By Josh Hall (Twitter: @Vancan19)

optimism

Yoga studio hoping wait to open doesn’t stretch to stage three of relaunch

Jun 7, 2020 | 12:03 PM

The owner of a Red Deer yoga studio is crossing her fingers that her business will be included in the second stage of the province’s relaunch strategy.

Stage 2 is set to launch June 19, Premier Jason Kenney announced this week, but as it stands, gyms — including yoga studios — will have to remain closed until the final phase.

Candice Blum, who runs YogaNation, participated in a virtual town hall on Thursday with Dr. Deena Hinshaw and other provincial officials to discuss what concerns there are from the business owners.

“The risk for a yoga or dance studio in comparison to a big box gym where everybody is touching equipment is very different,” she points out. “What we heard from Dr. Hinshaw sounded very positive.”

The call, Blum says, had to be split in two and then extended because there were many who phoned in.

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“Dr. Hinshaw specifically named yoga studios as an example of a lower-risk facility. We’ve informed our clients we’ll no longer be providing community props or mats, so you’ll have to bring your own.”

Blum says another factor the province has to consider is heavy breathing, because it means six feet (two metres) of distancing isn’t enough.

“We’ve been closed since March 17, like many other businesses, and haven’t had very much success as far as other programming,” says Blum. “Our revenue is down 75 per cent.”

She also found out in recent days that YogaNation will qualify for a $40,000 loan under the federal Canada Emergency Business Account (CEBA), which the prime minister announced in April. Qualifications were expanded late last month.

More details on the province’s second stage of relaunch are expected this coming week.

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