Retailers scramble to prepare for impending reopening news

Staff at the Comic Hunter, a popular comic book and games store in Moncton, were busy Thursday night plotting the next must-read item.

But instead of an enthralling work of fiction, staff were nose deep in a government-mandated workplace plan required to safely welcome back customers once New Brunswick lifts the next round of COVID-19 restrictions.

And, on Thursday afternoon, manager Remi Vienneau LeClair, was still on a quest to learn what's precisely required of his store. 

"There are some questions that are still unanswered," Vienneau LeClair said, acknowledging it would be a tall order for the provincial government to provide specifics for every individual business.

He said he'll stick with the general recommendations of maintaining physical distance, asking patrons to wear face coverings, providing hand sanitizer at the entrance, limiting the number of customers at once and establishing a strict cleaning schedule. 

But the shop welcomes hobbyists who will browse the large inventory and even sit down for a game Dungeons and Dragons — a service that falls outside the standard retail model.

The Comic Hunter is one of many retailers eager to hear more details from the province about when and how they should reopen after weeks of being closed to the public.  

Government officials, including Premier Blaine Higgs, have said they plan to announce the start of the next phase in the provincial recovery plan, which would allow a number of non-essential businesses to open to the public for the first time since mid-March.

Retail facilities, restaurants, daycares, camps and child-care centres, offices, campgrounds and all-terrain vehicle trails all are expected to open under the next phase — the orange one in the government's graphic.

A detailed guidance document states workplaces must develop an operational plan "outlining how daily operations will be managed to meet the additional measures in this document." Those include physical distancing, hand and respiratory hygiene, pre-screening for symptoms, disinfecting practices, signage and enforcement.

The province's guidance document states any facilities that fails to meet minimum requirements "should not open at this stage" of the recovery plan.

Sector-specific advice

Not included in the guideline are sector-specific protocols, said Pam Wheaton, owner and operator of Heartbreak Boutique, a clothing store in uptown Saint John.

"I just don't want to do something incorrectly and not know I'm doing it incorrectly," she said.

Wheaton has been researching proper methods to reopen her store and attended a webinar on the subject. 

She's in the middle of preparing her written operational plan — something that doesn't need to be submitted to Public Health. Workplaces must ensure all employees read such plans and they're to be on hand in the event of an inspection.

Inspectors from Public Health, WorkSafeNB and the Department of Public Safety will be conducting unannounced or pre-scheduled visits to workplaces.

To ease the stress, Wheaton is considering a limited reopening by offering appointments at first. However, she's still unclear whether customers should be trying on clothes.

"I know the virus isn't supposed to last very long on clothing, but do I have to clean it somehow and, if so, what kind of cleaner? There are just a lot of questions," she said.

The level of necessary restrictions could turn off some smaller operations from reopening. Anne McShane, owner of the Feel Good Store in Saint John, tweeted from the store's account Thursday she had read the guidelines for reopening.

"That list is another whole business of its own. Holy. Sorry folks, we'll be curbside for awhile. Safety and sanity first," she said.

Chamber offers helping hand

The chambers of commerce in Fredericton, Moncton and Saint John released a recovery guide Thursday after hearing from confused members. The guide summarizes recommendations from various provincial agencies as well as other provinces and the federal governments, while linking to different resources.

"We needed to have a document that incorporated that information and links to other relevant information so it would be less of an overwhelming task for people who are trying to figure out what they need to do to open," said Krista Ross, CEO of the Fredericton Chamber of Commerce.

"Some industries will see a lot of specific guidelines, but some industries simply won't and the information that we've provided in the recovery guide might be what they need to get open."

JDI template

The guide begins, however, by emphasizing that workplaces must have an operational plan. Ross said many business owners did not know where to start, and the guide links to the J.D. Irving Ltd. workplace plan as an example, including appropriate signage.

The 18-page document, which applies to all JDI operations, outlines everything from distancing and disinfecting practices to screening tools and vendor information for protective equipment. 

The company decided to release it as a template, according to Mary Keith, JDI's vice-president of communication.

"We had received calls asking if we might share our plan/templates. We are all in this together and if the information is helpful, we are happy to share," Keith said in an email.

"The needs and nature of each business differ and what works for us may not apply at another business. The federal/provincial guidelines are also evolving. The document is a snapshot in time of our journey to safeguard our employees."

Malls waiting for government direction

Representatives from the companies that own the province's largest malls said they're preparing plans to meet health guidelines.

Patrick Sullivan, chief operating officer of Primaris, the company that owns Regent Mall in Fredericton and McAllister Place in Saint John, said they're eager to reopen, but the safety of customers and employees is priority.

"At Primaris we will proceed with caution and are waiting on direction from public health authorities and government direction before finalizing and announcing our response plan, as the exact conditions of reopening are unknown at this point," Sullivan said in an email.

Cadillac Fairview, which owns Champlain Place in Dieppe, offered a similar statement, saying they're reviewing food court policies to adhere to Public Health guidelines.

Jim Cormier, the Atlantic director of the Retail Council of Canada, said malls are faced with an additional challenge with hundreds of shoppers in an enclosed space, but two-metre physical distancing will be a key principle in reopening.

He said the public shouldn't expect shopping as usual and be prepared for different layouts, one-way aisles and barriers to protect staff — not unlike what's in place at grocery stores. The public should also expect a longer experience, with extra screening and a limited number of entrants.

"We ask for some patience from the general public as we work through this."