Hotels, restaurants, gyms in Mississauga, Brampton, and Canada still struggling due to pandemic-related restrictions
Published July 15, 2021 at 5:50 pm
Despite soaring vaccination rates in Ontario and many other parts of the country, many businesses are still facing restrictions some deem unreasonable as politicians remain cautious when it comes to reopening.
According to the Canadian Federation of Independent Businesses (CFBI), businesses in the arts and recreation, and hospitality sectors, such as hotels, restaurants, gyms, and arcades, are being neglected.
Based on the latest data from CFIB, while 68 per cent of businesses are fully open, and 45 per cent are fully staffed, only 33 per cent of arts and recreation businesses are fully open and 20 per cent are fully staffed, and only 32 per cent of hospitality businesses are fully open and just 18 per cent are fully staffed.
Further, when it comes to sales, 35 per cent of businesses have returned to pre-pandemic levels, but only 15 per cent of hospitality businesses and 11 per cent of arts and recreation businesses are among them.
“The pandemic has hit all small businesses, but those in the arts and recreation and hospitality sectors have felt the impact of lockdowns, border restrictions and capacity limits more than most and are still facing many months of reduced sales. Being permitted to open the doors of the business is only step one on the long road to recovery,” Dan Kelly, president of CFIB, said in a news release.
“Small firms have a long way to go to rehire and train staff, welcome customers and abide by the many restrictions that remain in several jurisdictions. As consumers, we can help them by dedicating some of our spending for local businesses and choosing to shop small every chance we get,” he continued.
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