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with  some  employees.    Overall,   was  quite  open  about  the  affect
        he  feels  that  both  the  federal   of  COVID-19  on  his  business
        and  provincial  governments  have   and  employees.    The  business
        adequately handled the information   recognized  a  30-40%  drop  in
        flow  and  recognized  the  challenge   revenues since March and has relied
        for  them.    Red  tape  in  accessing   on several of the federal programs
        programs  such  as  the  75%  wage   to keep layoffs to a minimum.  Rob
        subsidy has been cumbersome; and   also  indicated  that  his  customer
        he is also concerned about the long-  base is still 70% home improvement
        term impact of all the borrowing on   and BMF have been able to
        the  national  and  provincial  debts.    support  retail  home  improvement
        As  well,  he  is  currently  investing  in   retailers  with  some  installs  and
        training programs for his employees   merchandising.  However, his other
        to  help  them  be  the  best  in  the   retail  sectors,  such  as  sporting
        industry!                      goods  and  clothing,  have  been
           Dale  Bell,  Logistics  Manager   devastated.
        for  National  Forest  Products  Ltd   Most   of   his   office   staff
        in  London,  commented  from  a   are  working  from  home  and
        vendor’s  point  of  view  that  overall   his  installers  and  warehouse
        they did not experience a significant   people  have  reduced  hours.  Rob
        sales  decline  in  March,  April  and   thoughtfully  contemplated  the
        May.    Coming  into  June,  they  look   future  of  his  office  which  has  just
        to  be  strong  for  sales.      National   gone  through  a  major  expansion
        Forest  Products  is  a  producer  and   and is now sitting mostly empty -
        distributor of quality cedar products   but  for  how long?  He mused  that
        with their head office in London and   the  Commercial  Property  Rental
        a distribution centre in Orillia.   Much   subsidy  is  not  going  to  be  widely
        of their cedar is sourced from BC.  accepted  by  landlords  and  the
           Dan  Plouffe,  President  and  government  will  have  to  rethink
        owner  of  National  Forest  Products,   how  to  better  support  businesses
        recognized in early March the   with high rent and low revenues.
        impact of the COVID-19 on business   Of  the  programs  that  he  has
        and  initiated  a  program  for  all  his   applied  for,  the  Working  Capital
        staff and sales people to work from   Loan program will provide support
        home offices which is still in place in   throughout  the  next  several
        early June.  Their distribution centre   months  if  revenues  continue  to
        is shipping product and experiencing   be soft.  He also mentioned that in
        strong demand.   However,  Dale   the past couple of years BMF have
        recognizes  that  some  customers   developed  a  growing customer
        are  experiencing  sales  challenges,   base  in  the  U.S.  which  has  now
        particularly those in cottage country.  dried up.  He also feels that the 75%
           Although   National  Forest  wage  subsidy  program  will  have
        Products  did  not  qualify  for  any  of   to continue into the summer - and
        the  provincial  or  federal  subsidy   probably  the fall -  as  businesses
        programs,  Dale  said  that  overall   will be slow to recover.  Rob and his
        the response from government has   team are one of the most respected
        been good; his only concern was the   merchandising  companies  in  our
        shutting  down  of  construction  and   industry.    He  is  confident  that  his
        not issuing building permits.  This is   business will weather the future no
        going  to  create  a  backlog  over  the   matter  how  different  it  will  be  (in
        summer  and  he  felt  that  policies   how they do business).
        could  have  been  put  in  place  to   Drummond  BMR  in  Marmora
        ensure physical distancing and other   in  Eastern  Ontario  is  good
        controls on the jobsites that would   example  of  how  to  quickly  adapt
        have mitigated the fear of spreading   to  interruptions  in  your  business.
        the virus.                     Owners   Peggy   and   Debbie
           Another  member    business  Drummond were quick to convert to
        that  has  experienced  disruption  in   the  curbside  pick-up  and  deliveries
        their  business  model  is  Burlington   when they had to close their store
        Merchandising  &  Fixtures  Inc.  to  walk-in  traffic.    The  logistics  on
        (BMF)  based  in  Burlington  Ontario.    the  curbside  pickup  proved  to  be
        Rob  Wilbrink,  President  and  CEO,   challenging  but  once  they  had  a

        Pictured opposite: Gravenhurst HBC employees practice for the re-opening after
        the lock-down; this page from top: Greg Drouillard salutes the front line health
        workers of Windsor; Dale Bell, National Forest Products; BMF office, expanded
        but not being used due to pandemic.
        www.lbmao.on.ca                                                            LBMAO Reporter - May-June 2020  19
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