This is not good news for area businesses, large and small.
The Ontario government is extending all emergency orders under the Reopening Ontario Act (ROA) for another 30 days.
The province announced on January 16 that the current orders under the ROA were set to expire on January 20 is now extended to February 19.
This will “preserve our health care capacity and protect Ontarians until everyone can be vaccinated.”
At the same time the province said it is accepting applications for the new Ontario Small Business Support Grant.
The grant, which was first announced in December, provides $10,000 to $20,000 to eligible small businesses which have had to restrict their operations due to the province-wide shutdown.
The tightened restrictions were put in place to help stop the alarming rise of COVID-19 cases in Ontario.
“As Ontario’s employers do their part to defeat COVID-19, they are facing unprecedented challenges as a result of this global pandemic,” said Peter Bethlenfalvy, Minister of Finance and President of the Treasury Board. “I encourage every eligible small business owner to visit Ontario.ca/COVIDSupport to access the support our government has made available.”
Small businesses required to close or significantly restrict services under the shutdown can apply for a one-time grant and use this funding in whatever way makes the most sense for their individual business needs. For example, some businesses could need support paying employee wages, while others could need support with their rent.
Eligible small businesses include those that were required to close or significantly restrict services due to the shutdown that began on December 26. They must have fewer than 100 employees and 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 eligibility criteria.
“Small businesses are the heart of Ontario’s economy,” said Vic Fedeli, Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade. “The Ontario Small Business Support Grant will help thousands of small businesses get through this difficult time.”
Businesses impacted by the shutdown are also eligible for additional supports, including the government’s program to provide rebates to offset fixed costs such as property tax and energy bills.
More information about the Ontario Small Business Support Grant and other rebates is available on Ontario.ca/COVIDsupport.