Hamilton Mayor asking businesses to avoid in-store Black Friday sales
Published November 23, 2020 at 2:54 pm
Hamilton’s Fred Eisenberger joined his mayoral counterparts across the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA) is urging retailers “to immediately announce they will not hold large in-person sales” on Black Friday.
“Such sales would inevitably produce crowd scenes which would only serve to undermine the fight against COVID-19 and negate the sacrifices being made by so many, including other businesses,” read an official release sent by the City of Hamilton.
The joint announcement emphasizes the importance of supporting local retailers, albeit through internet shopping and curbside pickup options.
“With the current public health measures in place, I urge community members to stay home as much as possible to slow the spread of this virus,” said Hamilton Mayor Fred Eisenberger. “While retail stores in Hamilton remain open under the red category of the provincial COVID-19 Response Framework, please continue to support local businesses safely by shopping online and utilizing the curbside pickup or delivery option.”
“Now more than ever, we need to support local businesses and at the same time, continue to put our trust in the health experts by following all recommendations including staying home whenever possible, restricting all social gatherings to only immediate household members, wearing a mask and washing our hands.”
In addition, the Mayors and Chairs from the 11 largest municipal governments across the GTHA say they want to see an agreement reached and action undertaken by companies and governments to reassure workers that getting tested for COVID-19 will not, if someone tests positive, result in the loss of either their job or their paycheque while they isolate.
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According to the statement of officials, “There is plenty of evidence that people with symptoms are going to work and not getting tested because they think self-isolation after a positive test result will mean a loss of job or income or both.”
– Mayor Fred Eisenberger
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