22.57°C Vancouver

Apr 21, 2020 10:58 PM -

Survey of nearly 1,300 British Columbia businesses reveals,just over half of those expect to reopen

Share On
survey-of-nearly-1-300-british-columbia-businesses-reveals-just-over-half-of-those-expect-to-reopen
FILE - In this March 16, 2020, file photo, a bread delivery is made to a Shake Shack restaurant in the Brooklyn borough of New York. The burger chain Shake Shack says it will return a small-business loan it got to help weather the coronavirus crisis after topping up its funding. (AP Photo/John Minchillo, File)

A survey of nearly 1,300 British Columbia businesses reveals just over half of those already closed to due COVID-19 restrictions expect to reopen.

The BC Chamber of Commerce and several partners took part in the Mustel survey, which shows a further 38 per cent of businesses are unsure about reopening and eight per cent already know they won't be back.

Of the small businesses still operating, the survey shows 43 per cent estimate they can only survive for a maximum of three more months under current restrictions.

More than half report revenues have plunged 75 per cent or more and almost eight in 10 are not confident they will be able to attract enough customers or revenue to stay alive when normal operations resume.

Latest news

AlbertaJun 02, 2026

Rainfall warning in effect for Calgary as officials monitor river levels and flood risk

A rainfall warning remains in effect for Calgary as Environment and Climate Change Canada says the city could see additional precipitation before conditions gradually improve. According to Environment and Climate Change Canada, Calgary may receive about 10 millimetres of rain today, with heavier rainfall expected to taper into showers later in the day. The agency warns that water may pool on roads and in low-lying areas as the system continues to move through the region. The Calgary Fire Department says flows in the Bow and Elbow rivers are approaching levels it describes as roughly twice the
surrey-police-board-confirms-departure-of-chief-constable-norm-lipinski
BCJun 02, 2026

Surrey Police Board confirms departure of Chief Constable Norm Lipinski

The Surrey Police Board has confirmed that Chief Constable Norm Lipinski has stepped down from his position with the Surrey Police Service (SPS). According to a statement from the board, Deputy Chief Constable Todd Matsumoto has been appointed interim Chief Constable effective immediately. The board said the leadership transition will not affect public safety operations or policing services in Surrey. The board also stated that a recruitment process to select a permanent Chief Constable will begin shortly. Further details on the hiring process are expected to be released in the coming weeks. L
ford-pushes-back-after-trump-again-refers-to-canada-as-51st-state
CanadaJun 02, 2026

Ford Pushes Back After Trump Again Refers to Canada as ‘51st State’

Ontario Premier Doug Ford is pushing back against renewed comments from U.S. President Donald Trump, who once again referred to Canada as the “51st state” in a social media post Tuesday. In a post on X, Ford said Canada “will never be the 51st state” and is “not for sale.” His comments came after Trump shared a Bloomberg report about Canada's economy and described the country as the “51st State.” The post was later reshared by U.S. Ambassador to Canada Pete Hoekstra, drawing further attention to Trump's remarks. According to the social media posts, Trump’s references to Canad
prince-george-man-sentenced-after-pleading-guilty-in-intimate-partner-violence-case
BCJun 02, 2026

Prince George man sentenced after pleading guilty in intimate partner violence case

A Prince George man has been sentenced after pleading guilty to multiple assault-related offences connected to intimate partner violence, according to the Prince George RCMP. Police said 47-year-old Ryan Timothy Chiappe pleaded guilty in April 2026 to two counts of assault causing bodily harm and one count of assault. The charges stemmed from an investigation launched in the fall of 2024 after a victim came forward with information regarding intimate partner violence. According to the RCMP, investigators with the Prince George Serious Crimes Unit conducted a detailed investigation with the coo
alberta-premier-danielle-smith-to-meet-quebec-counterpart-on-energy-trade-and-provincial-autonomy
AlbertaJun 02, 2026

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith to meet Quebec counterpart on energy, trade and provincial autonomy

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith is scheduled to meet with Quebec officials this week as discussions continue on energy development, trade, investment and provincial autonomy. Meetings planned for Tuesday and Wednesday are expected to include talks with Quebec Economic Development Minister Christine Fréchette and other provincial representatives. According to Smith's office, the discussions will focus on strengthening economic ties between provinces and exploring opportunities for greater interprovincial cooperation. Smith said Quebec may revisit discussions about developing its natural gas res

Related News