Photo: Samantha Holomay

East Shore business owners have said that despite the Kootenay Lake Ferry returning to normal frequencies, they aren’t confident about businesses bouncing back.

Megan Rokeby-Thomas is the co-owner of Lady Bug Coffee on Kootenay Lake. She said that seasonal businesses are concerned about hiring for the tourist season.

“A lot of the staff comes from the other side. If we don't have the traffic nobody wants to hire a bunch of students…and then not be able to give them the hours,” she said.

She mentioned that her business has been under an immense amount of financial strain in part due to the large portion of customers who are unable to get to the shop by the ferry.

On March 20, the BC General Employee's Union reverted the ongoing ferry strike to an overtime ban which brought ferry sailing frequencies back to previous rates. However, ferry sailings remain vulnerable to cancellations if staff shortages occur.

A survey conducted by the Kootenay Lake Chamber of Commerce showed that businesses cited a loss of staff, reduced hours, and supply chain disruptions as factors that have negatively impacted their businesses due to the Kootenay Lake Ferry strike which began in early November. Some businesses reported losses of up to $10,000.

“We don't have the people,” said Thomas. “We're struggling in every way, shape and form, past, present and future.”