‘Support local’

Dear Editor:

An open letter to those running for council in Centre Wellington.

We have been saddened by many of you using divisive “tourist versus locals” rhetoric in your campaigns.

The vast majority of small businesses relying on income from both tourists and locals are owned by local residents. We own three businesses in Elora. We employ 28 people year-round and then, with the addition of our patio in the summer, we add another 15 to our payroll in both front and back of house in our restaurant. And 95 per cent of our staff live within Centre Wellington.

Our economic reality is not the same post COVID and now, coupled with constant shifting trade negotiations south of the border, it is even harder on our small businesses. The cost of goods, food and shipping have all increased. We have also seen a rise in the cost of services across the board.

We do our very best to keep payroll up with inflation and offer benefits to our full-time staff. In the past five years we have become proficient at “pivoting” to keep our necks above the surface, but most of the time we are just treading water.

Is it any wonder that we need to be this busy? Our federal government is asking Canadians to spend locally and travel within Canada and we are upset when they come? Vilifying small businesses for trying to pay their staff and their bills is abhorrent.

We recognize that the impact of tourism on our local residents and infrastructure is frustrating and needs to improve. We need to work together to find solutions positively because we can’t afford to go backwards.

The negativity around tourism that supports local businesses, and the locals that work in them, needs to stop. Support local!

Sarah Barber and MacLean Hann,
Elora