President’s message- Bob Chisholm, McDonald’s Restaurants 

August 2020 

Today we continue to battle with COVID 19 and its effect on the global economy. As Canadians we have a rich history of taking care of each other during tough times and this has been the top priority for our federal government in 2020. 

What lies ahead will test all of us in so many ways. People will change the way they work, where they work and how they work. And unfortunately many Canadians will not be at the same job they were prior to this virus. 

Your chamber will continue to be the voice of business and our challenge has never been greater. No organization has been untouched and many will not survive in the post COVID world. COVID has two stages, crises and recovery. From March to July it was a full on crisis, and now we are entering the recovery stage. Full recovery may take years not months and is really dependent on a cure and a vaccine. 

In the meantime we need to get as many people back working and businesses rebuilding their revenues. How this is done will depend upon the changes we can make to our products, services and how our staff can work in a safe environment. When times are this demanding I believe there are three things that when focused on will help all businesses rebound-customer service, team work and employee morale. All three need to be a priority for any organization to succeed. 

Our region has been hit hard, but we are not hit as hard as many of the larger urban centers. In fact COVID might present our region with an opportunity. Many Canadians will continue to work from home rather than an office and given this change some might reconsider where they live. Our region has a lower cost of living and higher quality of life when compared to large urban centers. Maybe a move to New Brunswick might be part of some Canadians future post-COVID changes. 

As you begin your individual recovery plan make use of the many resources and events that your chamber provides. And please “Buy local and buy often”. 

Bob Chisholm