WINNIPEG Business isn’t exactly booming in downtown Winnipeg. “It’s been a lot quieter than we’re used to,” said Katie Peters, taproom and retail manager for Lake of the Woods Brewing Company’s True North Square location. “Back at the start of the year when we had the Jets here it was a lot busier,” said Peters. “But since March, it’s been quiet.” Online and pickup orders are still coming in, said Peters, but off-the-street foot traffic is significantly down. It’s a similar story next door at Hargrave St. Market, which includes the recently-opened Mottola Grocery.
Episode 82 of Down to Business podcast
Author of the article: Gabriel Friedman
Publishing date: Dec 16, 2020  â¢Â December 16, 2020  â¢Â 1 minute read Owner Trevor David at the The Art of BBQ smokehouse in Scarborough. Photo by The Art of BBQ
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For many people, one of the abiding questions of 2020 is whether their favourite restaurant will survive? The coronavirus pandemic has wreaked havoc on restaurants, all but eliminating the indoor dining experience.
In the hospitality industry at large, roughly 67 per cent of workers reported experiencing a mental health issue since the start of the pandemic, and roughly 60 per cent of business owners say theyâre losing money, according to an October survey by the Canadian Federation of Independent Businesses.
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The province is catching up with the rest of the country on these shopping hours after a two-decade push from business organizations.
Starting this weekend, retail stores in Manitoba won’t be required to close at 6 p.m. on Sundays and on holidays.
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“This is something we have been championing for a long time on behalf of retailers and on behalf of Manitobans as well,” said Chuck Davidson, the president and CEO of the Manitoba Chamber of Commerce. “There is a strong percentage of Manitobans in favour of this for quite some time. Taking this measure will have a long-term impact in providing retail with the ability to respond to the needs of its customers and provide customers more choice.”
MONTREAL After Quebec Premier François Legault said Wednesday his government is considering the idea of a circuit-breaker lockdown, business owners in the retail world immediately pushed back. A shutdown for part of December and January isn t the answer, they said, at least not as Legault described it on Wednesday with all but essential businesses shut. That system will disadvantage local companies while giving an edge to American retail giants, argued David Bensadoun, the CEO of the Aldo Group, in an interview with CTV News. The problem, he said, is the idea of leaving open huge stores like Walmart because they happen to sell food alongside many other non-essential consumer items.
The Manitoba government announced on Thursday, Dec. 10 that it has expedited the proclamation of legislation that will allow retail businesses to remain open later on Sundays and holidays.