It was the afternoon of July 28, 2024 when Harold Street Caf茅 owner Antonia Crossley received an evacuation order because of the growing wildfires in the Slocan Valley.
That evening, she started putting everything she could think of in the store香蕉视频直播檚 freezer to avoid food spoilage.
By 8 a.m. the next day, Crossley and her husband packed up their business and went to Castlegar, where they had to report to in case their family was looking for them.
After waiting for their turn for over two hours, the case workers on site told Crossley that they couldn香蕉视频直播檛 help them claim damage their business incurred since they already have insurance.
香蕉视频直播淚t was a little bit frustrating for us,香蕉视频直播� said Crossley.
When the Slocan Valley was combating five out-of-control wildfires last July, there were evacuations in Silverton and Slocan. Many businesses in the two communities, which rely on tourism during the season, faced closure and lost a significant amount of summer revenue.
Small businesses are often more vulnerable to disasters than larger businesses, said Simon Fraser University economics instructor Eric Werker. He added that since smaller businesses have limited capitalization and financial cushions to rely on, many have to wait for an insurance payout to come through before they can get back to business after being hit.
Small- and medium-sized businesses in the region often have limited cash flow and only basic insurance that covers rebuilding costs. Some industries are more affected by disasters than others.
香蕉视频直播淏usinesses that are relying on physical infrastructure like hospitality face greater risks compared to a digital or service-based industry, which may have more flexibility,香蕉视频直播� said Grace Henecka, business and climate advisor for the Nelson and District Chamber of Commerce.
About 60 per cent of small- and medium-sized businesses in Canada were impacted by extreme weather events in 2023, research by KPMG Canada found, including damaged facilities, increased costs and insurance claims.
When the evacuation order was lifted after two weeks, Crossley decided to stay put in Kelowna, where she was sheltering, for another week. It took them another week to throw away all the food that spoiled at their caf茅 while they were away.
During this time Crossley did not file a claim for the damage out of fear that their premium might go up. While many people told them that the $1,000-deductible is often waived, Crossley later found out this wasn香蕉视频直播檛 true.
香蕉视频直播淲e did not claim a dime. Nothing,香蕉视频直播� she said. 香蕉视频直播淵es, we did lose business, but every year is different.香蕉视频直播�
Many small business owners in Nelson either work the store themselves or have minimal staff, said Ron LeBlanc, co-ordinator with Slocan Valley Economic Development.
香蕉视频直播淭hey're living hand to mouth and 香蕉视频直播� for them to lose a chunk of their prime season in the summertime, really puts them closer to the edge and makes them more vulnerable during disasters,香蕉视频直播� said LeBlanc.
What you need to know
香蕉视频直播楾hey are deeply impacted by this香蕉视频直播�: Small businesses prepare before disaster strikes
After the fourth-worst wildfire season on record in 2024, small businesses in B.C. are struggling to retain business.
香蕉视频直播淭he process starts before the disaster begins,香蕉视频直播� said Emily Boston, senior policy analyst for B.C. at the Canadian Federation of Independent Business.
Some tips include assigning responsibility for managing the crisis. In the case of small business, the responsibility for taking executive decisions usually goes to the owner, Boston said.
Since the effects a business can face during a natural disaster varies from region to region, small businesses should prepare themselves by identifying the threats based on the area where they are situated.
The next step is to identify how to mitigate these risks. This includes ensuring they have updated safety equipment, purchasing insurance to prepare for financial losses and making emergency plans for customers and staff.
During the 2017 wildfire season, an estimated 15,000 businesses were affected in B.C., data by the federal Pacific Economic Development Canada found. That data also found that in rural B.C., small businesses account for 98 per cent of economic activity.
香蕉视频直播淭here's a whole community that small businesses support around them that are deeply negatively impacted when a business is disrupted due to climate disaster,香蕉视频直播� Boston said.
Boston said small businesses need to be included in the federal and provincial government香蕉视频直播檚 plans as climate-related disasters become more severe and common.
香蕉视频直播淭hey are deeply impacted by this,香蕉视频直播� she said.
This story was written by a student in as part of a partnership between KPU and Black Press Media.
