The CFIB’s Prairies director shared an update on how Manitoba businesses have been faring.

Kathleen Cook describes 2021 for independent businesses as a rollercoaster ride explaining over the summer vaccination rates improved and restrictions eased, small businesses started to feel more confident but the year ended on a pretty rough note when Omicron hit.  She says many parts of the country re-entered lockdowns, a lot of businesses even if they weren’t directly impacted by restrictions saw high levels of staff absenteeism due to COVID with many people out because they tested positive or were close contacts of a positive case and in some cases businesses actually had to close temporarily or reduce their hours to accommodate that.

Cook explains at this point less than a third of small businesses in Manitoba are back to normal revenues.

She adds while support programs for small businesses had changes or extensions made to help during the fifth wave of COVID-19 governments should strive to make those programs more flexible to ensure less businesses fall through the cracks.