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Play of the Week #10

The latest province-wide lockdown on April 3rd, 2021, has been devastating for the restaurant industry. Restaurants Canada and the Ontario Restaurant Hotel and Motel Association in an open letter to Premier Doug Ford stated, “The abrupt move to shut down all dining soon after easing restrictions cost Ontario restaurants more than $100 million.” Businesses in the food retail sector need direct financial support to compensate for lost inventory and to get them through another lockdown.

Play of the Week #10

By Rebecca Clarke

Support Your Favourite Local Restaurants! 

The latest province-wide lockdown on April 3rd, 2021, has been devastating for the restaurant industry. Restaurants Canada and the Ontario Restaurant Hotel and Motel Association in an open letter to Premier Doug Ford stated, “The abrupt move to shut down all dining soon after easing restrictions cost Ontario restaurants more than $100 million.” Businesses in the food retail sector need direct financial support to compensate for lost inventory and to get them through another lockdown.   

Restaurants in Ontario have been using all their effort, creativity and resources just to scrape by throughout the course of this pandemic. During this time, they have urged consumers to increase their support for their favourite restaurants by ordering takeout more often from them. Additionally, consumers should order directly from the restaurant, instead of third-party delivery platforms, so that the restaurant receives 100% of the profits.  

Local restaurants provide us with a sense familiarity, connectedness, and pleasure. They have supported us during the good times by giving us a place to gather with family and friends. Now it’s time that we support them. Play your part in helping them to survive this pandemic by ordering takeout!  

Interview insights…

“The regulations closed my doors. Customers were no longer coming in… I couldn’t afford my rent anymore. It led me to close my restaurant.” – Restaurant Owner, London ON  

Interview insights…

“Yeah, yeah, there was a bit of [financial] support for small businesses. I still have to pay rent…I still have to pay my personal expenses as well. There was not enough money to pay myself. So yeah, I used a few of the emergency benefit plans, but it only covers 50%, it doesn’t cover the whole game.” – Restaurant Owner, London ON  

Resources

How consumers can support restaurants during COVID-19: https://www.restaurantscanada.org/support-restaurants/  

London Restaurant Directory: https://www.londontourism.ca/supporting-local-business  

Toronto Restaurant Directory: https://trnto.com/toronto-restaurants/  

Waterloo Region Restaurant Directory: https://explorewaterloo.ca/directory/restaurants/  

Make your voice heard at https://gofresher.theheal.ca, and stay tuned in to the conversation through our social media pages (@FRESHER_Canada) and website at http://fresher.theheal.ca.