DIDSBURY - With the carbon tax hitting Alberta on Jan. 1 on top of an already skittish economy, you can't blame locals for being a little worried. Avenue Bakery closed down around New Year's, while Cut'n Loose appears to be cutting loose on March 1.
Of course it's not all gloom and doom. Didsbury saw the startup of a number of businesses in 2016 including a sports store, tire store, and a couple of restaurants. This year will see a number of shops open including several on the corner of 15th Avenue and 20th Street.
Christofer Atchison, manager of legislative and development services, said the town is continuing to look at ways to be business friendly and attract new businesses to the community.
"Every year we have new businesses that come to town that bring a variety of new goods and services to our community," Atchison told the Gazette. 2016 saw a number of new businesses move into Didsbury and we would expect this trend to continue."
Margo Ward, president of the Didsbury & District Chamber of Commerce, told the Gazette that she believes the carbon tax will make it more challenging for local businesses.
"Businesses are surviving," said Ward. "Country Christmas was a great promotion for them. It really got their Christmas season off to a great start. We have unfortunately lost the little bake shop."
Ward said the five new businesses that opened up last year are signs that the community is open for business despite challenges.
"Things are tough," she said. "Now we're having to deal with the carbon tax. Pretty soon we'll have another increase in the minimum wage (2018). Especially the carbon tax; we don't yet know the full extent. There's the trickle-down effect. We get hit at the gas pumps to start. But every shipping company will get hit. So we're looking at probably everything going up. It's a huge effect it'll have eventually."
Ward is hoping that local businesses will be able to overcome any challenges and that the chamber is ready and willing to help any way it can.
"Hopefully the town can keep the business taxes as well as the personal (property) taxes at an even amount for this year," she said. "Hopefully we can keep the municipal taxes down so we're not hit with an increase there."
