'Significant challenges' face Canada's main streets

Last week, the federal government announced a $33 million dollar investment to help encourage Canadian to shop local. Of that funding, $9 million will go towards the Ontario Chamber of Commerce, which will then disperse the funds to local organizations.

With more businesses able to reopen across the country and operations beginning to look closer to normal, the next period will be a critical one for many companies when it comes to the post-pandemic recovery. On average, small businesses in Canada have taken on $163,000 in debt, the CFIB says. If revenues don't return in a significant way, many businesses will not survive.

On this episode of Crisis Management, Alicja Siekierska and the Public Policy Forum’s Sean Speer take a look at the Shop Local effort and what it will take to help small businesses get back on their feet.

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