Questions about whether P.E.I. needs separate geographic COVID-19 zones similar to other provinces are popping up from some members of the West Prince business community.
The concerns follow new temporary restrictions recently put in place in the province and their need, given the distance from an outbreak in Charlottetown, which is more than an hour-and-a-half drive away.
"I did discuss that with a couple of members," said Tammy Rix, executive director of the West Prince Chamber of Commerce. "Maybe there's zoning that they should look at. If things are good up here and there are no cases, well, why should we have to suffer at the hands of that? But I understand that. And, maybe it's just a matter of time that they're looking at. But I would be in agreeance with that."
On Sunday, Dec. 6, the P.E.I. government and Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Heather Morrison announced that dining rooms were closed to the public until Dec. 21.
That weekend, the province announced seven COVID-19 cases in Charlottetown and four more on the following Monday. All of the cases were close contacts with each other, and none of the individuals travelled outside of the province. Several businesses in Charlottetown, including retail and fast-food restaurants, were identified as possible exposure sites.
Since then, the province has tested thousands of people between the ages of 20 and 29 for COVID-19.
Tara Maddix, executive director of the Summerside Area Chamber of Commerce, recently said it's disappointing that the province imposed new restrictions, but she understands that it's necessary to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
In terms of retail, Maddix is reminding residents that the Forward Summerside website can help with local online shopping over Christmas.
Summerside is about halfway, or a 45-minute drive, to Charlottetown. Even so, she said shutting down a hot spot similar to other provinces is difficult because P.E.I. is like "a big community."
"We recognize that it's challenging for the businesses outside of the Charlottetown area because they're not in that initial hot spot, but we do understand why the restrictions were put in place," she said. "We've got people who live in Summerside and work in Charlottetown, and vice-versa. Charlottetown's not that far away."
Bonnie Gaudet, the owner of the Our Family Traditions restaurant in Tignish, has been mainly serving customers the full menu through the drive-thru.
Gaudet said the plan is to close on Dec. 19 until February. The restaurant closed around Christmas time and New Year's Day anyway until the week of Feb. 14 last year. But if dining rooms reopen soon, the restaurant is going to reopen its dining room to accommodate seven dinner theatre shows that had to be cancelled.
Gaudet said the drive-thru has been steady, but business overall has been quiet in recent weeks, other than the dinner theatre shows.
Gaudet said she was surprised about the decision to temporarily shut down dining rooms.
"There were no warnings. But I think (Dr. Morrison) was nervous, and she wants to protect us. And, she's doing great so far."
Rix said she was shocked that the Dec. 6 decision to impose new restrictions came so quickly.
"I was actually quite disappointed. And, it kind of put me in a sombre mood," she said.
She's also concerned with her member's mental health in an already tough year for businesses, and the impact the new restrictions are going to have on small businesses.
She said more restrictions should have been placed on larger big-box retailers where most people are shopping. She also wonders why dining rooms were shut down and not required to reduce capacity similar to retail stores.
"I'm very confused and conflicted, as some of my members are," she said. "At the end of the day, it's really going to hurt our small businesses in rural P.E.I."
Terrence McEachern is the business reporter for the Journal Pioneer.
