(BEN BULMER / iNFOnews.ca)

Almost 15 per cent of Vernon businesses report that the pandemic has a positive effect on their business, while another 40 per cent report the pandemic has had a low negative impact or no impact at all.

While the survey results show a bleak reality for some, not every business has been impacted negatively by COVID-19.

The survey, conducted by the City of Vernon, asked 142 Vernon businesses from a cross-section of industries the impact COVID-19 was having between May 12 to June 9.

While 50 per cent of businesses said the pandemic was having a "significantly negative impact" on business, some companies were hiring more staff and seeing revenues rise.

Fourteen per cent of businesses reported an increase in sales, four per cent had had to employ more staff and another four per cent were now open longer hours.

The survey lists medical supply stores, fast food delivery and computer services as industries that have seen a positive impact during the pandemic.

iNFOnews.ca has previously reported everything from bicycle stores and toy shops, to boat sales and liquor stores as doing well during COVID-19.

Somewhat surprisingly, 32 per cent of businesses said the pandemic had only had a "low negative impact" on business and 10 per cent said they had not been affected by the pandemic at all.

However, not everyone was so lucky.

Thirteen per cent of businesses reported not being able to pay their rent or mortgage, almost 40 per cent had laid-off employees and 24 per cent had closed temporarily. Four per cent of businesses reported they had shut down permanently.

Staff at the surveyed businesses are also seeing hard times, with 32 per cent of the workforce being laid off. The 142 businesses surveyed had collectively let 747 employees go due to the COVID-19 pandemic. And businesses aren't optimistic and estimate more layoffs will happen after the pandemic.

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News from © iNFOnews, 2020