Chamber CEO Speaks Candidly About Weathering Covid - 19 Storm

As tough as it is “stay the course” that is the word from the CEO of the Moose Jaw and District Chamber of Commerce.

Speaking to MJ Independent by telephone Rob Clark spoke candidly about the effects Covid - 19 on local businesses and the storm many are facing.

“We are not here with our heads in the sand we know some businesses are not going to survive this but we are doing our best to help as many as we can to survive,” Clark said. “We are always here to help the best that we can.”

He said the crisis brought on by Covid - 19 has had major impacts for local businesses as the uncertainty turned into panic for some local businesses. But that has subsided to some extent as federal and provincial support programs for businesses started to be announced, Clark said.

“The first ten days it was really hectic with many people calling. Originally there was a lot of panic and the unknown out there was a bit of a shock. It was hectic for us. When the programs were announced we were getting 30 - 40 calls a day for information. The next week as people started seeing what was available it was not as hectic,” he said.

Asked if any businesses were telling the Chamber that Covid - 19 would be their death knell Clark said “I never heard any of that” but it had indeed very stressful for many businesses.

“They never came right out and said it but when you spoke to them on the phone you could tell a few of them were shaking on the other end. Some have put their entire life savings into their business and you could feel the anxiety at the other end.”

Clark said despite the uncertainty there are many programs out there and hopefully more coming from the federal and provincial governments to help businesses quickly adapt and survive.

“There are a lot of programs from the federal and provincial governments that can help them get into July.”

The biggest help Clark sees in the aid packages so far announced for businesses is the federal government's program to pay 75 percent of employee's wages to keep them on the payroll. This is up from the original ten percent proposed which had been widely criticized as insufficient.

He said he had a feeling there will be further investments to tide businesses over if the situation were to deteriorate further.

“They are not going to stop now they are in too deep. The more lobbying you can bring in there the better.”

Although it may not be publicized heavily the local Chamber, along with other business groups, has been lobbying for relief to help businesses survive.

On the local front the Chamber has been in contact with the City and lobbying for such things as property tax initiatives.

“We talked to the City they said their hands are tied…it is the Provincial Government that controls that.”

The local Chamber is in constant contact with the Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce who have a united front to lobby both provincially and nationally.

“We have been lobbying through and asking questions from the Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce…they are very responsive. We have weekly conference calls with all of the Chambers (of Commerce) in Saskatchewan.

The big issue being worked on presently is trying to find commercial rent assistance to help businesses survive until the aid arrives.

The Chamber has also held two conference calls with its members, where the City was on the line, and Mayor Fraser Tolmie is slated to be part of Friday's conference call

The initial conference call between businesses had 40 on Monday and this Wednesday's one and a half hour installment had 50.

The calls do not just talk about the problems but also solutions and letting members who was still working and “doing business out their back door for pickups because of the virus.”

Despite the doom and gloom there is still optimism, Clark said pointing out when government assistance arrives therefore hopes of a spending surge locally.

“Once that $2,000 comes out (in federal government Covid - 19 unemployment assistance) we are hopeful that people start spending that money here locally. Help start getting the cash registers ringing once again.”

Asked for what he would tell businesses Clark said “you have worked so hard to get where you are stay the course…start doing deliveries if you have to…keep your cash if you can and apply for as many programs as you can. If you don’t have to use them don’t use them but if you need to use them to survive they are there.”

Clark said the Chamber was here to help and “anybody can phone us here at any time.”

The Chamber can reached at (306) 692-6414 .