As further evidence of the impact of the pandemic on small business, I can report that CFIB now represents 95,000 members (down from 110,000 pre-pandemic). This is the largest drop in our 50 year history.
As we seek to renew our members, a huge number are no longer there. Others are not in the position to pay a membership fee.
One of the decisions of which I am most proud was our call to continue to provide free service to any CFIB member who can no longer afford to pay a membership fee. We also have offered free service to all independently owned businesses who need our help.
We've had unprecedented demand for our services, including 78,000 calls for personalized help in 2020. Fortunately, we remain in a position to continue to serve all entrepreneurs. If you need our help, please use our free introductory membership offer: initiative.cfib-fcei.ca/introoffer/
I'd love your paid membership, but if you can't, I am committed to providing our entire suite of membership benefits to all independent Canadian businesses until the pandemic is over.
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I'll leave it to others to determine whether we are in/near a third wave of COVID-19. Regardless, we cannot return to shutting down the economy to address the concern. Lockdowns were meant to buy a bit of time to ramp up health care capacity, not a semi-permanent policy.
Gyms & indoor restaurant dining in Toronto (for example) have been locked down for nearly 300 days and, still, remain entirely closed. Has this been an effective COVID mitigation effort?
We have vaccinated many of the most vulnerable and are finally making progress in vaccinating older Canadians. This is expected to help address concerns with health care capacity and fatalities - the entire goal of the lockdown in the first place.
As small businesses across Ontario brace for a potential expansion of the province's bizarre "Grey Zone" retail rules (which close small businesses and push customers to line-ups at busy big box stores), here are my reflections:
1. No other province or public health official in Canada has adopted Ontario's counter-intuitive practice. Most provinces have adopted capacity restrictions for all, SK focuses on reducing crowds at big-box stores, MB closes both small & large to non-essential retail.
2. The province has provided no data to support its small business retail closure policy. When asked, most officials admit it is intended to send consumers a message to stay home, not because shopping is riskier than other business/personal activities.
Please listen to this @NEWSTALK1010 interview with York Region Medical Officer of Health Dr. Karim Kurji. He expects that the province will put York into lockdown this weekend, but doesn't recommend it. iheartradio.ca/newstalk-1010/…
Dr. Kurji says he must consider "the downside of mental health issues, social isolation and economic ruining for small businesses in particular".
Dr. Kurji goes on to say that "going into lockdown won't necessarily help anyone", they will have "minimal effect" and that Toronto/Peel lockdowns haven't had the expected results.
It is hard to imagine a more anti-small business policy than Ontario's grey zone retail rule (shutting small businesses down while leaving big box stores open). CFIB is hearing reports the govt will expand this measure to other parts of Ontario this weekend.
We need a different approach to protect the public. One that doesn't entirely close quiet small retailers and send their customers to giant lines in/out of Costco and Walmart.
88% of Ontarians agree that closing small retailers to in-store shopping while allowing the same goods to be sold in-store at big box stores is unfair.
I've had dozens of discussions w officials on lockdowns over the past few weeks. Here is how they typically go:
Me: Why are you locking down small retailers & leaving big box open to sell similar items?
Officials: We are locking down retailers based on medical advice.
Me: Will you share the data they are using to support shutting down small retailers?
Officials: The data isn't clear. What is clear is that people need to stay home.
It was good to meet w Toronto Mayor @JohnTory together w other business assocs to share the impact the Toronto/Peel lockdowns are having on small business.
CFIB shared our member data. In Toronto:
- 47% of small firms are fully open
- 15% are earning normal levels of revenue
- 52% are losing money every day they are open
- 31% are concerned about permanent closure
Toronto & Peel are the only regions in all of Canada that require small retailers to close while allowing big box stores to remain open. Sask allows small firms to remain open, but limits big box stores to 50% capacity. Isn't that a better approach?