Context and Key Message

 The project was carried out by York University students as part of a field course, ‘Learning the Bruce’ held in late August 2021. As part of the course’s community engagement framework, postcards were distributed to over one hundred local businesses in four locations inviting participants to complete a survey on the impacts of Covid-19. Overall, the survey received 29 responses from four locations: Southampton (14), Sauble Beach (7), Paisley (5), and Wiarton (3).  Most of the businesses responding to the survey were small employing less than 10 people (76%) and largely in retail (45%) and accommodation and food services (28%). 

As expected, COVID-19 local businesses in the Bruce reported negative impacts of the pandemic, but these impacts were uneven, and must be considered in relationto other challenges which were assessed as also significant (e.g., labour shortage, traffic congestion and parking etc.). Further, although businesses performed well with most planning for new hiring in 2022, there is a great deal of uncertainty as most business were clearly concerned about the ‘fourth wave’ of the pandemic. 

   · In terms of the impact of COVID-19, 24% of participants reported a significant negative impact with 55% reporting a slight negative impact. 

· In terms of the impact of COVID-19 relative to other business challenges, the pandemic ranked the highest (6.9/10). But this was only a point higher than the challenges presented by traffic congestion and parking (5.7/10, a very significant in the case of construction in Wiarton) and labour recruitment (5.2, and a real challenge to beach communities). 

· Other challenges such as ‘access to finance’ (4.9/10) and ‘too much competition’ (3.3/10) were of much less concern to the businesses surveyed.  

· There was also concern about the future course of the pandemic with negative impact of a pandemic ‘fourth wave’ as 20% were very concerned and 72% somewhat concerned.  

· Despite these concerns, 72% or respondents expected 2021 to be better year than 2020 and another 14% expected the same performance. 

· Respondents were also optimistic about future hiring with 41% expecting to expand their workforce in 2022 with 45% holding steady. 

The pandemic has had a significant impact on most of the local businesses surveyed. However, the challenges of the pandemic must be considered in relation to other significant challenges. 

While a policy focus on the pandemic is important, local business face other significant challenges must be addressed. For example, labour shortages remain a challenge and the issues such a lack of housing for workers sand competitive wages still need to be addressed. 

Further, although business performance is improving, the pandemic continues to be a concern and creates conditions of uncertainty.  This is unfortunate given that excessive competition and access to financing were not perceived as major challenges. In other circumstances, such perceptions would likely lead to significant expansion and growth.   

The project group members are Zion Albert, Kofi Antwi, Renée Caloiero, Jacky Duong, Paola Gabriele, Marco Goriel, Michael Gulizia, Thurika Kukarajah, Nathan McGibbon, and Isabella Meggetto of the Faculty of Environmental and Urban Change, York University. 

We thank all of the respondents for their participation.