Re: Coronavirus
 

Bombardier to lay off 12,400 as it stops aircraft and rail production in Ontario and Quebec.

EI claims last week and through the weekend 929,000 — 5% of the labour force. Last year during the same week 27,000 claims.

Re: Coronavirus
 

Now you have me thinking about Boys from the Blackstuff.

Re: Coronavirus
 

Not sure if it's been posted earlier, but here's the Ontario list of essential workplaces:
https://www.ontario.ca/page/list-essential-workplaces

Re: Coronavirus
 

Would have been easier for them to just publish a list of places that were closed.
Far too much still open :(

Re: Coronavirus
 

I went in today and got the mail, let the ATM guy in to take the cartridges out of the cash machines, boxed up all the liquor in both bars and locked it up, shut off all the coolers and the draft machine, did a few other things and put fresh cat food under the step (a big ginger feral came through last night). I can still go to work because there's nobody else there, but there's no pressure so far, and there's lots to do, and it gets me out of the house. I can see doing this for 3 or 4 hours a day (or more) until someone tells me different. I'm open to suggestions, direct orders, that sort of thing, lol. So far looks like I'm in for Order of Lenin.

Re: Coronavirus
 

6,900 employees at Westjet are being cut, almost 50% of their workforce (I imagine additional losses will be coming indirectly because of this as well since Westjet contracts out a lot of 3rd party vendors for things like ramp, aircraft cleaning, catering etc) although seems most of the 6,900 have voluntarily left according to the company.

Air Canada has reached an agreement with its pilots to furlough up to 600.

https://business.financialpost.com/t...box=1585080016

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This is so very sad caretaker...I’m sniveling about the cat now too. My warmest thoughts...I never know how to do those hug icons...but I am sending you one...

Re: Coronavirus
 

Business Council of B.C. is forecasting a 7-12% shrink of the BC economy.

Maybe this will be our lucky year and we will get a subsidized unit, but then they are likely to see an increase in people becoming homeless/needing housing so it may lead to a longer wait. Very short term we can just use disability to cover rent, but that isn't a viable mid term solution since eventually other bills, food and such will need to be dealt with, maybe there will be a chance at working in a couple months, really depends on how well the economy is.



145 new coronavirus cases announced in BC today, total now 617

No new deaths.

59 in hospital now with 23 of those in ICU.

2 additional long term care homes have outbreaks.

3866 hospital beds available (66% occupancy)

ICU bed occupancy at 53%

3500 COVID-19 tests being done daily

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I thank you, the cat thanks you.

Re: Coronavirus
 

JS .................... don't you qualify for the GST Credit?

Because there is a one time special payment in early May. If so, that is at least a little bit of help.

Plus I read in a finance article over the weekend that anyone eligible for the Credit should file their 2019 taxes by the original deadline of April 30 to be sure that they get the correct credit beginning in July.

I also heard that the Provincial Government will be bringing in a law to forbid evictions of people who can't pay their rent.

Re: Coronavirus
 

I can see part of one of the main roads south from Vancouver over the river and to the US border.

There is very little traffic along that road now, it often looks like it does at 2 or 3 am. It is also incredibly quiet.

One interesting thing is that we are on a corner, and there are fewer cars parking on either of those streets during the daytime, which is the reverse of what I would expect.

I'm beginning to wonder where those cars that used to park during the day came from :rofl:

What I am seeing are more people walking, especially along the east-west street ........... alone, in pairs (obvious couples) and small family groups. They all appear to be keeping space between themselves and any unrelated groups.

Our local coffee shop is still quite busy with take-out orders, and a friend told me that the convenience store next door has been really busy ......... it is in the centre of a lot of apartment buildings and his prices always seem reasonable.

OH goes out in the morning if we need anything from the store, and is still going for a walk in the early evening .......... he says he sees very few people, and few are riding the buses.

I'm still self-quarantining and not going out, have another week to go.

It was our daughter's birthday today. We called her, and she told me "It's a very strange birthday, it will be unforgettable. Snow and rain, then sun, in quarantine, home schooling, trying to work from home. I'll have to do a lot of work tomorrow to catch up."

Asked if they were getting a take-out from their favourite restaurant as a celebratory dinner, "No, Mum. We got a take-out from them on Sunday, and we're going to eat the left overs tonight!!"

Definitely a very different birthday!!!!!!!!!!!

Re: Coronavirus
 

We get some GST credit at the moment yes, and I have no idea what the May payment will be, or what the new payment July forward will be as our income in 2019 was substantially lower vs 2018 so GST amount should go up, I think.

Government is supposed to announce renters thing tomorrow, short term it may help free up some cash for food, but have to see what the government's plan is.

Crazy times a month almost 1 month ago exactly things finally looked like they were going to be improving, was going to training for a job, looked like a job that was a good fit for me, and would bring in the much needed income we need, and not even 2 weeks later, the world basically collapsed around society tossing all that out the window, really insane how fast things changed. I have never in my life seen such drastic change in not even a months time.

There was an economist on the news, Global or maybe CBC, I don't know one of the Canadian ones, talking about unemployment getting into the 10%-20% range if that happens wages are gonna fall and will be basically impossible for those like my wife and I to get a job, there will be so many out of work that companies that are hiring will have cream of the crop talent they normally would not have access to.










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Re: Coronavirus
 

All of the businesses in our building on ground floor except the medical lab are closed, barber, restaurant, coffee shop all closed and have been for 1-2 weeks now, Starbucks was the last to close last week.

Canada Post facility looks like its Christmas time, the street is pretty bust during parts of the day, but the buses are largely empty especially after dark. Mostly homeless people/mentally ill/addicts on the street during the day, all the usual hipsters are nowhere to be seen, way more police sirens at night, but less ambulances and fire trucks, so seems crime must be up or something.

Way less semi trucks at night, basically non-existent from the port, average night there are dozens that go past as in the middle of the night instead of going down Clark South, they just go up E Hastings as there is no traffic at that hour.

Re: Coronavirus
 

God damn, Prince Charles has been tested positive for the virus now. Hope he stayed the hell away from his parents.

Re: Coronavirus
 

I see Prince Charles has now tested positive for C19. What a wonderful positive thing this would be if he comes through this unscathed- yes I know he is going to get better treatment than Joe Blow in Hackney, but it would just be a very positive note for older people who are feeling a bit targeted by this thing.

I also hope he’s OK as he didn’t get to vote to be him, and didn’t have much choice in the matter, he hasn’t spent his life down a mine but I can’t for one moment imagine it’s been especially pleasurable...I really vote that he dies in bed germ free when it’s his ‘proper’ time.