The town has decided to take one for the taxpayer with the suspension of parking enforcement in downtown Midland.
Those were Coun. Bill Gordon's words as he commended staff for the report presented to council this week.
"I'm really happy to see this report and happy to say there's free parking," he said. "This isn't without its challenges, but it's happening and we're taking one for the taxpayer here."
The report also outlines how much of a financial impact this move will have for the town over the next few weeks. The town will lose between $25,000 and $30,000, combined for March, April, and May. The report does not specify when enforcement will resume.
"If you've got pressure on businesses already, then people tend to get upset if you issue them a parking ticket," said Mayor Stewart Strathearn, who couldn't comment on when enforcement would resume.
"Businesses are saying 'why put that additional strain on people who might be coming down just to come in and pick something up and leave,' so we've decided to suspend it for now. This is just another way of supporting local business."
With some businesses closing and others offering reduced hours, Gordon said there's definitely sensitivity by staff and council to the angst that is befalling local employees and merchants.
"We have to embrace and do everything we can for our mechants and keep our downtown alive and employable and employing," he said. "We'll speak more to parking as the term goes on."
With the provincial emergency in place and strict rules around how people should mingle, everything is affected and municipal matters are seemingly being reassessed --- even the Big Dig is on the table.
"Especially with the Big Dig this year," said Coun. Cody Oschefski. "I'm hearing from some downtown merchants that they'd love for us to push it back because the effects of this are going to be real. There's an argument to be made that is there a better time? Next year, when they're back on their feet, is that a better time to do it?"
That's something council needs to discuss, he added.
"Now we have lots of time on our hands to do it," said Oschefski.
It's definitely up for discussion, according to Mayor Stewart Strathearn.
"I would say everything is on the table," he said. "We are having constant discussions internally with our contractors about what the implications are from COVID-19. There's been no conversation as yet saying we're not doing it, but everything is on the table."
He said at some point people will realize (the pandemic) is not a three-week event.
"This is going to be months ,if not years, to recover," said Strathearn. "It's all unknown; it's all uncharted. If you panic, then you just exacerbate the problem so keep calm and carry on."
