January 12, 2021 - Windsor, Ontario
Canada's COVID-19 Economic Response Plan has helped to protect millions of jobs, provide emergency support to families and keep businesses afloat as they deal with the impact of COVID-19. A central part of this is the Regional Relief and Recovery Fund (RRRF), which provides liquidity support to businesses and not-for-profit organizations affected by COVID-19 that are unable to access other federal relief measures or require additional support.
Over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, FedDev Ontario has provided critical support for thousands of southern Ontario businesses and other organizations, helping them continue operations, protect jobs, cover costs and play a role in our economic recovery. Recognizing the pandemic's continued strain on local economies, FedDev Ontario is delivering $184 million in additional funding in southern Ontario, and has extended and expanded eligibility criteria to help those still in need of support.
Protecting local jobs and supporting businesses in Windsor-Essex
Today, Irek Kusmierczyk, Member of Parliament for Windsor-Tecumseh, on behalf of the Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Economic Development and Official Languages and Minister responsible for FedDev Ontario, announced that 80 businesses and organizations in Windsor-Essex received a total of $11.1 million in combined RRRF funding, protecting more than 1,700 jobs in the region in 2020. This funding has supported the immediate needs of a broad range of businesses, from main street businesses such as retail shops and restaurants, to tourism operators and many manufacturing companies.
In a region largely powered by the manufacturing sector, businesses across Windsor-Essex have taken a significant hit due to closures and supply chain shortages resulting from the pandemic. For Tecumseh-based injection molding manufacturer Quality Models Limited, the pandemic caused many of its clients to halt production, resulting in a significant decrease in sales. Assistance through the RRRF has alleviated some of the liquidity pressures and covered fixed operating costs for this rural company's automotive and recreational boating products.
Morton Food Service, a family-owned business rooted in the Windsor region for over 100 years, is a distributor of food and beverage products to over 1,200 independent restaurants across southern Ontario. When the pandemic hit, public health measures meant that the majority of Morton Food Services' customers either needed to close or reduce to take-out or patio service only. This created a ripple effect and as a result, the company's revenue was significantly reduced. Support through RRRF allowed Morton Food Service to cover fixed costs and manage its cash flow to continue operations during the pandemic.
Businesses and organizations in southern Ontario that have applied for other federal COVID-19 programs, but were unable to access sufficient relief, are encouraged to review RRRF eligibility requirements
