Chamber News

On February 8th, the government announced that eligible small businesses required to close in early January under the modified Step Two of the Roadmap to Reopen can apply for the Ontario COVID-19 Small Business Relief Grant (OSBRG).

The Ontario Small Business Relief Grant application portal is now open until March 11 for eligible applications from:

• Newly established businesses
• Businesses that may not have previously applied to the Ontario Small Business Support Grant in 2021
• Businesses that were previously deemed ineligible but are now eligible.

In the spirit of efficiency, the Ministry of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade emailed eligible businesses that received previous grants in 2021 to pre-screen their eligibility for this new funding stream. These businesses do not need to re-apply if you completed the pre-screen and were verified to receive this grant. 

Small businesses eligible for the OSBRG include:

• Restaurants and bars
• Facilities for indoor sports and recreational fitness activities (including fitness centres and gyms)
• Racing venues, casinos, bingo halls and gaming establishments
• Performing arts venues and cinemas
• Museums, galleries, aquariums, zoos, science centres, landmarks, historic sites, botanical gardens and similar attractions
• Meeting or event spaces
• Tour and guide services
• Conference centres and convention centres
• Driving instruction for individuals
• Before- and after-school programs

The OSBRG User Application Guide provides additional information about applying for the grant.

For more information on available business supports, please visit: Businesses: Get help with COVID-19 costs | Ontario.ca

Call Centre Information:  If you need help, call centres are open from Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., excluding government and statutory holidays. The call centres are closed on Saturday and Sunday.

Toll-free: 1-855-216-3090
TTY: 416-325-3408
Toll-free TTY: 1-800-268-7095 

Ontario Small Business Relief Grant - Application Guide:
https://www.app.grants.gov.on.ca/msrf/assets/osbrgGuide.pdf

Information on Available Business Supports:
https://www.ontario.ca/page/businesses-get-help-covid-19-costs

COVID-19 Public Health Measures and Advice:
https://covid-19.ontario.ca/public-health-measures