“you don’t know when it’s a closure with the intention of coming back, a closure because i’ve gone broke, or closure because i’m bankrupt,” tostenson said. “you can just see a lot of businesses that aren’t operating (right now).”
“and then the staff, who are everything to a restaurant, probably more important than the food, it’s just horrible,” tostensen said.
mah was fortunate to have “a good amount of savings,” along with the government supports and his journalistic sidelines to tide him over, “but definitely, financially, it’s been a big hit.”
“i know quite a few who are just scraping by, using their credit cards (or) leaning on family and friends,” mah said.
the administrators of a modest relief fund for industry workers saw a noticeable increase in calls for help within a day or two of the last “circuit-breaker” announcement, said abdallah el chaimi, co-owner of the main street middle eastern takeout place superbaba.
“it’s not something that we thought we would do long-term,” el chaimi said of the fund, started by an informal industry group organized around the messaging app slack under the name vancouver food and beverage community.
they formed the relief fund, which has raised about $120,000 from donors and larger suppliers, before the canada emergency relief benefit and other emergency supports were put in place. it now pays out grants of $150 to $500 to help the laid-off or unemployed with groceries or small bills such as medical expenses not covered by medicare.