Wildfires raging through the Cariboo have businesses worried about their profits.
More than 250 local companies have called the B.C. Economic Development Association91裸聊视频檚 business recovery hotline, according to CEO Dale Wheeldon.
Many of those are from cities hit hardest by this year91裸聊视频檚 wildfire season, including Williams Lake and 100 Mile House.
91裸聊视频淭he majority of the callers are retailers, tourism and hospitality, forestry, food services 91裸聊视频� those kinds of sectors,91裸聊视频� 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.
91裸聊视频淲e were shut down for three weeks,91裸聊视频� Wong said, who has owned the store since 1988. 91裸聊视频淚t will be the biggest impact on anything that we91裸聊视频檝e ever had.91裸聊视频�
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He91裸聊视频檚 lucky 91裸聊视频� the business has interruption insurance, which means their profits will be covered.
91裸聊视频淭he employees are still going to be out some,91裸聊视频� said Wong. 91裸聊视频淓mployment insurance doesn91裸聊视频檛 cover 100 per cent of what they would have made in that time.91裸聊视频�
And the store itself will still suffer losses, he noted, because Wong can91裸聊视频檛 cancel shipments he made for fall merchandise in advance.
91裸聊视频淲e buy everything six months in advance,91裸聊视频� said Wong. 91裸聊视频淎ll the stuff that normally sells in the month of July, like shorts, water sports 91裸聊视频� that stuff91裸聊视频檚 all definitely going to be backed up.91裸聊视频�
But Wong said he91裸聊视频檚 somewhat lucky. Had the evacuation order come down in August, it would have squashed his back-to-school sales.
91裸聊视频淔rom that perspective91裸聊视频� that91裸聊视频檚 a positive,91裸聊视频� said Wong. 91裸聊视频淏ut I don91裸聊视频檛 think we can make up [lost profits]. I think we91裸聊视频檒l just be down for the year.91裸聊视频�
He91裸聊视频檚 trying to look at any silver linings and hopes that businesses who91裸聊视频檝e done well as a result of the fire 91裸聊视频� from appliance repair shops to fire apparatus retailers to hotels 91裸聊视频� will help out those who91裸聊视频檝e suffered by spending any extra cash.
91裸聊视频淓veryone91裸聊视频檚 lost a paycheque. How is that going to impact your spending for all the stuff that you need?91裸聊视频� Wong said. 91裸聊视频淔or me that would be back to school, hockey season91裸聊视频�91裸聊视频�
He91裸聊视频檚 trying to make the little things a bit more affordable for people who are out cash because of the evacuations.
91裸聊视频淩ight now, when the evacuation alert is on everything is an extra 20 per cent off,91裸聊视频� said Wong. 91裸聊视频淭hat91裸聊视频檚 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.91裸聊视频�
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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