Let's Keep it Local

Since the initial lockdown in March, I have yet to return to the Financial District area of Toronto, which is where I used to commute every day to work. In these eight months, I have remained almost exclusively in the city’s west end. In a way, I have become less a resident of Toronto, and more a resident of High Park Village (I don’t think the name actually exists, but I’m claiming it!) I feel very fortunate to live around here, as there are many vibrant and diverse areas to visit, from the rough-hewn edges of the Junction to the old-world charms of Corso Italia. I have made a point of walking around these areas, both as a way to get some much-needed exercise and also to discover off-the-beaten-track treasures. Just last week, I made a pilgrimage with a friend to St. Clair West, an area populated with Latin American bakeries, Italian cafes, and numerous businesses that look straight out of the 80's (Delta Bingo being a particularly resonant example). While exploring this underrated neighbourhood, I couldn’t help being struck by how devastating this most recent lockdown must be to small businesses. Empty salons, barren restaurants and numerous 'For Lease' signs all paint a scene of desperation and despair. While the media has been focusing on the maverick sensibilities of a certain BBQ restaurant owner in Etobicoke and his MAGA-magnetic, truth-warrior stance, not nearly enough attention has been given to the local bookstores, furniture shops, and eateries, all of which have been forced to severely curtail their operations.

This week, Doug Ford tried to defend his government’s decision to restrict non-essential business, while allowing stores like Walmart and Costco to remain open. “If you're going to one of the big box retailers, it's kind of a one-stop shop — I know it's not fair, believe me, I know it's not fair — but it really limits people from going out and making four, five, six stops on the way home to pick stuff up," said Ford.

Not to put too fine a point on it, but this whole line about trusting people to do all their shopping in one trip to a big box store is absolute nonsense. The other day, I was in Dollarama, and it was full of teens on their lunch break buying snacks - hardly essential shopping (not that I blame the teens). Meanwhile, my local record shop, which has been consistently diligent about limiting numbers and providing hand sanitizer at the door, is not allowed to have shoppers inside. I won’t pretend to have any epidemiological expertise on the best ways to curtail viral spread, but it seems pretty clear to me that the chaotic atmosphere inside Dollarama, No Frills, and Costco (to name but three exempt businesses) is far less conducive to distancing measures than that found in small businesses like Rotate This, Type Books, and Baby Point Hardware.

It is really quite sobering to picture the post-COVID retail landscape. I have visions of a dystopian Dundas West littered with chain coffee shops on every corner, bookending the boarded-up remains of small businesses, the very businesses that once made neighbourhoods such as Roncesvalles and the Junction such desirable destinations. I guess the only immediate step that one can take is to vigilantly support local businesses, especially during this holiday season. I have been using my local Facebook group to idea-source local shopping suggestions and have been amazed at the number of nearby options, none of which require parking in a big-box lot. As the vaccinated light at the end of the COVID tunnel grows brighter, I think we should all make one last, determined effort to help support independent businesses through these unprecedented times of trouble.