THUNDER BAY – Hair salon owner Tony Muia is sounding the alarm over what he calls a looming crisis for Thunder Bay’s personal care industry, including salons, gyms, and tattoo artists – and he has the support of local MPPs.
Muia was joined by about 20 people for a rally on Arthur Street over the weekend, calling for targeted financial support for the businesses, which must remain closed under the province’s Grey-Lockdown level, where Thunder Bay currently sits.
His business, Serenity Salon & Wellness, is down over $220,000 in gross income over the past six months, he said, adding he personally hasn’t drawn a wage in nearly a year.
Changes introduced by the province in February allow all retailers to open with 25 per cent capacity limits under Grey-Lockdown. Personal service businesses, however, are not allowed to open.
Muia says it’s a double standard that could have devastating consequences for the local industry.
“We’re facing a major onslaught of bankruptcy, business closures, mergers of businesses in our city,” he said. “Three months from now, if we’re still closed and Doug Ford doesn’t come through with money for us, you’re going to drive up and down streets seeing For Sale, For Lease [signs].”
Earlier in the month, Muia led a group of salon owners and tattoo artists who threatened to reopen in violation of the provincial guidelines, which they said discriminated unfairly against them.
He’s now softened his stance, saying there’s little public appetite for business owners breaking the law to prove their point.
“I think people are sick and tired of hearing, ‘we’re going to open against the law,’” he conceded. “Unfortunately, not everybody knows how safe and sanitary our salons are, so when people hear ‘he’s going to open his doors no matter what,’ they look at you as a criminal.”
“I don’t want to be a criminal, I want to abide by the law. But if I’m going to abide by the law, then our bills need to be paid – we need to be helped out.”
He remains “100 per cent” confident his business could open safely, with fewer employees and strict prevention measures.
“We’re without a doubt one of the safest industries out there,” he said. “My surgeon came to me to have his hair cut just before we closed.”
It’s a claim that found a sympathetic ear with Thunder Bay-Superior North MPP Michael Gravelle, who said he has sent several letters to relevant ministers advocating for more flexibility in the restrictions applied to the industry.
“These personal service operators are in many ways putting in place COVID-19 protocols stronger than those in place for businesses that are being allowed to stay open,” he said. “[I’ve been] trying to make the case that they indeed are not being treated fairly.”
Thunder Bay-Atikokan MPP Judith Monteith-Farrell declined comment on whether restrictions should be eased for the personal care sector, saying those decisions needed to remain firmly in the hands of public health officers.
She supports additional targeted aid for businesses disproportionately impacted by the restrictions, however.
“We’ve seen bailouts in other areas, and these small businesses seem to be left by the wayside," she said. "They can’t do their work curbside – they have no choice.”
The aid provided by the provincial government so far had been inadequate, she said, with the official opposition NDP favouring a more aggressive approach.
“We’re talking about things like commercial rent relief, direct grants to small businesses [above] what the Ford government has [provided].”
Muia reluctantly accepts the industry may have lost the battle to change provincial guidelines.
“If you want us closed, that’s fine – but you gotta pay us,” he said. “We need the provincial government to man up… and if nothing else, match what the federal government has given our businesses.”
Federal support have included a $60,000 loan, with $20,000 of that forgiven if the full amount is repaid within a year.
Given the continued closures, Muia suggested the federal government should forgive the entire amount, converting it to a non-repayable grant. He also called on the province to match that support with grants of its own for the sector.
Gravelle agrees the industry is in need of tailored funding.
“I think there’s a very good case for them to be able to get some targeted support, particularly for those operators that are not allowed to open at all,” he said. “I’ve made that case as well – it’s not a major issue at Queen’s Park yet, but I think it will.”
Anna Figliomeni, a licensed hair stylist in the industry for over 25 years, has had to consider changing her career due to the pandemic. She previously ran her own business before more recently working at Serenity.
Seeing full parking lots at other businesses while her employer was unable to open even with limited capacity was particularly frustrating, she said.
“We have no problem closing, but close for everybody,” she said. “Be fair… these businesses are dying. How can you afford to pay bills, feed your family?”
“We’re more than capable of following rules and protocols. When we did open, we all had our PPE on, we sanitize. What’s the difference?”
The Thunder Bay Chamber of Commerce recently called for the province to take a more flexible approach, favouring capacity limits and strict compliance with prevention measures over closures.
