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TORONTO – New lockdown measures being implemented in several regions of Ontario and Manitoba are seeing small businesses again close their doors to in-person navigation, causing concern for many in the industry.
Dan Kelly, CEO of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB), told CTV News Channel that the move is unfair to stores that didn’t have much foot traffic in the first place and were unlikely to be a vector for the virus.
“I just talked to a small corporate apparel store that said they would see the number of customers a Walmart would see in an afternoon in six months,” said Kelly. “And I think that says it all.”
Lockdown measures in Toronto, the Peel region and Manitoba come amid waves of COVID-19 cases in several regions, a worrying trend officials are trying to stop.
Slowing the spread of the virus is essential, but Kelly believes the rules have an unfair impact on small businesses compared to large businesses.
He said it was a good thing that big box retailers like Winners were also included in the closure, but pointed out that many large stores sell both groceries – essential goods meaning they would stay open under the new rules – and not. essential goods.
“We’re closing the little flower shop, but well, you can buy your flowers at Costco,” said Kelly. “We are closing the small lighting shop I visited last night in north Toronto, but you can queue at Home Depot at any time to get the lights. He is crazy.
“They will still allow all department stores to sell non-essential goods, competing directly against those small businesses that are now forced to completely close their doors. It’s not right. “
In Manitoba, this is partially addressed by a new rule implemented on Friday by public health officials, which states that retailers who have been allowed to stay open to sell essential goods are not allowed to sell non-essential goods they have in store. Non-essential goods will need to be sold via curb pickup or online, such as non-essential stores that have been forced to close.
Kelly pointed out that funneling everyone into one place to buy their products may not be the best idea in terms of physical distancing and customer outreach.
“We at CFIB are now proposing that governments institute a” small business first “retail policy: allow little kids to stay open, limit them to three customers at once, three employees at once, no more than six people in At least that would allow them a heartbeat of economic activity, “Kelly said. “I think it would also help in terms of ensuring there is much more room for physical distances.”
Kelly said this block will be worse for small businesses than the first.
“This is different from closing in March and April because this is, right now, the time when companies need to cash in some cash to help them get through the lean winter months,” he said.
He added that 50% of annual sales for small retailers occur within “the six weeks leading up to Christmas.”
Other small business advocates have suggested that nonessential business freezes should come with government support to prevent those stores from completely ruining, such as rent rebates, eviction blocks, subsidies, or a combination of measures.
The last time CFIB calculated how many small businesses are unlikely to make it through the year, their tally went up to 160,000 permanent business closures, but with a new block closing businesses just before the winter holidays, that number could rise. .
“One in seven small businesses are gone forever due to COVID-19,” Kelly said. “I hate to think that these additional blocks, especially if they extend to other provinces, will mean there will be more fatalities before this is all over.”
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