Province announces new grant program to help restaurants, bars and fitness centres

Apr 8, 2021 | 1:04 PM

The B.C. government has announced a new $50-million fund to help businesses impacted by the recent provincial health orders.

The new Circuit Breaker Business Relief Grant will provide affected businesses with up to $10,000 in one-time funding to help with expenses like rent, insurance, employee wages, maintenance and utilities.

The grant can also help cover unexpected costs that resulted from the restrictions, such as the purchase of perishable goods.

The province says the funding will help up to 14,000 hard-hit businesses such as bars, restaurants, wineries, breweries, fitness centres and gyms.

“We understand how greatly this group of businesses have been, and continue to be, impacted by the pandemic,” Premier John Horgan said. “This grant will provide the funds these businesses need to help them through this extraordinary time. As a community, we have come so far together in this fight against Covid-19. Let’s stay the course and we will get through this together.”

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More than $50 million from the $345-million Small and Medium Sized Business Recovery Grant program has been set aside for businesses through the Circuit Breaker Business Relief Grant. The individual amount a business receives will be based on the number of employees.

The grant is open to eligible businesses of any size that have been in operation since Feb. 1, 2021, and will have a streamlined application.

Applications are expected to open the week of April 12, 2021.

“The new Circuit Breaker Business Relief Grant is welcomed support at a time when B.C. wine growers and producers are working to weather the latest storm caused by the pandemic, ” Miles Prodan, president and CEO of Wine Growers British Columbia, said. “This funding combined with the other supports put in place by the B.C. government will help the sector prepare for when we can again be fully open to welcome visitors.”

by Pete McIntyre

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