18 months into this pandemic the government can see, which regions and businesses are very stressed. "It's hard to keep operating when we are chasing a rainbow. One respondent detailed their frustrations. The most common responses to what further support was needed included financial support from the government, rates relief from the council, flexible work programmes such as Jobs for Nature, wellbeing support and more visitors. The majority of businesses rated their mental health between neutral and very negative with 48 percent of respondents saying they'd be interested in having access to mental health and well-being support. More than 90 percent of businesses had received the wage subsidy while 85 percent said they had tried to pivot their business.Ĭlose to half had accessed the Jobs for Nature scheme with 43 percent using Development West Coast's Glacier Country Business Support Fund.
There were potentially 10 students in a similar position after their caregiver wasn't employed anymore. One respondents said some staff previously involved in St John or the local fire brigade had already left town. It raised concerns that at least 25 volunteers - including 10 for Search and Rescue and seven Fire and Emergency volunteers - were potentially lost to the community as they were no longer employed in town. More than 75 percent of businesses have reduced their staff with 216 jobs losses reported in the survey.Īs for the social impact, the survey reports 152 people have already left the community as they were no longer employed. "We'll survive, but by not paying ourselves, and weakening our position to trade strongly in the future, and reducing resilience," another respondent said.īusinesses also reported they were operating at roughly 10 percent median capacity compared to pre-Covid-19 years. "If there continue to be lockdowns that set us right back then I doubt we can survive," one respondent said. While some respondents said they would likely scrape through after reducing costs, others weren't sure.
Nine percent of all businesses were no longer operating from the two surveys - a total of 16 - with 15 percent of businesses indicating in the most recent survey that they would not survive the next six months without additional support.ĭevelopment West Coast said those businesses currently employed 30 full-time staff and six part-time and casual staff. It followed a survey conducted in February which received more than double the number of responses. Photo: 123RFĭevelopment West Coast has released the results of its latest Covid-19 impact survey after receiving 41 responses. The Development West Coast survey found businesses believed they were operating at roughly 10 percent median capacity compared to pre-Covid-19 years.
0 kommentar(er)
