Give Team Burlington credit for doing the right thing, the responsible thing. And remember all this when they are able to open their doors again.

News 100 blueBy Pepper Parr

April 27th, 2020

BURLINGTON, ON

 

It does sound a little ass-backwards – but they are on the right path.

The hospitality and entertainment sectors are hurting – they are bleeding.

With the weather beginning to look nice the idea of being on a patio in the afternoon when the work is done sounds very inviting.

Team Burlington gets it – not yet – but soon IF you stay home so that they can eventually get back into business.

Fig 2

The curve is far from flat. The virus that is infecting people is being passed from person to person – not from someone from China.

They are calling this initiative their STAY HOME to Get Back to Business campaign – they are encouraging people to support local business by staying home and practicing physical distancing which will ultimately help businesses open their doors sooner.

It isn’t just the hardest hit industries that are feeling the impacts of the global pandemic. Businesses of all sizes and across all industries are experiencing unprecedented challenges, including significant and unforeseen revenue loss, the need to lay off staff, supply chain disruptions, and uncertainty about the future of their business and when they will be able to reopen. Simultaneously, businesses are also facing tremendous pressure to digitize and shift existing business models to include online and contactless pick-up and delivery options.

Team Burlington recognizes these challenges and plans to leverage their audience and networks to help get Burlington businesses open as soon as possible. The STAY HOME(to Get Back to Business) campaign reinforces the message that is consistent with public health officials — the sooner people STAY HOME, the sooner the business community can open their doors and get back to business.

Brian Dean 2 long

Brian Dean, Executive Director of Burlington Downtown Business Association

“Businesses of all sizes are being impacted by COVID-19″ said Brian Dean, Executive Director of Burlington Downtown Business Association, one of Burlington’s two Business Improvement Areas (the other being Aldershot Village BIA). “We hope this campaign will help Burlington residents understand that their actions and choices during this time have direct consequences on our business community.

We are getting asked a lot about how people can support their local businesses. One of the things you can do is stay home and practice physical distancing as much as possible.”

Craig Kowalchuk, Owner of Emma’s Back Porch and the Water Street Cooker and President of the Burlington Restaurant Association echoed Brian’s sentiment. “Temporarily laying off staff and closing down the restaurant has been one of the most difficult things I’ve had to do in my twenty-eight years of operations.” He went on, “You can help us get back to business by staying home, reduce your trips to the store and minimize contact with others. We can’t wait to welcome you back, for our twenty-ninth summer, but we can’t do that until everyone stays home.”

The STAY HOME campaign will be launched across social media, as well as through window decals displayed in the windows of downtown businesses. A video campaign featuring local business owners from across Burlington will also help spread the message.

Give Team Burlington credit for doing the right thing, the responsible thing. And remember all this when they are able to open their doors again.

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