What the business landscape in Yellowknife will look like once the evacuation order is downgraded is anyoneSA国际影视传媒檚 guess, but one thing is clear: businesses in the capital havenSA国际影视传媒檛 had the best of times since the city was evacuated nearly three weeks ago.

Rami Kassem, the owner of Javaroma, talked about the financial strain heSA国际影视传媒檚 gone through.

He said that despite not generating any sales after Aug. 16, he still had to pay rent and suppliers.

SA国际影视传媒淵ou donSA国际影视传媒檛 make sales, you still pay your rent,SA国际影视传媒� said Kassem. SA国际影视传媒淲e have four locations when paying rent, no matter what.SA国际影视传媒�

As September approached, the same financial obligations are looming with not much relief in sight. Kassem hopes that more attention will be given to supporting businesses affected by such emergencies in the future.

Kassem also shared his frustration with the lack of support for business owners, such as the $5,000 support package for businesses from the GNWT.

He said thatSA国际影视传媒檚 not enough to cover the expenses of food waste, utilities, rent, and taxes.

He emphasized that business need immediate support instead of loans, as they are already struggling with debt from the pandemic.

Adrian Bell, president of the Yellowknife Chamber of Commerce, said many business owners have reached out to express their concerns and seek assistance with lobbying for solutions.

SA国际影视传媒淭his is a very uncertain time,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淧eople are very worried. TheySA国际影视传媒檙e terrified. People are losing sleep in recent days.SA国际影视传媒�

He said that the shutdown of the economy has hit businesses hard, with many having to lay off their workforce.

ThereSA国际影视传媒檚 also the worry about not being able to get all of them back once things reopen.

SA国际影视传媒淎 lot of employees canSA国际影视传媒檛 afford to take three weeks or a month off with no pay, so they will have likely taken jobs wherever theySA国际影视传媒檝e been evacuated to,SA国际影视传媒� said Bell.

He added that the wildfires caught many business owners off guard and has raised fears that something like this could happen again.

SA国际影视传媒淭he idea that the entire town could be evacuated is something that not that long ago, we didnSA国际影视传媒檛 (think was possible),SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淚 know that a lot of the businesses didnSA国际影视传媒檛 have business interruption insurance, and that means they have to eat the costs themselves. They canSA国际影视传媒檛 afford this again.SA国际影视传媒�