OTTAWA Operating a business during Ontario s stay-at-home order has been a tough go for many owners, like Patti Taggart. She owns Tag Along Toys store in Alta Vista, using curbside pickup and delivery during the COVID-19 pandemic. Parents call me on a daily basis saying, My children are at home for homeschooling, I need something for them to do after school because online learning is so difficult, Taggart said. They’re buying fun items, puzzles, things to keep their kids occupied. Now there’s worry about how many businesses will be allowed to do this as the third wave of COVID-19 continues to hit Ontario. Public health officials in Ottawa are pushing the province to limit the businesses considered essential allowed to open.
Feb 5, 2021
A hair stylist, a toy shop owner and a bridal boutique retailer were among the dozens of female entrepreneurs who came together Thursday to focus the attention of the Ontario government on their ongoing struggles to keep their heads above water and their businesses afloat as the coronavirus pandemic continues to rage on.
The virtual roundtable discussion was hosted by Michael Wood, who started advocating on behalf of the Ottawa small business sector shortly after the pandemic began last March. As the co-owner of Ottawa Special Events, he d already been reaching out to politicians when he decided to also hold the door open for other businesses similarly struggling to survive.