ANTIGONISH: Despite following a strict work-from-home mandate from provincial and federal governments, two local chambers of commerce are actually seeing slight increases in membership numbers during this unprecedented time.
Since the pandemic spread to the Strait area, both the Antigonish and the Strait Area Chambers of Commerce have been providing materials and information to their business members to help alleviate some of those extra burdens.
The Chambers of Commerce are closely monitoring and assessing the resources that are becoming available locally, provincially and federally and they are there to advocate for access to support, resources and tools for their business community.
“As business owners, employers, employees and citizens, the rapidly changing situation with COVID-19 can cause worry, concern and confusion,” John Beaton, Antigonish’s executive director told The Reporter. “All chamber members are experiencing some sort of challenge as a result of this. There are very few with their bottom line or businesses impacted.”
In terms of what their chamber of commerce can do, he said they have been reaching out individually to businesses; they’ve set up a Facebook group called ‘Supporting Businesses Through COVID-19’ where businesses who’re still open can post the details of how they’re operating; keeping their business resource page updated daily; and by offering themselves out to their members as a business resource.
“How do you start selling your products and services o-nline, when traditionally they’re only used to doing it with a brick-and-mortar storefront,” he said.
Beaton suggested some challenges regarding the current programming was finding a way to make businesses fit the criteria for those programs.
“Specifically, some programs are related to payroll, and if you happen to pay all of your labour on a contracting basis, you don’t qualify. As well, as if you’re a start-up,” he said. “If you’re one of those businesses falling through the cracks, you’re in panic mode, and the question is do you have enough assets to ride it out?”
As for what Beaton has been hearing from his membership, it includes everything related to fixed-costs, including employees, to those with loans on equipment, especially farms.
Susan Fox, the acting executive director of the Strait Chamber told The Reporter, with their ear to the ground, the advocacy side of their chamber has increased dramatically.
“Your complete energy is put into that,” Fox said. “We’re trying to get information, any changes or implementations, gather that information and put it on our Web site. We also send out regular e-mails to our membership. They get that right away as soon as it comes down.”
Those busy running a business, don’t always have the time to sit down at their computer to look here, there and everywhere to see what information is available, she noted.
“People are trying to figure out how to still run their business when people have to social distance,” Fox said. “You don’t have people who are able to come in on a regular basis and pick up items. It’s learning how to switch your business but still be able to operate their business.”
The whole meaning behind what the chamber of commerce is doing, is they don’t want people to have to go further in debt because of COVID-19.
“These little things all equal up to help them be able to sustain their business,” Fox said. “And hopefully not close their doors.”