Small, medium-sized Alberta businesses eligible for $5,000 relaunch grant

It’s been a tough few months for everyone, but especially so for Alberta’s small businesses.

The COVID-19 pandemic closed shop doors throughout the province, many for good, with revenue loss at an estimated 50% across the board as a result.

The provincial government just announced a Small and Medium Enterprise Relaunch Grant that it hopes will help local businesses reopen and get Albertans back to work.

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“Small- and medium-sized businesses are job creators. They employ hundreds of thousands of Albertans and are the backbone of our economy,” said Minister of Economic Development, Trade, and Tourism, Tanya Fir, in a release from the Province of Alberta.

“That’s why we are taking further action to support them as we relaunch our economy and get folks back to work. This builds on Alberta’s nation-leading support for job creators, and will help businesses, cooperatives and non-profits get Albertans working and our economy back on track.”

The grant will go to eligible businesses with no more than 500 employees and will award successful applicants up to $5,000 through the $200 million program.

“Businesses continue to struggle with the additional costs of getting their businesses – and therefore Alberta’s economy – back up and running,” said the president and CEO of Alberta Chambers of Commerce, Ken Kobly, in the release.

“This grant program is very much appreciated and welcomed by small- and medium-sized businesses.”

Applications are now open as of 10 am on July 29, and business owners will be able to apply until either August 31 or four weeks after the start of the Relaunch Strategy’s Stage 3 — whichever is later.

Businesses are, however, being asked to apply on their specific regional day if applying within the first week to manage the expected volume, the release states.

Here are the regional intake days, according to the Small and Medium Enterprise Relaunch Grant:

June 29, 2020: North
June 30, 2020: South
July 1, 2020: Urban
July 2, 2020: Calgary
July 3, 2020: Edmonton
July 4, 2020, onwards: Anyone may apply at any time
until the program closes

Full details can be found here.