TORONTO -- COVID-19 has influenced what and where we buy goods even where live and work.

Prepare for a bumpy and uneven recovery, according to Bank of Canada Governor Tiff Macklem, but I'm not so sure Canadians are buying it.

Retail sales have fully recovered from the COVID-19 pandemic. We may be buying different things but we are buying. All you need to do is try to buy something online only to find it is out of stock and while there may not be a lot of cars driving to and from work yet there are plenty of delivery trucks roaring up and down streets.

In the recent May retail sales report, the 18.7% month over month gain in sales was impressive, with e-commerce sales comprising 8% of the total sales while up over the past year 112.7%. Retailers with a strong online presence are cashing in. Those that don't have less odds of survival.

All provinces registered an increase in retail sales with Quebec and Ontario leading the charge with 10 of 11 sub-sectors higher with the only drag being food and beverage. Grocery stores have exceeded expectations since the beginning of the pandemic and continue to raise their outlooks going forward.

Public transit has taken it on the chin while motor vehicle sales soar. Less health risk and exposure in your private vehicle.

The Canadian real estate markets snapped back in June. National home sales according to the Canadian Real Estate Association jumped 63% month over month in June while sales are up 150% since April. Realtors have gotten creative with open houses and the slight pull-back in prices in some markets has encouraged buyers.

Adding to this, if you are even thinking about getting into the housing market, the Bank of Canada governor was pretty clear, "rates are very low and going to be very low for a long time." It isn't every day you get encouragement, almost a guarantee to go ahead and borrow money because we are in a low interest rate environment for a long time.

Working from home has taught us 1) we don't all need to live in urban centres and 2) we can be highly productive working anywhere, anytime, and brick and mortar office towers don't really matter as they once did. Employers have embraced flexibility in the workplace with many large corporations suggesting they aren't in any rush to get employees back into the office.

However, some of the hardest-hit are small business owners -- the real backbone of our economy. Gyms, coffee shops, dry cleaners and the list goes on. These small businesses worry about being in business next week. The government subsidies will help but many were barely making ends meet prior to the pandemic and the thought of more debt is staggering. The physical distancing has been vital for public safety but terrible for the entrepreneur that relies on social gatherings and foot traffic to make a living.

But let's not lose hope, there is a lot of good out there. Communities, businesses and governments are coming together, corporations recognize flexibility in the workplace will become the norm and not an exception, people cherish their homes a little more and the desire is there to buy local.

However, through it all I still feel sad. I feel sad for the people who have lost their lives and the families impacted, I feel sad for people who lost their business, their job or their life savings. But we are resilient and we continue to support the Canadian economy and one another.

Let's end on a positive: RBC announced today Canada United - a national movement to support local businesses across the country. A movement encouraging Canadians to show some local love by buying, dining and shopping local during the weekend of August 28 to 30. And when you view videos at GOCanadaUnited.ca, or like posts @GoCanadaUnited or use the hashtag #CanadaUnited, RBC will contribute 5 cents up to a maximum contribution of $2M to the Canada United Small Business Relief Fund.

In turn the Fund will provide Canadian small businesses with grants of up to $5,000 to cover expenses related to personal protective equipment , renovations to accommodate re-opening guidelines or improving e-commerce capabilities.

Canada, together we will get through this.