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w at er lo oc hr on ic le .c a W at er lo o C hr on ic le | T hu rs da y, A ug us t 6, 20 20 | 6 Presented by and Small businesses need support to survive pandemic By Laura Jones, CFIB executive vice-president COVID-19 wal- loped Main Streets across the country. As the shutters start com- ing off and reopening signs emerge, small businesses need you more than ever. When asked what message to put on a poster encouraging local shopping, one business owner said: "We survive with your support." Another put it more bluntly: "buy local or bye local." Others had varia- tions on this theme: "Amazon doesn't live here." Ideas like these from small business owners across Canada helped create the recently launched #SmallBusinessEveryDay campaign which will run from now through the fall. Collectively, individual actions like buying a cup of coffee or a cupcake, finding a local business online or ordering takeout can make a big difference to our neigh- bourhoods, and more generally, to Canada's economic recovery. While the Amazons and WalMarts of the world are doing just fine, odds are your favourite restauranteur, retailer, hairdresser, drycleaner, tailor, or dress shop owner is not. Close to half of businesses saw revenue drops of more than 70 per cent and many had no revenue at all for more than two months during the COVID crisis. Many are still shut. "Overwhelming stress" continues to rank high on a long list of worries on our weekly COVID-19 business surveys. A recent survey shows two-thirds are losing sleep over their business' futures. As customers, we see the new cleaning protocols and the friendly smiles welcom- ing us back. But behind the smiles, we know things are very far from normal for our local businesses. According to new survey data from Maru/Matchbox, close to half of Canadians personally know of a business in their community that has closed permanently due to COVID-19. One of the bright spots for many business owners through this cri- sis had been their connection with customers, many of whom continued to show support as best they could with options like take out and curbside deliv- ery. As businesses reopen, amplifying this support to keep them open is criti- cal. Small businesses don't exist to deco- rate our communi- ties, they need sales to survive. Another emerging bright spot is the parade of initiatives and incentives offered by big businesses, associations, and enter- prising individuals across Canada to encour- age local shopping. To make it easy for consumers to see all the great floats in this parade, we are featuring them on the Small Business Every Day landing page (smallbusi- nesseveryday.ca). Business owners will also find free downloadable posters and other tools to encourage local shopping. It's as simple as going for a walk to buy yourself a treat, ordering take-out or recom- mending a great business by word of mouth or online using #SmallBusinessEveryDay and any of the other great campaign hashtags. It's not complicated, but it is critical. Small businesses provide more than half of the private sector jobs in Canada, support kids' sports teams and make our neighborhoods fun destinations. Will you help them survive and thrive? Laura Jones is Executive vice-president of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business. To find out more about how to support local business go to www.smallbusinesseveryday.ca. permanently due to COVID-19. spots for many business owners through this cri- sis had been their connection with customers, many of whom continued to show support as best they could with options like take out and curbside deliv- ery. As businesses reopen, amplifying this support to keep them open is criti- cal. Small businesses don't exist to deco- rate our communi- ties, they need sales to survive. ATasteofTheMiddleEast Mozy's Shawarma has been serving up its popular delicacies since 2008. Generations of experience are reflected in the authenticMiddle Eastern food prepared and shared at the restaurant. Great pride is taken in the healthy, always-fresh food that customers enjoy at this local eatery. It's why loyal Mozy's customers call it their "kitchen away from home". 247KingStN,Waterloo 519-884-6699 www.mozys.ca ReliableRoofingSolutions Reuter Roofing is a full-service certified roofing contractor with more than 20 years of experience in all areas of roof repair and installation serving the Cambridge, Stratford, Kitchener-Waterloo and surrounding areas. You can count on Reuter Roofing for speedy, reliable service when you need it most. Highly skilled roofing experts provide affordable solutions for a reliable roof. 624BonavistaDr.Waterloo 226-989-5897 www.reuterroofing.ca HomemadeFood,FriendlyService Founded in 2011 by Rajni Patel with the original Guelph location, Sam's Grill expanded into Cambridge a year ago and more recently opened aWaterloo location. Of- fering homemade food including signature dishes like Sam's Super Burger, Montreal Smoked Meat on Rye, and Hot & Spicy Poutine, the family-run business offers friendly service and the best quality food at a fair price. Order online at www.samsgrill.ca. 655ParksideDr.,Waterloo 519-954-2557 www.samsgrill.ca PremiumMen'sApparelandShoes At Channer's, modern clothes, both business and casual, remain a hallmark of the store. Our premium collection of sportswear and clothing are from leading Canadian, American, and European designers. Our second floor offers the best selection of shoes in KW, with over one thousand pairs to choose from. We are very dedicated to our community and fully support our local hospitals and many other foundation events. 95KingSt.South,Waterloo 519-888-9888 channerswaterloo.com