Business owners under financial, emotional strain as lockdown extended

Some business owners in the Ottawa areasay the uncertainty surrounding Ontario's current lockdown is draining themboth financially and emotionally.

Non-essential businesses were forced to close when the Ford government implemented a provincewide lockdown on Boxing Day, followed by astay-at-home orderlast week that extends the closure bynearly three weeks.

• The 1st day of the stay-at-home order
• Stay-at-home order in effect, but questions about enforcement linger

The order extends to ski hills like Calabogie Peaks Resort, 100 kilometres west of downtown Ottawa.

"It's just yet another blow to the industry in Ontario," said Jim Hemlin, the ski resort's chief operating officer."Knowing that the rest of our colleagues [across Canada] are working and running their ski resorts, not having any issues, it makes it a hard pill to swallow."

Hemlin said some ski resorts won't survive.

"The impact, financially, is massive not even sure if [it's] recoverable," he said. "Losing Christmas and New Year's, and now losing the prime part of our season, the month of January,it's going to be quite an interesting roller-coaster to see what hills can actually recover from this."

Restaurants, small businesses also suffering

The province's decision to extend the lockdownuntil at least Feb. 11 is concerning for restaurateur and retailer Resa Solomon-St. Lewis, who planned to reopen her smallpop-up shop in the ByWard Market, Afrotechture, in time for Black History Month.

It does create a significant strain to operate in this kind of environment.- Resa Solomon-St. Lewis, restaurateur and retailer

"Having to constantly make changes, adjust, adapt to the extent that we're trying to be as flexible as possible, it does create a significant strain to operate in this kind of environment," she said.

Resort official says longer shutdown yet another blow to the ski industry in Ontario

4 years ago

Duration 0:46

Jim Hemlin, chief operating officer of Calabogie Peaks Resort, says watching ski hills stay open across the border in Quebec has made the stay-at-home order a hard pill to swallow for Ontario hills.

"We're really trying to be innovative, but it can't help but have an impact and will most certainly have an impact on projected revenues," saidSolomon-St. Lewis, whose Montreal Road restaurantBaccanalleis open for takeout.

"As a business owner, a lot of the time we have to absorb those cuts ourselves," she said. "It's definitely going to be a strain financially, and a strain from a psychological standpoint."

Stay-at-home order means extended business closures, leaving owners facing financial strain

4 years ago

Duration 0:48

Resa Solomon-St. Lewis, a business owner who had hoped to open a pop-up shop in Ottawas ByWard Market, says the extended shutdown will mean more stress and financial strain.