Monday's federal budget is the right COVID remedy for average citizens and average businesses, according to the Kelowna Chamber of Commerce and a top accountant.

"We acknowledge there are still rough seas ahead," said Kelowna chamber executive director Dan Rogers.

"We want our businesses and our residents to weather this third wave and be able to move forward once Canada is truly in recovery mode."

Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland's budget is hailed as a lifeline for struggling businesses and workers.

It contains $100 million in new spending, including money to maintain federal wage and rent subsidies and other aid for laid-off workers until September, instead of cutting them off in June as previously announced.

"Providing some certainty that these supports will be extended is good news for Canadians and for Canadina business," added Rogers.

"The shift away from subsidies to economic stimulus and growth is one which we will all welcome when the time is right."

For instance, the budget makes provisions for the Canada Recovery Hiring Program to help hard hit businesses to hire staff when the economy starts picking up

"The supports remains in place and is aligned to phase out as more people get the vaccine and recovery can start," said Joy Nott, a trade and customs partner with KPMG accountants and consultants.

"The budget recognized that, yes we're all in the same COVID storm, but we're in different boats. It was exactly what we needed at this time and place."

The budget also looks forward to when Canada, hopefully, can put the pandemic behind it.

The plan for $10-a-day child care was outlined, a key to helping working parents return to work and not be buried in daycare fees.

The budget also calls for national long-term care home standards, more programs to equip small-and-medium-sized businesses to weather the storm and rebound and the ability for Canada to produce its own vaccines.

The country was caught flatfooted when it came time to vaccinate the public because we don't have our own vaccine manufacturing facilities and it was difficult to secure supplies from other countries who were allocating it to themselves first.

As a result, Canada's vaccination rollout is well behind that of many other countries.

"Canada needs to be self-sufficient in vaccines, personal protection equipment and medical equipment," said Nott.

"COVID exposed weaknesses and we have to have Plan Bs that work. It also changed a lot of attitudes and people are aware of how important it is to buy local and support local."