Invest Ottawa to open application intake for up to $10,000 non-repayable contributions for eligible downtown Ottawa businesses as they recover
March 11, 2022 - Ottawa, Ontario
Businesses in Downtown Ottawa were hit hard by illegal blockades in our nation's capital. Many businesses were unable to open their doors and as a result suffered financial losses. Since the beginning of the pandemic, the Government of Canada has supported small businesses and entrepreneurs and will continue to help them with the supports they need to recover.
Today, on behalf of the Hon. Helena Jaczek, Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario, the Hon. Mona Fortier, President of the Treasury Board, alongside Yasir Naqvi, Member of Parliament for Ottawa Centre, announced that the application portal for the Downtown Ottawa Business Relief Fund will open on March 15, 2022. This announcement builds on the $20 million Government of Canada investment, through the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario), to support local businesses who suffered losses due to the illegal blockades.
With this FedDev Ontario funding, Invest Ottawa, in collaboration with key partners in the region, including the Ottawa Coalition of Business Improvement Areas (OCOBIA) and the Ottawa Board of Trade (OBOT), will provide non-repayable contributions of up to $10,000 for costs not covered by other federal programs.
This contribution will ensure that businesses can recover costs such as utilities, insurance, bank charges, loss of inventory (e.g., spoiled food), wages, rent, and other extraordinary costs related to the repair or protection of a business due to the demonstrations.
To support the most vulnerable small businesses, eligible businesses impacted by the demonstrations will need to: be located in the central districts of Ottawa; have at least one and fewer than 100 employees in downtown areas; have been unable to operate their business at normal levels from January 22 through February 2022; have intended to provide in-person client services during the demonstrations and could not transition to virtual services in the short-term; and be fully open, operating and providing in-person services at the time of application.
Additional details on eligibility criteria will be available on the Invest Ottawa website when the application intake opens. Interested stakeholders can subscribe for updates on the Downtown Ottawa Business Relief Fund website.
The Government of Canada is committed to helping small businesses and local communities recover and together work hard to build a strong and resilient economic recovery for Canadians.
