Advocate hopes local businesses continue recovering this summer

Halifax Chamber of Commerce president Patrick Sullivan says establishments need to remain consistent in order to recover and pay back government funding

CITYnews halifax \ Chris Stoodley

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While some establishments are already seeing some recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, a Halifax business advocate hopes that trajectory continues this summer.

“‘Recovery’ is actually a good word,” Patrick Sullivan says. “We’ve been pretty dismal over the last couple of years. We’re starting to see recovery, and I think as people look forward to the summer, especially restaurants, hoteliers, the tourism industry, I think they do see recovery on the horizon.

The Halifax Chamber of Commerce president says funding from the federal government — billions of which have gone to Nova Scotia alone — have helped many local businesses.

He tells The Todd Veinotte Show that, thankfully, the feds aren’t asking for that money to be paid back until next year. But in the meantime, Sullivan says the best thing for businesses right now is to see some recovery.

“We need to see consistent, long-lasting, open establishments in order to get business going to then be able to pay back some of these fees and funds,” he says. “It’s going to be a long time for many businesses.”

As the first two cruise ships of 2022 arrive in Halifax on April 26, those vessels should bring more business to the downtown core.

Sullivan says cruise ships are a great way for tourists to get a taste of Nova Scotia that’ll hopefully entice people to return and help aid in recovery. And with strict COVID-19 protocols on the vessels, he says people shouldn’t worry.

“The reality is, there’s COVID everywhere,” Sullivan says. “So I don’t think we should be terribly nervous about the folks on the cruise ship who are likely wearing a mask as they get on and off and they’ve been vaccinated.

“Likely, they’ll have a higher vaccination rate than Nova Scotia does in total.”

Since Sullivan says COVID-19 is still around, he claims he’s in favour of wearing masks.

Moreover, he still recommends that customers and employees continue wearing them.

“I do think there’s been a bit of a return to masking,” Sullivan says. “If there was a retailer or restaurant that was thinking, ‘We don’t need to wear masks,’ I think they’re no beginning to say, ‘To keep my employees safe and to ensure that they don’t get COVID, then we’re probably going to keep masks on.’

“It’s a way to keep you safe and it’s a way to keep others safe. That’s the best I can say. We don’t get to make the decisions.”

Still, Sullivan says he realizes it’s a tool that can only be kept for so long.

“I don’t think we can keep masks on forever,” he says. “Whether this is the right time or whether it’s two weeks from now or three weeks from now, my fear is there’s always going to be another COVID.

“If we can do anything to keep businesses open and not to have reductions in occupancy, and frankly, not to have reductions in gathering limits, then I think our members would be happy to wear masks.”