Supporting Businesses Near Our Kamloops Apartment Community

Shopping near McGill Ridge apartments in Kamloops

Supporting Businesses Near Our Kamloops Apartment Community

One of the many convenient things about our Kamloops apartment community, McGill Ridge Apartments, is its close proximity to services, restaurants, shopping, and recreation. Everything you need to live well is within a short walk, bus trip, or drive. Unfortunately, businesses, especially small, locally-owned businesses, are suffering and need our help.

The pandemic hit many industries hard, but none as much as restaurants. In Canada, approximately 10,000 restaurants closed because of COVID-19 and many closed permanently. A recent study by Narrative Research tracks permanent restaurant closures by province. The study estimates that 43% of BC restaurants permanently closed – the second highest number of closures of any province (second only to Ontario). It’s not only restaurants that have suffered. Small businesses across the country have experienced monumental revenue losses, difficulty finding employees, and, sadly, difficulty attracting an anxious public back to in-person purchasing, now that we’re mostly reopened.

Statistics Canada reports that 51% of restaurants don’t know how they’ll continue to operate. These and other startling stats reveal just how much devastation restaurants have experienced.

It’s not just restaurants though. Few sectors were untouched. Pre-pandemic, an average of 39,000 businesses in Canada closed each month. In April 2020 alone – near the height of the pandemic – 88,187 businesses closed.

How You Can Help

The following are some ways you can help local businesses and the local economy get back on its feet. Most of the suggestions below are simply a matter of switching back to the purchasing habits we had before the pandemic.

Let’s Get back out there!

Most Kamloops apartments are close to local services, and before the pandemic, Kamloops residents took advantage of the city’s “walkability” to enjoy a sit-down meal at a favourite restaurant, grab a beer and appetizers with friends at a local pub, shop a boutique clothing store, or listen to a band at a local venue. During the pandemic, we all had to become used to a new reality. Shopping became online shopping, and dining in became ordering in. While the shift in shopping habits was necessary in the battle against COVID-19, it’s not as necessary now and can be done safely. Businesses are open and waiting for us to return.

Buy locally

Buying locally supports businesses in your own back yard. Instead of buying from online megastores, where many of the goods you purchase may be shipped from other countries, try to buy local. It may be a bit more expensive to do so, and we all love the low cost of online purchases, but there are hidden costs many of us don’t consider. When you make a purchase at an online megastore, the local economy does not get any economic benefit. The business you purchase from is probably not located in Canada, and certainly not in Kamloops. Buying locally is also better for the environment because it drastically reduces the carbon emissions and energy consumption related to global transport. There is a significant impact on the environment when Amazon or other big online retailers ship a small, $3.00 item in a big truck directly to your door.

Eat-in or order takeout

Delivery services did well during the pandemic, and we still need them, although our reliance on those services is not as necessary now as it was. When you use a delivery service, you may be supporting the driver, which is great, but the restaurant barely breaks even. When you eat-in or order takeout, the restaurant doesn’t have to pay the delivery service company; the revenue remains with the restaurant, supports its employees, and its very existence.

Tip generously

Restaurant employees work hard for relatively low wages. When you tip when dining in or taking out, tip with your heart and consider what that little extra would mean to a moderate wage earner if we all tipped more generously. Tipping also helps the restaurant retain their employees. Many restaurants are having trouble finding employees and keeping them because of the pandemic. Your tips can increase employee retention by making the job more attractive and the wage more livable.

Rent at McGill Ridge Apartments in Kamloops

Find out why so many people love renting at McGill Ridge. Our Kamloops apartment community is one of the newest, most modern apartment developments in our great city. If you’d like to rent an apartment, view suite and building amenities, check out floor plans and pricing, and fill out our Request Apartment Availability form. Someone will respond within 2 business days.