FREDERICTON -- Canada’s economy has been hard-hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. Nearly 2 million jobs were lost in the month of April, as many businesses were forced to close in response to measures put in place to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
However, the demand for certain products and services is higher than ever.
Scott Williams is the CEO of Taylor Printing Group. When the pandemic first hit, Williams wanted to keep his employees paid and working. The New Brunswick company began to make face shields and has now added physical-distancing dividers to its repertoire.
“It's been 12 to 14 hour days. My wife said to me, she said, ‘You've been gone 34 of 37 hours a couple of weeks ago,’” says Williams.
From hair salons to office spaces, the demand for the company’s plexiglass dividers is through the roof as many New Brunswick businesses prepare to reopen.
“We acquired a company in Halifax just before Christmas and they've been flat out as well. We can tell them what's coming now as Nova Scotia looks to go into their first phase of reopening,” says Williams.
“People have been through a lot and we're going to still go through a lot. You know, the economy's going to struggle. If we can help out a little bit then we're happy to do so.”
Scott’s Nursery in Lincoln, N.B., is offering curbside pickup during the pandemic in order to keep its staff and customers safe.
“That is the easiest way we have to serve as many people as we can. So the customers have been very patient and we're very thankful for that,” says Jenny Scott, the general manager of Scott’s Nursery.
Scott says she’s pleasantly surprised with the number of people who are getting into vegetable gardening during the pandemic.
“It's hard to explain things, you know, when you can't like show them anything, so we're trying to do that over the phone with them as best we can,” says Scott.
Businesses in New Brunswick will not have to be inspected before reopening. However, they will be required to create an operation plan that can be provided to officials upon request.
In Nova Scotia, Dr. Robert Strang, the province’s chief medical officer of health, confirmed a reopening plan is in the works, but said no dates have been set at this time.
