Strict public health measures and mass shutdowns across the country, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, have left many industries struggling. Hospitality and tourism have been among the hardest hit, and small business owners across Canada are fighting to make ends meet everyday. 

Winnipeg restaurant owner Christopher Graves knows this struggle all too well. He recently sold his home in order to free up cash to keep his staff employed and the doors of his establishment, the King’s Head Pub, open. 

Royal LePage sales representative Nicole Hacault, of Royal LePage Top Producers Real Estate in Winnipeg, MB, helped Graves with the sale of his home. When she realized the reason, she knew she had to help. “I figured I’ll take the commission that I earned from their home and I’m going to put it back into their business,” she told CTV News.  

She quickly took to her social media to put out an offer of a $10 off promo code for anyone ordering food from the King’s Head Pub. For each promo code used, Hacault is personally paying that $10 back to the pub. She said the housing market is booming and she wanted to pay it forward if she could. “Everybody’s survival is going to be coming from everybody coming together to help each other,” said Hacault.

It is likely our lives and social habits will not return to normal for several months, leaving many business owners, their employees and their families concerned about the future. But it’s the example of people like Hacault that will hopefully inspire others to support their communities and take care of one another during this difficult time.