BOMA Canada’s core advice to our members is that, if you suspect or are aware of a case of coronavirus in your building, call your relevant public health authority for advice and direction.
As the Novel Coronavirus (known as COVID-19) continues to spread globally, BOMA Canada is actively working to provide our membership with the most up to date information.
Members should refer to Health Canada and World Health Organization (WHO) for up-to-the minute updates and best practices.
Resources
Coronavirus Back To Work Support:
- BOMA Canada’s Pathway Back To Work
After a period of “hibernating” commercial properties, the commercial real estate industry is now preparing for a phased re-entry. To provide guidance on building operations and management, BOMA Canada and its volunteers from across Canada have put together the Pathway Back to Work – Commercial Real Estate and Re-Entry Guide. New
Coronavirus Webinars and Support:
- Prepare Your Building for Back to Work Webinar Video – May 7, 2020 New
- Risk, Insurance and Resiliency in Real Estate Webinar Video – May 5, 2020 New
- Q&A with the Experts: Cybersecurity, Building Technology and Coronavirus Webinar Video – April 30, 2020
- Coronavirus – Government Employer/Employee Programs Webinar Video – April 21, 2020
- Coronavirus – The View From China and Canada Video – April 8, 2020
- Coronavirus – Legal and Human Resources Webinar Video – April 6, 2020
- Coronavirus, Cleaning and Property Management Webinar Video – March 24, 2020
- Coronavirus and Commercial Real Estate Webinar Video – March 16, 2020
- Full video of the BOMA Canada Coronavirus Summit, March 4, 2020
Economic Impact and Support:
- BOMA International – Getting Back to Work: Preparing Buildings for Re-Entry Amid COVID-19
- COVID 19 – Building Extended Closure Checklist
- MNP Property Tax Deferral Update
- MNP Pathways Through The Pandemic
- MNP Pathways Through The Pandemic (French)
- BLG COVID-19 and the Landlord/Tenant Relationship
- BLG Rent Deferment Agreements In Light Of COVID-19
- BLG Breaking Developments and Essential Resources
- BLG Employers and the COVID-19 Federal Emergency Response Act
- BLG – COVID-19 and the workplace: FAQs for employers
- OECD Economic Outlook, Interim Report March 2020 – Coronavirus: the world economy at risk
- McKinsey & Company – COVID-19: Implications for business
- Force Majeure: A Commercial Leasing Perspective for Landlords and Tenants *
- Avison Young – COVID-19 Impacts on Real Estate
- Preparedness and Mitigation Strategies by Bazak Consulting
- 5 ways to optimize your building for Coronavirus (COVID-19 prevention)
- BOMA Canada has designed a number of educational pandemic posters, please reach out to steve@posterone.com
Industry Resources:
General Resources:
- WHO – Getting your workplace ready for COVID-19 New
- National COVID-19 Volunteer Recruitment Campaign
- World Health Organization (WHO)
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) – Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)
- Government of Canada
- Johns Hopkins University & Medicine Coronavirus Resource Center
* From Landlords Right and Remedies in a Commercial Lease – a Practical Guide (Haber and Beallor) Thomson Reuters
Things you can do right now
- Plan and implement additional cleaning protocols for more frequent services. Visible cleaning is good, shows you are being proactive (cleaning elevator buttons, door handles, etc.)
- Update your communications protocol to communicate best hygiene practices as well as taking steps should someone be infected.
- For your own firm, conduct preparedness tests, e.g. everyone/many people works from home on one day. Implement lessons learned from the test.
- Keep work surfaces (e.g. desks and tables) and objects (e.g. telephones, keyboards) clean & hygienic. Wipe with disinfectant regularly.
- Promote regular and thorough hand-washing (employees, contractors and customers).
- Consider impacts of COVID-19 on the following:
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- Business continuity: How to react if there is a confirmed case in your building.
- Organizational continuity: Align your internal policies with best practice recommendations to ensure you are morally and legally protected.
- Commercial leases: Based on your lease, what can you require from tenants if there is a health emergency?
- Supply chain: Look at your supply chain and plan what you might need (e.g. additional sanitizer) in 1 month, 2 months.
- Extreme pandemic: Though extremely remote, legislation may enable authorities to shut down and/or otherwise deeply affect your building. Engage with your legal department proactively.
- Intolerance: If there is an incident of intolerance (e.g. harassment at a Chinese restaurant/tenant), be ready with messages of tolerance and support. Ensure security personnel and staff have been trained to react appropriately to individuals exhibiting harassing or intolerant behaviour towards someone due to ethnicity and perceived increased risk.
As summer arrives, consider plans for tenant appreciation events including if they should happen, if hosting them will send confusing messages. Consider ways to replace the appreciation should you decide to forgo them.
