isolation and temporary border measures for all travellers, student visa holders, migrant workers and employers.

  • Migrant and refugee information page - This page contains information for Settlement service providers, Non-Governmental Organisations (NGO), community groups, or individuals who work with or know recent migrants and/or former refugees. This information may also be useful for employers of migrants and former refugees who want to support their employees with the latest information about Covid-19 in a variety of languages.

  • Information on foreign nationals - The Department of Internal Affairs is working with NZ Red Cross to deliver in-kind assistance to Foreign Nationals experiencing serious hardship due to COVID-19, under the $ 37.6 million Assistance for Foreign Nationals Impacted by COVID-19 programme. Those eligible for support are Foreign Nationals in New Zealand experiencing serious financial hardship, have exhausted other options and have no current access to a flight home. The temporary Programme runs for 3 months from 1st July.
    Visitor Care Manaaki Manuhiri - eligibility and on-line application information
    Foreign Nationals Support Application

 

General Information:

 

View Webinars - The South Canterbury COVID-19 Response Team is bringing all businesses FREE Online Workshops that you can either join remotely or watch on-demand.

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