Business Continuity Plan

1. Basic Business Information 

• Include the business name, address, directions to location and phone number (as reference to others)

2. Vital Business Registration Information

• Business or Incorporation number
• GST #
• PST #
• Business licence #
• WorkSafeBC account
• Payroll account
• BCeID

3. Key Business Contact Information

• Identify a Business Continuity lead & alternate lead

4. Insurance Information

1. Staff Contact List

2. Key People

• Fred Jones, Building Manager
• Alice Smith, Landlord

3. Supplier Contact List

4. Customer Contact List

5. Emergency Contacts

• Penticton RCMP: 250-492-4300
• Penticton Fire Department: 250-490-2300
• B.C. Poison Control Centre: 604-682-5050 or 1-800-567-8911
• Interior Health
• Report a power outage to the City of Penticton: During business hours (Monday - Friday, 7:30 a.m. - 3:15 p.m.): 250-490-2539 or electric.utility@penticton.ca. After-hours answering service, Ph: 250-490-2324.
• Natural gas emergencies with FortisBC: 1-800-663-9911 or call 911.
• Water, sewer or roads: If you are experiencing an urgent problem, Ph: 250-490-2500.

Keep this list posted in a prominent location. It should list the following with details of where they are kept within your facility. 

• Emergency kit
• First Aid kit
• Important documents
• Fire extinguisher
• Grab & go bag
• First responder package

In the case of emergency, people will be scrambling to make sense of things. Create a list of how staff should shut down the following within your facility.

• Electric
• Natural gas
• Propane gas
• Heating, ventilation & air conditioning (HVAC)
• Piped oxygen system
• Boilers
• Technology / computer equipment
• Water

These may include:

• Loss of power, water, gas, phones or internet access
• Theft or loss of inventory or equipment
• Building damage/vandalism
• Cyber attack, loss of data or digital files
• Employee injury or illness
• Damage to the roads or infrastructure outside your business
• Disruption from service providers, such as strikes

• Inventory critical business assets and functions.
• Analyze impacts and risks of the hazards on your business.
• Identify evacuation routes, emergency exits and meeting points. Post these procedures where employees can read them.
• Consider staffing issues. Also, appoint a go-to person within the company in addition to yourself with access to any essential passwords or building codes.
• Have a backup plan in the case of power outages or loss of water or gas. If your business requires electrical power to operate or prevent spoilage, consider a backup generator.

Just what impact could an event have on your business? During this step, you’ll take a closer look at information gathered so far to identify where your business is at greatest risk. For more on this, see the Community Futures Business Continuity Workbook. 

Consider ways your business can mitigate any potential risks. Examples:

• Prepare your “grab and go” kit.
• Take preventative measures, such as ensuring your business is FireSmart.
• Read more in the Community Futures Business Continuity Workbook. 

Create a crisis communications plan or checklist, which will set some guidelines involving how you will communicate with customers, employees and the media. 

These are single-page “mini-plans” which are hazard specific and a source of information used before, during and after a hazard situation. For example, consider the implications of a fire at your business and steps you would take to get back up and running.

Ensure you review and test your plan at least once a year to make sure all the information is relevant. This may include staff meetings and scenario exercises.

You can download the Business Continuity Essential Information Checklist to get started in your planning. For a more in-depth document, review the Community Futures Business Continuity Workbook 2019.