Relaunch plan gives businesses hope

Groups work together to develop best-practices kit prior to reopenings

Alberta’s relaunch plan has given struggling Edmonton businesses hope following weeks of uncertainty because of the COVID-19 pandemic, say local business associations.

The province’s three-stage plan, which Premier Jason Kenney announced Thursday, allows businesses and facilities such as clothing, furniture and bookstores to resume full operations May 14.

Public health guidelines such as physical distancing and the 15-person gathering limit will still be in place and the plan is dependent on the number of infections remaining low.

Ian O’donnell, executive director of the Downtown Business Association,

said the plan offers hope to all 13 of Edmonton’s business associations, which are working together to develop a best practices kit ahead of reopenings.

“For our member businesses — and consumers for that matter — we needed to have a date and this is certainly going to uplift people,” he said. “The burden on businesses and others is so significant right now. We need to get things open where we can, we need to do it in a safe way and we need to do it in a manner that’s going to re-instil confidence in the consumer. Or an employee, for that matter.”

Cherie Klassen, executive director of the Old Strathcona Business Association, said although the relaunch is a positive sign, she has concerns about how the plan will roll out. With cafes, restaurants, pubs and bars limited to 50 per cent seating capacity, Klassen said the hospitality sector may struggle financially.

“I could see them continuing doing curbside pickup and takeout because that’s a little bit more financially viable than bringing a whole bunch of staff back,” she said.

Klassen said the province needs to provide more guidance for businesses on what they should be doing to ensure safety. Municipally, Klassen wants the city to consider offering businesses more space along main streets such as Whyte Avenue. She gave the example of restaurants being able to spill out onto the sidewalk or street to give people and staff more room.

Rob Tinga, president of the West Edmonton Business Association, also welcomed the news and said the date came sooner than he expected.

“(May 14) will be roughly eight weeks from the time things got locked down,” he said. “A lot of businesses are barely making it by right now. Any sort of reopening is positive for us.”

According to the latest Edmonton Chamber of Commerce survey, more than 50 per cent of those surveyed said they have gone out of business while more than 65 per cent said they could return to normal operations within four weeks.

Tinga said smaller businesses will be able to pivot quickly but the hospitality sector may have a harder time.

Leduc and Wetaskiwin Regional Chamber of Commerce president Brett Powlesland said in an email he stands behind the government’s plan.

“We encourage businesses to put safety first while gradually reopening, regaining business, and getting people back to work,” he said.