The personal care sector has been arguing throughout the COVID-19 pandemic that they can safely remain open.
Locally, many are disappointed as the Thunder Bay District Health Unit continues to record low numbers, yet see restrictions remain consistent with the ones implemented in hotspots such as Toronto and Peel.
Holly Luby is the owner of Inception Exclusive Salon on Cuyler Street and believes she can open her business safely.
“I only have myself and another stylist, and we have four chairs,” said Luby. “We space one chair in between each client, so there’s actually more than six feet in between when we are allowed to open.”
The owner added that personal care businesses, specifically salons, already put a strong focus on cleanliness and sanitization prior to the pandemic as these rules are heavily focused on throughout school.
Luby goes on to state that government support has not been nearly enough to help businesses in the area, and across the province.
“I will go into personal debt. I will not close my doors, I refuse to,” Luby stressed, when talking about the difficult situation that she’s in. “I will take on whatever it takes. I will fill up my line of credit, which I should not have to do. $10,000 as a grant doesn’t last very long. Some people’s rent in Thunder Bay for their spaces is $5,000. We’ve been closed for six months now…what does that tell you?”
In Ontario’s Road To Reopen plan, personal care services are allowed to open under Step Two. Officials are hoping to start the plan before the week of June 14th.
