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Latest restrictions will have devastating impacts: chamber
In response to the Provincial government’s announcement yesterday, the Cranbrook Chamber of Commerce is advocating on behalf of its affected members around the devastating impact that the latest round of COVID-19 restrictions will have on local businesses.
The Cranbrook Chamber is working with Kootenay East MLA Tom Shypitka to unite the voice of local business and bring concerns to the office of Adrian Dix, Minister of Health. The chamber has also rallied other regional chambers to act swiftly to protect the interests of Kootenay businesses.
The Cranbrook Chamber is calling for stronger supports from the provincial government during this third wave and would like to see clarity on what new restrictions mean to the longevity of the Federal Emergency Wage Subsidy and commercial rent subsidy programs.
It is requesting that the province strongly considers taking a regional approach to COVID-19 restrictions so that areas that are not being severely impacted by the increase in COVID cases are not put under the same restrictions as areas that have been harder hit.
In addition, businesses need to be given adequate notice when such restrictions will be put in place to allow them to prepare their business and staff for further lay-offs and cutbacks. Many restaurants had put in large orders for supplies for the Easter weekend which has resulted to an even greater negative impact on their bottom lines. This practice of the provincial government giving little or no notice about impending restrictions needs to cease.
The chamber movement is a grass roots organization and we have reached out to all our members who are being impacted by this situation to gather testimonials to support our recommendations to the provincial government.
The Cranbrook Chamber is continually amazed at the ability Kootenay businesses to be agile and adaptable during this last year of the pandemic and we understand that an additional three weeks of restrictions of this nature are likely to impose unbearable economic hardship to those businesses who have been surviving in the worst of times.
Cranbrook Chamber of Commerce
