While entrepreneurs face multiple challenges during the best of times, the COVID-19 pandemic marked an unprecedented test of the local economy. Against this backdrop, the 2020 ReadersB次元官网网址� Choice Awards celebrating local businesses and organizations is not just part of a larger historical tapestry, but also sign-posts for the regionB次元官网网址檚 resilience.
B次元官网网址淭here is just something about, whether it is your customers or your peers, recognizing excellence in their community,B次元官网网址� said Denny Warner, executive director of the Saanich Peninsula Chamber of Commerce. B次元官网网址淭hat is just something to be very proud off and that is going to be important a year from now or two months from now.B次元官网网址� While the pandemic has created a lot of negative headlines, the awards offer an opportunity to highlight the positive.
Warner said awards like Readers Choice are important in times like these. B次元官网网址淪ome of them [businesses] had to completely change their business model in order to remain viable,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淪o it is important to recognize the strength of the businesses that are in the community.B次元官网网址�
Warner said that B次元官网网址渇or the most partB次元官网网址� the local business community has dealt well with the pandemic. Initially a lot of retailers thought that they find themselves in difficulties because of the lack of tourists. B次元官网网址淏ut what they found was a lot of support in the community just from residents. So people came out and supported businesses. So that was really helpful.B次元官网网址�
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In this sense, the pandemic has revealed a sense of loyalty toward local retailers B次元官网网址� a sense derived from SidneyB次元官网网址檚 size. B次元官网网址淭he fact that it is smaller does seem to equate in peoplesB次元官网网址� minds with a sense of safety. So we are more of a destination,B次元官网网址� she said.
As such, the crisis revealed something that has always been present. B次元官网网址淭here has always been this notion in the community that people who live here want to support the people who are doing business here B次元官网网址� it is their neighbours, their friends. So there was so much loyalty that doesnB次元官网网址檛 exist in some larger centre.B次元官网网址�
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Challenges remain, especially but not exclusively in the accommodation sector. This said, Warner said the pandemic showed the resilience of the local economy. B次元官网网址淓ven before this, if I had to predict how well the Saanich Peninsula would do, I would have bet on it doing well, because we are very diversified. For a variety of reasons, we are fairly insulated from the kinds of things that would affect a lot of other communities.B次元官网网址�
In fact, some of the local businesses did not skip a beat, while others have done very well, said Warner. B次元官网网址淧eople are not afraid to take on new entrepreneurial role because there is this sense of support that exists in this community.B次元官网网址�
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