Ontario small business support grant COVID-19 Government funding for small business in Canada.
ONTARIO SMALL BUSINESS SUPPORT GRANT
As the recession hits the world due to pandemics, the government of different states announced different support schemes for small startups (the ones having little revenue or even the ones that are suffering an extreme decline in profit) to survive during tough times.
Here I have the Ontario scheme explained that is proposed by the Canadian government to have small businesses saved until we return to the normal routine.
BRIEF ELABORATION OF THE PROGRAM
The Ontario Small Business Support Grant is a scheme to aid small businesses during the province-wide shutdown in Ontario that has been in effect since December 26th, 2020 due to the global pandemic.
The program encompasses a minimum aid of $10,000 and up to $20,000 to all the eligible small startups to cover their revenue loss in the current period
The owners of the businesses are not restricted to use this money for a specific type of expenditure. Business owners can use their own judgement to deploy these funds towards its best use in their specific scenario. However, the businesses are supposed to fall into the eligibility criteria that is announced by the Ontario government to get the funds under this program.
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR ONTARIO SMALL BUSINESS SUPPORT GRANT
- To be eligible for the grant, the business must substantiate a 20% decline in the revenue generated in April 2020 in comparison to the revenue generated in April 2019.
Note: the program has an application portal that will create an alternative revenue decline comparison, if the business was not operational in April 2019.
- The business must have 99 or fewer employees.
- The business needs to prove that either they were closed or their operations were severely restrictive since December 26, 2020, or earlier, due to public health guidelines with respect to business closure
Only the businesses that fall in the following business categories are eligible to apply for Ontario Small Business Support Grant:
- Before- and after- school programs
- Campgrounds
- Cannabis retail stores
- Cell phone and computer providers & repairs
- Community centers and multi-purpose facilities
- Conference centers and convention centers
- Day camps for children
- Domestic services
- Drive-in cinemas
- Driving instruction
- Facilities for indoor sports and recreational fitness activities (including fitness centers
- and gyms)
- Garden centers
- Hardware stores (including Big Box stores) required to close for in-person shopping
- In-person teaching and instruction
- Media industries including film and television production (excluding radio/television
- broadcasting)
- Meeting or event space
- Museums, galleries, aquariums, zoos, science centers, landmarks, historic sites,
- botanical gardens and similar attraction
- Outdoor markets (excluding grocery)
- Outdoor sports and recreation facilities
- Performing arts and cinemas
- Personal care services relating to the hair or body (excluding oxygen bars)
- Personal services
- Pet/animal food and services
- Photography services
- Racing venues, casinos, bingo halls, and gaming establishments
- Rental and leasing services (including automobile, commercial and light industrial
- machinery and equipment rental)
- Restaurants and bars
- Retail required to close for in-person shopping
- Safety, medical, and assistive devices retail (excluding pharmacies)
- Shopping malls
- Ski hills
- Tour and guide services
- Vehicle and equipment repair services
- Veterinary services
Note: businesses that generate revenue depending on the seasons, for instance, Ski hills, etc will calculate their decline in revenue comparing from December 2019 to December 2020.
BUSINESSES THAT ARE INELIGIBLE FOR SUPPORT GRANT
The following businesses are restricted from applying and availing of the grant:
- Businesses that were asked to close down on October 10, 2020, before the implementation of stage 2 provincial lockdown for public health precautionary measures.
- Businesses that deal in essential product selling and were given the allowance to function with Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) together with capacity restrictions.
- Municipal, provincial, and federal business owners are also restricted from applying for the grant.
- A business that has not been in operation on and from December 24, 2020.
- If a business is associated with any other entity on April 30, 2019, making a total of 100 or more employees, neither the business nor its collaborator will be allowed to apply for this funding program.
NOTE: The Government of Ontario reserves all the rights to accept or reject the applications even if the applicants fulfil all the eligibility needs.