'I'm keeping my fingers crossed': N.B. tourism hotspot banks on the Atlantic Bubble this summer
News of a possible Atlantic Bubble by July 1 has the tourism hotspot of Shediac, N.B. hoping for the best this summer.
With loosened restrictions, locals are feeling cautiously optimistic.
Denise LeBlanc has been running the Shediac Bay Cruises for the last 13 years.
"It’s a big question mark," says LeBlanc. "Last summer was a bit of a disaster for us because we lost about 85 per cent of our revenues.”
With the possibility of the Atlantic bubble reinflating in July, there's hope a lot more tourists will arrive this summer.
“You can’t hire people and then not have them work, so that’s one of the big challenges that we face at this time. We’re just hoping for the best I guess," LeBlanc says.
An uncertain summer for a town that relies so heavily on visitors from out of province.
"Mostly Quebecers book at our place and this summer we expect that we will have a terrific season at the restaurant and hopefully we can get back some momentum for the bed and breakfast," says Sébastien Després, owner of restaurant Le Moque-Tortue.
A year into the pandemic, many businesses are trying to make up for lost time.
"If they do open up the borders, then we hope it's in a safe way we hope that we can keep doing business and not risk a shutdown mid-season," says Després
Vaccine rollout is well on track in New Brunswick, meaning the province is inching closer to a more 'normal' summer.
"I'm keeping my fingers crossed because look, we want the end to the pandemic, the sooner the better," says Shediac Mayor Roger Caissie. "It'll help our businesses and our community."
It's a reason for optimism in hopes that warmer and busier days are ahead.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
Deaths of 4 people on Sask. farm confirmed as murder-suicide
The deaths of four people on a farm near the Saskatchewan village of Neudorf have been confirmed a murder-suicide.
George Washington family secrets revealed by DNA from unmarked 19th century graves
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
Bus plunges off a bridge in South Africa, killing 45 people. An 8-year-old child is only survivor
A bus carrying worshippers headed to an Easter festival plunged off a bridge on a mountain pass and burst into flames in South Africa on Thursday, killing at least 45 people, authorities said.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
Calgary bridges remain closed due to ongoing police incident
Calgary police have shut down a number of bridges into and out of the downtown core as officers deal with a distraught individual.
Kinew, Poilievre meet at Manitoba legislature, discuss each other's priorities
Premier Wab Kinew and federal Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre met at the Manitoba legislature Thursday afternoon.
Rainfall warnings of up to 80 mm among weather alerts in effect for 6 provinces
Rainfall warnings of up to 90 millimetres and other alerts have been issued for six Canadian provinces, according to the latest forecasts.