With a large amount of snowfall just before and during Christmas, businesses that were looking for a bit of Christmas cheer ended up receiving a bit of a cost instead.

Over the course of just over a week, nearly 30 centimeters of snow fell, causing some chaos on roadways as people couldn't get around.

That meant shoppers and employees alike couldn't get to businesses, essentially freezing commerce for many.

But the costs didn't stop there, as the snow needed to go somewhere, which would end up costing money.

Executive Director of the Estevan Chamber of Commerce Jackie Wall explains what the city's businesses saw during the storm.

"Well anytime we get a large storm like that, it kind of puts everything in a halt position. A lot of people can't get around town, it's harder for them to do their Christmas shopping and their last-minute running around, and then there's also the cost of shoveling that snow and getting the parking lots cleared and all of that inconvenience and expense."

One cause of concern and cost for businesses is a source of snow that many customers won't even be able to see, as explained by Laurel Buck, the chariperson for the Downtown Business Association.

"I think in a lot of ways, what's affected the businesses the most is the costs to carry it away, but also, some on the roof. We have to get it shoveled off, or else it backs up and floods an area like I had a big flood in my office. You don't think of that when it's snowing."

Another added cost can come from clearing snow for places that have parking lots too big to clear by hand, requiring contractors.

Costs aren't just limited to them, however, as the city also has some work to do, says Wall.

"Their parking lot areas and stuff like that, the businesses wouldn't have the equipment to do that effectively, so yes they'd have to get a hold of the contractor or somebody to come in and do that. Also, I'm not sure to what extent the city does some of the snow removals, but that is also a huge cost to taxpayers and to the community is the removal of the snow for the city."