Website lets customers know which Niagara businesses are open
Region’s economic development department launches online directory to support companies struggling during pandemic
A new online directory that shows which businesses are open and whether they offer full or partial service is Niagara Region’s latest move to help the struggling economy.
“If a customer is not sure about a business being open, they can go to OpenInNiagara.ca and check not only if the business is open, but also how are they doing business,” said Valerie Kuhns, acting director of economic development.
“Are they doing curbside pickup? Free delivery? And how should the customer approach them?”
Since mid-March, businesses deemed non-essential have been closed to contain the spread of the coronavirus — a hard hit in a tourism-based economy such as Niagara’s.
Others remain open, but some only for online sales and curbside pickup. Kuhns hopes the recently unveiled website will clear up any confusion for shoppers.
“Ultimately what we’re trying to do … is to support local businesses, our local companies,” she said.
“We’re trying to connect the ones that are still open, albeit doing business in a different way … with local residents so we can support the businesses and help the economy.”
It’s a free online directory, largely managed by business owners who can post and update their own information such as store hours, location and whether they are full service.The website is still monitored by Region staff.
So far there has been a “really good response,” Kuhns said, with 275 businesses signing on.
The website has a map showing all the businesses, which can be searched by category or location.
There is also a tool to measure driving distances.
In mid-March, the Region’s economic rapid response team — formed of Niagara’s mayors to boost the economy — launched a website (errt.niagararegion.ca) to provide updates on government programs and assistance for businesses.
It also surveyed all 13,000 of Niagara’s businesses, to learn how COVID-19 restrictions were impacting their operations.
About 2,600 companies representing 66,000 employees responded.
It found nearly two-thirds had laid off 76 to 100 per cent of their staff and more than 1,100 businesses were closed temporarily.
A short followup survey will be sent out later this month.
Since the original one went out, more government funding has been released so Kuhns hopes it shows an improved picture.
“We know that obviously many of our businesses are struggling, that there are still a lot of unknowns,” she said.
“The ones that we are hearing are struggling — and it’s not really any surprise — it’s the ones that rely on face-toface contact” such as accommodations, food services and retail.
“I think this is a time for Niagara residents to support their local companies and try to help them through this.”