Since the end of sanitary measures in the spring, how are the finances of merchants in the province?
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The repeated closures of many businesses and the deserted town centers and commercial arteries have greatly affected the finances of entrepreneurs.
According to the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB), 65% of merchants have accumulated debt, on average, of more than $150,000.
A merchant from Plaza St-Hubert, hard hit by the pandemic as well as the work carried out on this artery, explains his state of mind.
“We can’t believe we’ve been through all these tough times. We are more or less back to normal. I hope it will continue like this. We don’t want to close anymore,” he said.
Restaurant owners also hope that they will no longer have to close their doors. According to the Association Restauration Québec (ARQ), Quebec had 21,232 restaurants just before the start of the pandemic. Two years later, that number had dropped to 17,566, a drop of 17%.
Although the clientele is back, the challenges remain numerous.
“We have the customers, but the challenge is the workforce. Many cannot ride 100%. In some cases there are daytime closures. Some have even given up the dinner service. The industry no longer wants measures that govern its capacity,” says Martin Vézina, of the ARQ.
