A week to support small businesses

By Sean Feagan, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

The COVID-19 pandemic has been tough on small businesses, but over Small Business Week, Wheatland County is providing more resources to help them weather the storm.

Small businesses in Canada are facing a time of turmoil. Of the businesses responding to a survey conducted by the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB), 72 per cent reported reduced sales, 59 per cent reported reduced staff levels, while only 64 per cent reported being fully open, as of Sept. 2, 2020.

Businesses reported decreased revenue from having fewer customers (58 per cent), customers spending less on average (48 per cent), operational challenges (27 per cent), ongoing government restrictions (20 per cent) and staffing challenges (18 per cent), among other reasons.

But small businesses in Wheatland County are not alone.

As part of this year’s Small Business Week, Oct. 18 to 24, Wheatland County Community and Development Services, in partnership with Community Futures Wild Rose, is providing a series of information sessions, including talks and webinars, to help businesses with planning, marketing and operations.

“We are inviting businesses to attend these sessions throughout the week to learn and share ideas on how to work through the challenges that COVID and the economic downturn are creating,” said Wheatland County Reeve, Amber Link, in a press release. “We know innovation and adaptation are happening in our region and with our business support partners, and if we can share in discussing opportunities and possibilities, we can lift others and get ideas flowing with more people.”

These supports are nothing new, however. The county’s economic development division has been hosting online “infinite possibilities” calls since March 2020 to have businesses and support organizations collaborate in working through this year’s economic challenges. These calls, held every Thursday from 1 to 2 p.m., grew into a “share session” across levels of government and support from different ministries looking to work and share directly with businesses, explained Matthew Boscariol, general manager of community and development services, in the release. “We have seen since the beginning of the pandemic, the importance of communication and reaching out.”

To see a full list of events and register visit the county’s community and development services website (www.infinitewc.ca/).