A new initiative in Windsor-Essex aims to support local restaurants struggling due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Tourism Windsor-Essex Pelee Island (TWEPI) has launched Dine YQG with several partners including CUPE 543 and the Windsor-Essex Chamber of Commerce (WECC).
The program will provide free listings and $11,000 in prizes with a customer receiving a $100 prize for a social media post hash tagged with #DineYQG — the winning business will also receive $1,000 each week from Feb. 1 to April 10.
Chamber President Rakesh Naidu says one in six restaurants in Windsor-Essex are on the verge of collapse.
He says service industry workers making up the four largest employment demographic in Canada.
"So there is going to be a ripple effect in the local economy, in the regional economy and the Canadian Economy," he says.
Naidu tells AM800 News more than $154,000 in total support will be offered to restaurants through April.
"Whether that is through access to programs, access to grants, access to technology," he says. "There are many different ways in which we're able to support the restaurant."
He says the chamber will also look for ways to collectively benifit every business.
"We're hoping with collective trend of the restaurant sector we'll be able to leverage, we'll be able to get services at a reduced cost ... better than market rate," he added.
Restaurants can get the ball rolling by signing up for a free listing at www.dineyqg.ca.
Naidu says businesses will need to fill out an application via the chamber's website to qualify for certain supports.
The first 35 applicants will receive a free 12-month membership to the both the chamber and the Ontario Restaurant Hotel Motel Association (ORHMA) of Windsor Essex and free banking and financial coaching from the Libro Credit Union.
- with files from AM800's Rob Hindi