Boxing Day shoppers hit the mall in North Bay
Doors opened at Northgate Shopping Centre in North Bay at 10 a.m. Sunday as masked shoppers hit the stores.
"My kids wanted to do some shopping, they got some money for Christmas. There’s lots of good sales, they asked me to take them, and here we are," said a man shopping with his two children.
"I don’t like paying for shipping on things, and I’m very impatient with ordering online so I came early so I can get things done," said another person checking out sales.
With COVID-19 restrictions in place and malls only allowed to welcome 50 per cent of their usual capacity, retail workers told CTV News this Boxing Day was slower than usual.
"It’s not as busy as I expected it to be, it’s usually a lot busier than this. During COVID, there’s usually a lot of lineups and stuff and I'm seeing no line ups at all," said Brady Gardiner, who works at Showcase.
A staff member from The Body Shop also said she’s used to a more chaotic scene.
"Usually, there’s people lined up outside of stores, but I just did an early morning stock shift so I was able to see the stores before everything opened and there was absolutely no one," they said.
As COVID-19 cases continue to rise in North Bay, plenty of hand sanitizer and physical distancing guidelines were in place.
"I feel pretty safe. I’m wearing a double mask, have a boat load of hand sanitizer in my pocket and that kind of stuff, and washing my hands and everything like that," said one individual shopper.
One man said it made him a bit nervous coming to the mall with hundreds of people in the same vicinity.
"It’s definitely concerning, and we debated whether or not to come to the mall with the circumstances we’re underneath and the large amount of cases going on right now," he said.
"We’re taking our time and being very careful and conscious of what we’re doing. Sanitizing constantly, making sure we’re wearing masks and keeping our distance."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
U.S. Postal Service suspends accepting mail bound for Canada due to strike
The U.S. Postal Service has temporarily suspended accepting mail headed to Canada due to the strike by Canada Post workers.
Biden pardons his son Hunter despite previous pledges not to
U.S. President Joe Biden pardoned his son, Hunter, on Sunday night, sparing the younger Biden a possible prison sentence for federal felony gun and tax convictions and reversing his past promises not to use the extraordinary powers of the presidency for the benefit of his family.
Kremlin says Trump threat to BRICS nations over U.S. dollar will backfire
The Kremlin said on Monday that any U.S. attempt to compel countries to use the dollar would backfire after U.S. president-elect Donald Trump threatened to impose tariffs on BRICS countries if they created their own currency.
Ontario food banks cutting back amid 'unprecedented surge in demand'
About 40 per cent of food banks in the province have scaled back the amount of food they provide each visit amid “record-high demand,” according to a new report by Feed Ontario.
'Devastating': Missing Surrey, B.C. teen found dead, family says
The family of a missing 18-year-old, who was last seen in Surrey over a month ago, says there has been a tragic end to the search.
Elton John says he has lost his eyesight and struggles to see his new stage musical
Elton John says he struggled to watch his new musical because he has lost his eyesight after contracting an infection.
opinion Are you overpaying for subscriptions? It's time for an audit
From streaming platforms and apps to gym memberships and meal kits, subscriptions are convenient, but it's easy to overlook how much you're spending. Personal finance contributor Christopher Liew offers tips on how to audit your subscriptions to save money.
PM Trudeau 'surprised' provinces unanimous on accelerated defence spending: Ford
Ontario Premier Doug Ford says his fellow provincial leaders are united in pushing for Canada to meet its NATO defence spending targets ahead of schedule, and that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was 'surprised' to hear it.
U.S. Great Lakes region gets yet more snow after a weekend of snarled Thanksgiving travel
Parts of the Great Lakes region saw new snow Monday and faced the prospect of even more this week after U.S. travellers battled harsh weather to get home after Thanksgiving, forecasters said.