Hamilton small businesses can apply for new $20K grant this week: MPP Skelly

By

Published January 14, 2021 at 7:38 am

Flamborough-Glanbrook MPP Donna Skelly met with Hamilton’s General Issues Committee on Wednesday (Jan. 13) to announce a new grant that aims to support small businesses during the province’s latest lockdown.

During the meeting, Skelly announced that applications for the Ontario Small Business Support Grant will open on Friday (Jan. 15). She also announced the launch of a website geared towards supporting Hamilton businesses in accessing the government supports available to them.

“This should help a number of small businesses across the city,” Skelly told the GIC.

The newly announced grant will provide upwards of $20,000 to eligible small businesses to help cover losses incurred during the lockdown.

To receive the grant, a small business must:

  • Be required to close or restrict services subject to the new Province-wide Shutdown
  • Have fewer than 100 employees
  • Have experienced a minimum of 20% revenue decline comparing April 2020 to April 2019 revenues
  • Businesses that are not eligible include those that were already required to close prior to the introduction of modified Stage 2 measures, and essential businesses permitted to operate with capacity restrictions.

“As long as you have a business number, you can apply,” Skelly said.

The processing time of the grant applications is expected to be ‘around two weeks,’ Skelly said in response to a question from Ward 3 councillor Nrinder Nann.

Skelly also took the time to tout the newly launched reliefwithinreach.ca as a ‘one-stop-shop’ for small businesses across Hamilton looking for easy access to all available government supports.

“This is simple…it’s very easy to use,” she said. “Everything here is available to all small businesses.”

In total, small businesses could be eligible for upwards of $40,000 in grants, rebates and financial supports, Skelly said, that can be accessed on the new website.

insauga's Editorial Standards and Policies advertising