Relaunch grant for businesses expanded

By Sean Feagan, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Businesses continuing to be affected by the COVID-19 pandemic are getting more support, after the province announced an expansion of the small business relaunch grant.

Small businesses affected by the most recent public health orders are being offered another payment of up to $10,000 from the Small and Medium Enterprise Relaunch Grant.

Businesses, cooperatives and non-profits with fewer than 500 employees facing restrictions or closures due to COVID-related public health orders with revenue losses of at least 30 per cent are eligible to apply in April. This payment will also be made available to businesses that started operating between March 1, 2020 and March 31, 2021, and to hotels, taxis and ride-sharing services.

This new program will replace the previously announced COVID-19 business benefit, which was intended to support businesses as restrictions were lifted.

Over 50,000 have already applied to the relaunch grant program. As of April 6, the provincial government has provided more than $451 million to more than 39,000 businesses through the relaunch grant. 

Including this latest expansion, some small businesses will have received as much as $30,000 over three rounds of the program.

This new phase of the program will be open for applications until May 31 and is capped at $350 million.

Grant funding may be used by recipient businesses to cover the cost of cleaning or personal protective equipment, pay for rent, wages or inventory, or online or e-commerce expansion. Applications can made online at alberta.ca/sme-relaunch-grant.aspx.