St. Albert businesses invited to take survey on COVID-19 impacts

The St. Albert and District Chamber of Commerce and the City of St. Albert has released their second survey designed to determine how the COVID-19 shutdown has impacted the local business community.

The survey launched on May 7, giving business owners two weeks to respond before the initial data is analyzed.  

The 15-question survey is longer than the original one the organizations ran in March/April, and includes opportunities for businesses to provide more variety of responses.

It also seeks information about whether and how business owners have been able to take advantage of federal support programs, what impacts they expect going forward, and the estimated net financial impact of COVID-19 on their businesses. 

As of Thursday, the survey had received 125 responses. 

Sean McRitchie, economic development manager with the city, said the first survey was meant to get more information on anticipated challenges during the onset of COVID-19. The second one "is entirely focused on the realities that are playing out as this crisis unfolds," he said in an email to the St. Albert Gazette. 

"The questions were focused on actual impacts to the local business community to date and to get a better understanding of what supports are being utilized, or not, by the impacted business owners." 

The information collected from the survey will help the city provide tailored supports and programs, he said. For example, the city held a webinar on the Canadian Emergency Wage Subsidy for 35 businesses on April 29 to provide a better understanding of that support program.

The survey will remain open for the time being as the situation is changing rapidly, McRitchie said. The hope is for the platform to offer the business community a chance to provide ongoing feedback to the city and the chamber as time goes on. 

The feedback from the initial survey, which was conducted in late March and early April, demonstrated the negative impacts the pandemic had on the business community in its early stages.

Eighty-one per cent of businesses said they saw a decrease in revenues because of COVID-19, and half the respondents said their most important need was financial support to help with expenses.

Jennifer McCurdy, president and CEO of the Chamber, said this second survey will dive deeper into the impacts and challenges the local business community faces, and what supports those businesses have been able to access.

Right now, businesses are concerned about reopening and how they can do it safely for their staff and customers, she said.  

"A lot of companies have had to change their business model over the past few months and so they will be re-adjusting to a new normal. PPE and other COVID-related products are short in supply and so many businesses are looking for help to acquire what they need to re-open," McCurdy said in an email to the St. Albert Gazette. 

The city will start analyzing initial data on May 21. 

The Alberta Chambers of Commerce has also opened up a survey in collaboration with Economic Developers Alberta and Community Futures Alberta to collect information used to inform government on how to help businesses mitigate impacts of COVID-19 and low oil prices, as well as to reopen and operate safely.

Responses will be collected until May 22. 

Extended wage subsidy

Based on the first survey results, 75 per cent of businesses who responded indicated they are currently in a position to consider layoffs, with approximately 45 per cent of those jobs being part-time and 55 per cent being full-time. 

Federal impact

McRitchie said the city, in partnership with the Chamber, will be looking to collect more information on subsequent surveys regarding the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy's impact on local businesses. 

On Friday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced the government's emergency wage subsidy program would be extended until the end of August to help employers keep their workers on the payroll during the pandemic.

The program covers 75 per cent of an eligible company's payroll, up to a maximum of $847 per week per employee. It was originally set to expire next month.

Brent Elaschuk, owner of St. Albert Tune-Up & Brake, said he was able to tap into the emergency wage subsidy to bring their four-person team back up to full numbers. A few of their staff were temporarily laid off during the onset of the pandemic, he said.

"I'm glad it is extended," Elaschuk said. "As long as we keep qualifying for it, we're gonna we're going to take advantage of it."

Rachelle Konarzewski, general manager at Deluxe Burger Bar, said the restaurant was able to take advantage of the emergency wage subsidy to bring back more staff in mid-April for curbside pickup and delivery. 

Seven of the restaurant's 16 employees are now back to work.  

"We're bringing back as many people (as) we can afford to bring back," she said. Dine-in service opened back up on May 14 under adjusted hours, from 12 to 8 p.m. Tuesday to Sunday.

Hearing the wage subsidy would be extended was good news as the restaurant tries to gauge demand, she said, noting a few people came in through the doors on their first day of reopening.

"It's great to hear that it has gone longer because we're not too sure how this is going to work. We're bringing in extra staff to see how busy we're going to be."