News   Jul 12, 2024
199 Church Showcases Heritage Facade and Artwork at Street Level
 1.6K     0 
News   Jul 12, 2024
Six Points Plaza Redevelopment Advances With 36-Storey First Phase
 1.2K     1 
News   Jul 12, 2024
Trading Spaces: Can Real Estate Conversion Help Boost Housing Supply?
 465     0 

Novel Coronavirus COVID-19 (nCoV-2019)

Waiting patiently for journalists to figure out that the 55 billion that is part of the federal package is mostly a tax deferral. That's not actual money. As a small business owner it's totally useless and irrelevant. And if I had staff, how could I possibly care about help representing only 10% of my payroll? This is just as useless as I expected it would be.
 
Bayer said:
Waiting patiently for journalists to figure out that the 55 billion that is part of the federal package is mostly a tax deferral. That's not actual money. As a small business owner it's totally useless and irrelevant. And if I had staff, how could I possibly care about help representing only 10% of my payroll? This is just as useless as I expected it would be.
Click to expand...

That one is so stupid. what does 10% do? If Trudeau thinks that's going to make companies retain staff, he's a bigger idiot than I thought. We're going to see a lot of layoffs in the coming weeks.
 
Bayer said:
Waiting patiently for journalists to figure out that the 55 billion that is part of the federal package is mostly a tax deferral. That's not actual money. As a small business owner it's totally useless and irrelevant. And if I had staff, how could I possibly care about help representing only 10% of my payroll? This is just as useless as I expected it would be.
Click to expand...

I'm not sure I'd call the tax deferral useless.

I do agree the way its packaged as if it were a cash-transfer is misleading.

I would also happily agree that its insufficient, by a substantial margin, taken in isolation.

***

I must admit I'm puzzled by the 10% wage subsidy.

For one thing, I'm not clear if this will be available to businesses that are not restricted and not laying people off, such as supermarkets..............

For another, it seems entirely inadequate for any business whose revenue has dropped to zero or near zero.

I think, for the short-term, the right programs for employees are in place, but 55 cents on the dollar, that's in EI and its equivalents is too low for many people to manage their bills.

Putting the money from the wage subsidy back into those programs, driving up the income replacement rate to something between 60% and 75% income replacement would likely have been a better investment.

Business supports would be better directed at regulatory measures prohibiting loan calls and commercial evictions, at least for a month or two; as well as reimbursing businesses that are closed for fixed costs at 50c on the dollar and/or paying lease/mortgage payments in some form for a month or two.

Subject to some conditions around executive compensation, and a requirement to use up cash holdings within the business in excess of 'x' dollars before getting assistance.
 
Do you want the US bill that doesn't even guarantee paid sick time?

In other news, it was weird to see Brian Lilley saying positive things about Trudeau.
 
They also closed all of the rest stops along the highways, although they opened a few after truckers complained. You can still buy booze at grocery stores in PA.
 
I must confess, I'm utterly frustrated that we don't seem to using science as the basis for restrictions on commerce.

As discussed previously, there is/was no evidence of transmission in restaurants, and intuitively take-out lines may well be more compressed. Capping capacity and/or minimum separation distances would have been preferable, in my mind, in terms of managing contagion.

I'm open to evidence that suggests otherwise, but I haven't seen any, and I'm certainly looking at everything I can.

Likewise, we haven't forced Canadian Tire to close; but somehow, we need to force liquor stores?

Don't get me wrong, much as I love a fine glass of Ammarone............ I'm not arguing wine is an essential.

I'm interested in the the consistent application of scientific principles though.

If the argument is for personal space between people, you can do that while keeping most business open.

If there's a different argument in play, and evidence to support it, fine...........but then let's apply it equally to every place of employment that isn't absolutely essential, across the board.
 
So, I asked someone knowledgeable, about the shortage of hand sanitizer.

Apparently all the existing product (was) made overseas, and as such will take weeks to replenish.

On the upside, domestic sources are being found and brought to the fore, so supplies should return more quickly, but taking time to ramp up domestic production.

This makes a rather clear case for both the private sector and the public sector to ensure that we maintain manufacturing/production capabilities for a range of key products at all times, even at the cost of being slightly less competitive.
 
For restaurants, I've been avoiding, but I did go into a Starbucks the other day using mobile ordering which was quick and efficient ... in and out in under a minute, no personal interaction. Of course, that doesn't take surfaces into account, and today they were reporting that the rotten little virus can live up to 3 days on metal and plastic surfaces.

I have become that tin foil hat OCD germophobe compulsively washing my hands (I use sanitizer as a last resort, preferring to actually wash) after realizing just how many THINGS I actually touch when outside of my own little bubble where I control what is clean and what isn't.

The virus apparently has a shorter lifespan on cardboard, so I'm not going to fret quite so much about my deliveries, although I wonder about glass bottles having just placed an online LCBO order. I've always enjoyed online shopping (I used to live up north and was an online shopper before it was cool), and I'm taking advantage of it now to avoid crowds and as stores close. I think we're going to see some interesting changes in the online market going forward.
 
In the last three days, I have only left the apartment to get stuff at Pharmasave and Timmies (which are across the street) and to walk the dog. Other than that, I stay inside. At some point, we need to get some groceries, which is basically a 3 minute drive, so we don't have to go far.
 
The last time i left the house was on Monday to get groceries. It's eerie seeing the streets in my neighborhood so empty day after day. Normally my street in the morning is full of a school kids, people waiting for buses, cars lined up at the traffic light, crowds walking to work, but now it's empty... everything is so quiet outside.
 
Wow, this thread is already at 63 pages. I came here with a theory and I’m not sure if it’s already been raised.

Theory: A Stanford study demonstrated that working from home boosts productivity. Companies are going to discover that their employees’ productivity has gone up working from home over the next many months and given that they’re going to have to create systems to to make this the new (albeit temporary) normal, many companies are just going to keep them in place and maintain the new status quo – or at least continue to offer the option.

As a result, this pandemic is going to change the face of office towers the world over. Office vacancies are going to skyrocket. I wouldn’t bet on any outstanding office towers being built in Toronto.

Will they even finish 160 Front St West, currently under construction? Are we going to get another Bay-Adelaide Street Stump? Very possible. Union Square starting? Not a chance. I can even see some of the existing office space being converted into residential condos.

We’re in a new world. There’s absolutely going to be a paradigm shift. All bets are off.

www.inc.com

A 2-Year Stanford Study Shows the Astonishing Productivity Boost of Working From Home

The jury was out on the productivity effect of working from home. It has returned with a surprising verdict.
www.inc.com www.inc.com
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to post here.

Back
Top