The MHBA continues to carefully monitor the situation surrounding the spread of the coronavirus in Manitoba. The MHBA has and will continue to recommend to our members that they follow the advice of Health Canada and Manitoba Health’s public health officials.
Here is a further update on MHBA activities:
MHBA COVID-19 Resources for Members:
As the Covid-19 event continues to unfold, the MHBA has set up a dedicated web page, https://www.homebuilders.mb.ca/mhba-covid-19-resource-page/, to ensure you have quick access to important information necessary to help you and your businesses navigate this tumultuous time.
This dedicated page includes links to the MHBA’s COVID-19 updates, plus a variety of health and business resources and will be updated as new information and resources are made available. We will still continue providing updates to you via email as new information becomes available to keep you as informed as possible.
Public Health Orders:
Manitoba has implemented a number of changes to better protect the health of Manitobans.
They include:
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– declaring a state of emergency in Manitoba;
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– issuing public health orders to: limit public gathering to less than 50 people including places of worship, family event, wedding and funerals; require retailers to ensure separation of two metres between patrons in their facility; limit hospitality premises such as restaurants or theatres to 50 people or 50 per cent of capacity (whichever is less); and immediate closures of bingo and gaming centres, as well as wellness centres such as gyms and fitness centres;
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– Public health officials are strongly advising all Manitobans, including health-care providers, to cancel or postpone any non-essential domestic and international travel. In addition, public health officials are recommending all domestic and international travellers should self-isolate and self-monitor for symptoms for 14 days after returning to Canada.
The latest updates and information from Manitoba Health can be found at https://www.gov.mb.ca/covid19/
Preventative Measures:
There are a number of preventative measures that the MHBA have recommended that all of our members implement, whether in your offices, showrooms, or show homes.
We are recommending that you implement the following best practices:
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Post signage at your door asking those who have recently travelled internationally or those who have flu-like symptoms to reconsider entering into your show home/room;
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Limit the number of groups/people entering your show home/room;
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Keep hand sanitizer and disinfecting wipes stocked and available if possible;
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Disinfect frequently used surfaces (Door knobs, countertops, handrails, etc.) on a regular basis;
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Avoid greetings that involve touching, including shaking hands;
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Wash your hands frequently; and
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Provide disposable towels/napkins should people wash their hands in your show home/workplace. Please do not use reusable (regular) towels in your bathrooms.
Please share this update with your staff and discuss these important measures and the available options regarding show home hours with your staff.
Further Health Resources:
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– Shared Health Manitoba – https://sharedhealthmb.ca/
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– Health Canada – https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/coronavirus-disease-covid-19.html
Federal Economic Response Plan:
The federal government announced a package of support measures for individuals and business.
CHBA has identified the most relevant measures included in Canada’s COVID-19 Economic Response Plan. Click here for more information.
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-10% wage subsidy for small employers
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-Business credit availability for small and medium-sized businesses
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-Deferred tax filing for businesses and individuals
Click HERE for more CHBA anaylsis.
Details of the plan are available HERE
The federal government’s announcement can be found HERE
The Canadian Home Builders’ Association continues to monitor the federal economic response, the closure of the Canada-US Border to non-essential travel, and any potential supply chain issues. We will be sure to include their updates in our e-newsletter.
MHBA Office Operations:
The MHBA office will be closed to the public until further notice. The MHBA will continue to serve you but all staff will be working from home for the time being.
The best way to contact the MHBA staff during this time will be by email:
Lanny McInnes, President & CEO – [email protected]
Cyrille McIntosh, Communications & Events Coordinator – [email protected]
Brittany Harris, Member Services Coordinator – [email protected]
Staff voice mail systems are accessible remotely, so all voice messages will continue to be returned as well.
All MHBA Committee and Board meetings will continue as scheduled, but will be held via conference call rather than in person meetings. Meeting details have been provided to directly all committee members.
We appreciate your patience as this is a quickly evolving situation and seems to continue changing by the hour.
We will attempt to keep you as fully informed on any further changes to MHBA operations as any further changes are made.