As a small business owner, I can tell you that after hearing the new restrictions yesterday I am certain the Alberta government does not understand the impact its scattershot pandemic approach has had on small businesses and the people we employ.

When this happened in December, we had to close down during our busiest season. Now, we might be closed for summer. Restaurants that spent thousands on patios are impacted. Staff who have been laid off and re-hired once again find themselves out of work.

If we were really “open for business”, we would have listened to medical experts when they warned about rising cases months ago so we could get this virus and its variants under control. But we waited until the last possible moment and once again small business will suffer.

The seesaw restrictions mean we lay off our teams for 2-4 weeks at a time while managing exposures, keeping clients + staff safe, and staying afloat. We’ve gone through this cycle several times. I can’t tell you how awful it is to continually lay-off and re-hire my team.

Small businesses in Alberta sit in limbo while we watch other places re-open. This was preventable, and so many voices were urging the government to take a different route. I’m heartsick that we find ourselves here once again.

If you can, please support small business with your dollars, your positive online reviews, and your patience. We can get through this, but we have to do it together. Stay safe!