Ford's reopening plan has businesses on Hamilton's borders ready for out-of-town customers

Business leaders in communities bordering Hamilton that are easing COVID-19 restrictions are preparing for an influx of customers from the city eager to take advantage of services that are still not available here.

Hamilton is one of 10 areas concentrated in the GTA and near the U.S.-Canada border held back from the next stage of the province's reopening plan, while nearby cities like Cambridge and Brantford are included in the new Stage 2 zones.

It's a bizarre situation that places towns and cities a short drive apart in very different realities and offers businesses in other parts of the province opportunities along with worries.

For example hair salons and restaurants with outdoor dining in Cambridge, which is only about 40 minutes by car from downtown Hamilton, will be able to open starting Friday, while the same businesses here remain shuttered.

"We definitely see this as an opportunity to draw a new, larger customer base," said Brian Kennedy, executive director of both the Downtown Cambridge and Hespeler Village Business Improvement Associations (BIA).

Premier Doug Ford announced details of Stage 2 of Ontario's plans to lift restrictions set in place to slow the spread of COVID-19.

The majority of the province is set to move to Stage 2 Friday, but the Golden Horseshoe — including Hamilton — has been excluded along with Windsor-Essex and Lambton.

The reopening means changes including that restaurants, bars and food trucks will be able to offer outdoor dining on patios, and select places including barber shops and salons can reopen as long as they take proper health and safety steps.

Tours at wineries and breweries can also reopen, along with outdoor splash pads and wading pools, and all swimming pools.

A more complete list can be found here.

Pros and cons to Stage 2

It's an exciting prospect for owners who've struggled for months during a shutdown imposed during the pandemic, but it also represents somewhat of a mixed blessing.

The areas held back from Stage 2 have higher case counts or have seen spikes in COVID-19. That's something business owners opening their doors again will be aware of, said Kennedy.

"I think there's going to be a lot of concerns, specifically with businesses being unsure if they can meet the demand, they've got to take very seriously the restrictions put in place."

Owners are considering their stock of personal protective equipment, reorganizing their operations to create space for distancing and working out how many people they can safely welcome into a location at a time, he explained.

"Things aren't going to be running at 100 per cent and so people really need to keep that in mind. We all just need to be a little bit kinder and take things slowly."

Barbara Sutherland is the chair of the board of management for the Downtown Brantford BIA. It's even closer to Hamilton and Haldimand and Norfolk Counties, which were also directed to remain in Stage 1.

Sutherland said she's not sure what to expect starting Friday, but acknowledged her city's close proximity to Hamilton means its possible people will visit.

"It's a massive community," she said, referencing nearby areas that were held back.

Mayors get haircut to protest

If they out-of-towners do come she's hopeful they'll stop by more than one spot.

"The good thing about people coming from out of town, and this is anytime, COVID or not, if they've come this far to sit at a restaurant they're not going to pick up and go back home again."

Sutherland has seen businesses close during the pandemic, but said despite how difficult the past few months have been she believes reopening plan was wise.

"I still maintain that things have been done right by the province and I have no complaints about the stages."

Not everyone is as supportive of the province's position.

On Tuesday the mayors of Haldimand and Norfolk counties staged a public haircut protest to demonstrate their displeasure with the fact their communities hadn't been cleared to enter Stage 2.

"It's us fighting for our local business owners," Haldimand Mayor Ken Hewitt explained.

"I truly don't believe it's fair that a hairstylist in Brantford can be open, but 15 minutes down the road that hairstylist can't because the numbers we have suggest differently."

Their actions drew the ire of Ford who pointed to past concerns from the mayors about cottagers visiting their properties during the pandemic and suggested they might be being hypocritical.

"They're the last two mayors in the whole province ... that I would think would be doing this, but this pandemic does strange things for people," he said. "You can't have your cake and eat it, too."

Hamilton not far behind

The premier says the province will review weekly which regions can move into Stage 2.

Hamilton Mayor Fred Eisenberger said he doesn't believe the city is far behind and that it should be there soon.

In the meantime, "If it's worth people's while to drive all the way up to Muskoka to get a haircut, OK, God bless you but they can only deal with so many people," he said during a media update Tuesday.

Whatever happens Friday and into next week, Kennedy said his community will be ready to welcome customers.

And whenever the restrictions lift in Hamilton he's hopeful residents in Cambridge will return the favour.

"We should all be working together and that this isn't pitting one against the other," he said.

"We hope the love and support is reciprocated when these other cities are able to get back to business."