The Aurora Chamber of Commerce continues to be extremely concerned about the effects of the pandemic on our small business members and the long-term effect on the business community at large.
The pandemic crisis has continued longer than anyone had hoped or expected, and the continued uncertainty about vaccine deployment has exasperated the tremendous burden on all businesses. This has been especially traumatic on the small business community. The recent announcement to allow small retailers in York Region to open up when the stay-at-home order is lifted is an encouraging next step.
We recognize the importance of necessary protocols and the need to maintain the health and safety of the public. We also understand the goal to ensure that we do not encounter further surges in case counts or public spread. The current framework imposes severe restrictions, we believe unfairly, on small businesses. With the support and guidance of public health officials to develop and impose appropriate additional safety measures we support the expansion of opening additional sectors.
Small business owners in the hospitality, fitness and personal services sectors, with guidelines and controls, have the ingenuity and ability to operate safely in order to protect their livelihood. Limiting capacity, utilizing PPE and other appropriate restrictions are all available to allow a small business to function and maintain public safety at the same time.
Alternatives must be developed to allow small businesses to function and maintain public safety as the alternative is the undesired demise of our local economies.
Therefore, we ask all levels of government to allow small businesses to open with appropriate safety measures, including limited capacity, utilizing PPE and any other protocols that the Province and the Ministry of Health deems necessary.
Respectfully,
Sandra Ferri
President & CEO
The Aurora Chamber of Commerce
