More than 10,000 restaurants permanently closed in Canada in 2020.
Canada’s restaurant industry has been in dire straits over the last year due to the rippling effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Restaurants all over the country are still attempting to recover from the losses accrued from the nation-wide lockdown in the spring of 2020 and subsequent restrictions.
According to Restaurants Canada, over 10,000 restaurants have shut down for good since March 2020, and approximately 50% of those remaining expect to close if the situation doesn’t get better. In response to this, the Restaurants Canada has now launched a new campaign called “Picture life without restaurants” to inform and remind Canadians about possible ways to take action to support the restaurant industry during these turbulent and distressing times.
The campaign’s website, SupportRestaurants.ca, urges Canadian consumers to dine-in (when/where available), order takeout or delivery, or purchase gift cards to support local restaurants. There’s also a form on the website where you can pledge your commitment to the cause.
Canada’s foodservice industry has been hit alarmingly hard. Before the arrival of COVID-19, foodservice was the fastest-growing industry in Canada with over $93 billion in sales in 2019. Now, about half of local restaurants are at risk of going out of business.
“We are asking consumers to take a stand and show their support for their local restaurants during this crucial time of the year” said Todd Barclay, President and CEO of Restaurants Canada.
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