Wildfires raging through the Cariboo have businesses worried about their profits.
More than 250 local companies have called the B.C. Economic Development Association香蕉视频直播檚 business recovery hotline, according to CEO Dale Wheeldon.
Many of those are from cities hit hardest by this year香蕉视频直播檚 wildfire season, including Williams Lake and 100 Mile House.
香蕉视频直播淭he majority of the callers are retailers, tourism and hospitality, forestry, food services 香蕉视频直播� those kinds of sectors,香蕉视频直播� Wheeldon said.
The hotline was set up in July to help with everything from getting employment insurance, to connecting
Williams Lake, which is surrounded by several fires included the Riske Creek fire, the Wildwood fire and the Spokin Lake fire, spent two weeks under an evacuation order. Tom Wong, who owns Caribou Ski Source for Sports, said his business took a big hit when the store had to close.
香蕉视频直播淲e were shut down for three weeks,香蕉视频直播� Wong said, who has owned the store since 1988. 香蕉视频直播淚t will be the biggest impact on anything that we香蕉视频直播檝e ever had.香蕉视频直播�
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He香蕉视频直播檚 lucky 香蕉视频直播� the business has interruption insurance, which means their profits will be covered.
香蕉视频直播淭he employees are still going to be out some,香蕉视频直播� said Wong. 香蕉视频直播淓mployment insurance doesn香蕉视频直播檛 cover 100 per cent of what they would have made in that time.香蕉视频直播�
And the store itself will still suffer losses, he noted, because Wong can香蕉视频直播檛 cancel shipments he made for fall merchandise in advance.
香蕉视频直播淲e buy everything six months in advance,香蕉视频直播� said Wong. 香蕉视频直播淎ll the stuff that normally sells in the month of July, like shorts, water sports 香蕉视频直播� that stuff香蕉视频直播檚 all definitely going to be backed up.香蕉视频直播�
But Wong said he香蕉视频直播檚 somewhat lucky. Had the evacuation order come down in August, it would have squashed his back-to-school sales.
香蕉视频直播淔rom that perspective香蕉视频直播� that香蕉视频直播檚 a positive,香蕉视频直播� said Wong. 香蕉视频直播淏ut I don香蕉视频直播檛 think we can make up [lost profits]. I think we香蕉视频直播檒l just be down for the year.香蕉视频直播�
He香蕉视频直播檚 trying to look at any silver linings and hopes that businesses who香蕉视频直播檝e done well as a result of the fire 香蕉视频直播� from appliance repair shops to fire apparatus retailers to hotels 香蕉视频直播� will help out those who香蕉视频直播檝e suffered by spending any extra cash.
香蕉视频直播淓veryone香蕉视频直播檚 lost a paycheque. How is that going to impact your spending for all the stuff that you need?香蕉视频直播� Wong said. 香蕉视频直播淔or me that would be back to school, hockey season香蕉视频直播ο憬妒悠抵辈
He香蕉视频直播檚 trying to make the little things a bit more affordable for people who are out cash because of the evacuations.
香蕉视频直播淩ight now, when the evacuation alert is on everything is an extra 20 per cent off,香蕉视频直播� said Wong. 香蕉视频直播淭hat香蕉视频直播檚 just to try and get people to have some normalcy, so their kids can still play soccer, hockey, albeit their budget may not be as big.香蕉视频直播�
Meanwhile, the business recovery hotline will be open until the impacts of the wildfire season see relief.
Any businesses affected by the wildfires can call the hotline at 1-877-422-3377.
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