Airdrie businesses have the opportunity to get a hand up as they begin to reopen and try to recover from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Businesses are still faced with several restrictions including limits on capacity and costs related to personal protective equipment and screening.

For local business owners who may be struggling with the costs, there is a relaunch grant being offered by the province. It will provide qualifying small and medium-sized retailers, restaurants and other impacted industries with up to $5,000 to offset some of the costs associated with reopening during the pandemic.

“I think this is really important. Although there was always a need for some kind of guidance and support, at the end of the day, the biggest [response from Chamber surveys] was we need some kind of financial help that we don’t have to pay back,” said Airdrie Chamber Executive Director Marilyne Aalhus. “So this is something businesses can keep and use to their discretion.”

For a business to be eligible, it must have experienced a revenue loss of at least 50 per cent due to restrictions related to COVID-19. It must also have a staff of 500 people or less.

Airdrie based businesses were allowed to start applying for the grant as of Tuesday morning. The online application process will remain open until August 31, or four weeks after the start of Stage 3 of Alberta’s economic relaunch, whichever is later.

“This $5,000 will be up to a month of operating for some businesses that were really on that breaking point, so we are optimistic that this will really help pull them out of a challenging time," she said.

The Small and Medium Enterprise Relaunch Grant is expected to cost the province $200 million.

 

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