The COVID-19 pandemic has brought unprecedented challenges for curling centres, curlers, and sport overall.  We know that many clubs in British Columbia are concerned about their economic future in light of COVID-19 and its aftermath. Many clubs closed their doors early for the 2019-20 season and of course off-season bookings have been affected. The pandemic and the associated social distancing could also impact the fall season.  Curl BC’s Membership Services Manager Melissa Sim has put together some tips and advice that address the business impacts clubs are experiencing during this difficult time. Curl BC is grateful for the Law Society of British Columbia, whose recommendations to its members was the foundation and sparking point for this list for Curl BC members.

1. Apply for federal or provincial grants, programs or other relief available for individuals and small businesses and non-profit organizations. Some of them are described in more detail on our COVID-19 resources site: https://www.curlbc.ca/resources/covid-19-resources/.

2. Speak with your financial institution about interest relief or deferral of loan payments without interest.

3. Discuss rent reduction or deferrals with your respective municipalities, and apply for utility and property tax deferrals, if applicable.

4. Keep up to date on issues affecting your curling club and solutions that others have developed. Tap into your local, regional, and provincial connections. Curl BC’s webpage dedicated to updates on COVID-19 at https://www.curlbc.ca/resources/covid-19-resources/ has federal, provincial and curling-centre-specific information.

5. Seek remote bookkeeping services in the event you or your bookkeeper are quarantined.

6. Consider postponing your Annual General Meeting or holding it via tele- or web-conferencing to be able to meet your obligations under the Societies Act.

7. Ask your insurers about policies and business interruption insurance for COVID-19 or similar national or global emergencies. If no business interruption coverage is available, consider improvements to the existing policy and consider products by other insurers.

8. Be cautious about phishing attempts and emails that are out of the ordinary or that contain instructions to send money or share passwords and contact information. Fraudsters are taking advantage of the disruption and panic surrounding the pandemic.

9. Stay in touch with your curlers and make sure that everyone is coping well. Provide your curlers with regular updates of any developments related to the pandemic, including any board strategies and decisions that can be implemented once the pandemic is over.

10. If you have staff, check in with them regularly to make sure that all staff are coping well. Keep in touch with your staff while working remotely. If anyone is struggling, please reach out for help.

11. Be aware of leave provisions and employment standards regarding layoff and termination of employment related to COVID-19.

12. Carve out some time to think about the future and how you may need to adapt your current business model and practice to prepare for the next possible disaster or pandemic. Document any processes that worked well or areas for improvement.