Canada's financial capital reopening subdued as most employees stay home (updated)
24/06/2020 17:52
(Adds details of reopening throughout)
By Nichola Saminather
TORONTO, June 24 (Reuters) - Canada's financial capital,
Toronto, staged a cautious restart of its economy on Wednesday
following a three-month pandemic-driven shutdown as several of
its biggest employers kept staff working from home to avoid the
spread of the coronavirus.
At the usually bustling Union Station, spitting distance
from the city's financial core and the intersection of Toronto's
subway, the regional train system and bus network, staff
outnumbered commuters.
Downtown Toronto streets, normally gridlocked on
pre-pandemic weekdays, were mostly free of traffic during what
would have been the morning rush hour in the country's most
populous city.
Most people out on the streets wore masks.
The PATH, a 30-kilometer (18.6 miles) below-ground
pedestrian walkway connecting about 75 buildings, and the
world's largest underground shopping complex, remained silent,
devoid of office employees and many retailers still closed.
Andy Voelker, manager of a Second Cup SCU.TO coffee
franchise in the PATH, said he hadn't seen an increase in
customers on Wednesday.
The store, which remained open throughout the shutdown, lost
about 90% of its business, but the return of construction
workers three weeks ago revived some sales, he said.
"The return to normal probably won't happen till sometime
next year," he added.
Ontario, the biggest province by population, started
gradually reopening its economy this month, but much of Toronto,
which has suffered more than 1,000 deaths, was left off the
initial list. urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL1N2DZ1KQ urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL1N2DL1CF
Canada's three biggest lenders, Royal Bank of Canada
RY.TO , Toronto-Dominion Bank TD.TO and Bank of Nova Scotia
BNS.TO , and life insurer Sun Life Financial SLF.TO said they
don't intend to bring staff back until at least September.
Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce CM.TO said employees
will continue to work remotely "for an extended period of time."
Brookfield Asset Management BAM.TO , which has reoriented
desks and reduced meeting-room capacity, plans to bring
employees back gradually, a spokeswoman said.
Even so, high-rise office buildings in Toronto stood ready.
Brookfield, one of the biggest downtown landlords, has
disinfected buildings, and cleaned and tested air distribution
systems and water supply tanks, the spokeswoman said.
Cleaning and security staff dotted office lobbies, wiping
down common areas and ensuring what little foot traffic there
was followed signs to maintain distance and move in certain
directions. Elevators sported stickers limiting the number of
riders.
"It's sad that the hustle and bustle of downtown is gone,"
said Meghan Wilton, who works at Medisys Health Group in
Toronto, which opened at reduced capacity three weeks ago.
(Reporting By Nichola Saminather; Editing by Bernadette Baum
and Andrea Ricci)
((Nichola.Saminather@thomsonreuters.com; +1-416-687-7604;))