Well done to the community for the way we’ve handled the disruption in services in recent months. We’ve all been impacted in one way or another, but I, just like you, are pleased to be living here versus anywhere else right now.
What matters now is how we move forward.
Historically, when we needed to know something we would go to the library. Now, we can get it quicker by using technology provided by businesses on the other side of the world, without leaving our home.
The last 3 months has seen a large acceleration of the move to online services and buying. All local businesses must adapt to this.
While it is more difficult to conduct business at present, there are few places in the world that are better than right here. Let’s use this as an opportunity for post-traumatic growth of our community.
I get concerned when I see people complaining about price increases, without considering why. What we need isn’t ‘cheaper’, we need ‘better’. No body wants a cheap cup of coffee. We all want a great cup of coffee.
Getting cheaper is a race to the bottom. And the problem with races to the bottom is we might win. Or worse yet, come second. Many towns are, and now find themselves needing to drive to bigger centres to get anything of value.
Instead, encourage our businesses, local government, and service providers to get better. If you’re not buying local then that’s because you’re getting a better service elsewhere, so tell our businesses to get better rather than import it from another region. Do that, and community wealth has little chance of being returned.
I encourage people with ideas to take it and run with it. Create the thing that is going to make your group of people better. And I encourage all of us to consider how we value our community, and how we can make it better.
Towns, cities, states, and countries get poorer when they import more than they export. This can be knowledge or services, not just goods.
Our community is better when we’re all better.