The Canterbury Employers Chambers of Commerce says some businesses will fail as a result of Saturday's earthquake, but the community will bounce back.
Parts of Christchurch's central business district remain closed as the the city faces the task of cleaning up after the magnitude 7.1 quake.
Chamber chief executive Peter Townsend says there have not yet been any specific reports about major losses as many business owners have not yet been able to access their buildings.
Mr Townsend says employees should not go to work on Monday if there is any question about the structural integrity of their building.
The chamber's own office is one of 90 buildings in the central centre that has been badly damaged.
However, as a show of resilience, Mr Townsend says the Champion Canterbury business awards will still go ahead next week.
The Retailers Association says businesses in Christchurch are confronted with a range of problems including destroyed premises, fallen masonry, damaged stock and leave implications for their employees.
It says the closure of the Christchurch CBD is making the situation worse for shop owners, who are worrying about whether they have to pay rent on a shop they cannot use.
