You can see the effect of COVID-19 in the food services and drinking places sector of the economy, by following the numbers. Sales were in the area of $160 million in Saskatchewan in January and February, then dropping to about $108 million in March and then down to $81 million in April. Statistics Canada says that represents a 24.6 percent drop March to April and about a 50 per cent drop from April 2019. Nationally, sales fell about 40 per cent March to April and about 61 per cent cent year-to-year.

The dramatic fall in April was due to businesses being closed for the entire month due to COVID regulations that began in March, closing non-essential businesses, travel restrictions, and public health measures directing Canadians to limit public interactions.