Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound MPP Bill Walker, Ontario's Associate Minister of Energy, speaks from Queen's Park on Dec. 22, 2020. (Twitter photo)
The MPP for Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound is urging local small businesses struggling due to pandemic restrictions to access a new Covid financial aid program.
The Ontario government opened its application portal for the new Ontario Small Business Support Grant Friday. Eligible businesses who have had to restrict operations due to the province-wide shutdown order can receive a minimum of $10,000 and a maximum of $20,000 through the support program.
Progressive Conservative MPP Bill Walker says he’s received a lot of inquiries from business owners in Grey Bruce about the program.
“The grants this program will provide to eligible businesses are vital supports for our local business community during these difficult times,” Walker says in a statement.
Eligible small businesses include those that were required to close or significantly restrict services when the shutdown came into effect on December 26.
According to a government release, other eligibility criteria includes having fewer than 100 employees at the enterprise level, and having experienced a minimum of 20 per cent revenue decline in April 2020 compared to April 2019.
New businesses established since April 2019 will also be eligible if they meet the other requirements.
The application for this grant program is available here.
The Ontario Small Business Support Grant is one of several financial relief programs offered to businesses coping with the operating environment amid the pandemic.
The Ontario government also offers rebates to help offset certain fixed costs, such as property tax or energy bills.