Peter Chirico stresses that local businesses need to be taken care of as they yet again need to "pivot" or "adapt" to the latest provincial lockdown.
"It just seems like a continuous battle, open then close, open then close," said Chirico who is the president of the North Bay & District Chamber of Commerce.
Chirico says their local office supports a recent message sent to the province by the Ontario Chamber of Commerce.
“We recognize that public health and a healthy economy are intrinsically linked, however, sweeping new restrictions – impacting employers, workers, and families – unaccompanied by immediate and commensurate supports is unacceptable nearly two years into the pandemic. We need a comprehensive plan that ties restrictions to clear, data-based metrics so that employers, workers, and families can plan ahead," the OCC stated in the message to the province.
“We are all doing our part. Now, the government needs to do its part. What additional steps does the government plan to take to over the next 21 days and beyond?
“Newly imposed public health measures intended to control the spread of the Omicron variant should always be met with immediate, commensurate, and targeted relief, particularly for small businesses, many of whom cannot afford any further reduction in revenue,” the OCC continued.
"We are working with the Ontario Chamber of Commerce and supporting OCC in their message to the government that we need some help; especially here in northern Ontario. Northern Ontario is a special place, we have special challenges with weather, with travel with all of those things, and we need some very very targeted help here in northern Ontario for these businesses that are going to be suffering through this lockdown," Chirico stated.
Chirico notes that the tourism industry in the area is being hit the hardest.
"The tourism industry is just huge with the lockdowns and the snowmobile trails about to open, ski hills starting to open, and the restaurants and everybody being close," said Chirico.
"This is going to affect them severely and they do not need any further debt. That is the key message that they cannot afford any further debt they need to provide us with some assistance. Whether that be tax relief, whether that be grants but they are really going to have to come up with something; a package that is going to help our businesses survive because we do not know how long this lockdown is going to take."
Chirico notes that there is a lot of fear of the unknown in terms of how long this lockdown will last.
"We also have no idea what the numbers are going to have to look like in order for the businesses to re-open. restaurants are already laying off staff, we already know that," said Chirico.
"I guess if there is any good part of this it is happening in their slowest part of the year being January but for the tourism operators this is their busy time of the year. This is a time where they make a substantial part of their income for the winter in the month of January and early February when there is ice and snow and all of those things. Those are the key businesses we need to zero in on and we need to help through this period."
Chirico says now is really the time to support local.
"We have to support our local businesses and make sure you step up and support those people with takeout or whatever that case may be. Do whatever you can and it will help," he said.
"They appreciate it."
