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POSTED | December 22, 2020

Coming soon: Ontario Small Business Support Grant

In January 2021, applications will open for the new Ontario Small Business Support Grant, which will help small businesses that are required to close or significantly restrict services under the new Provincewide Shutdown effective December 26, 2020.

What you’ll get

Starting at $10,000 for all eligible businesses, the grant will provide businesses with dollar for dollar funding to a maximum of $20,000 to help cover decreased revenue expected as a result of the Provincewide Shutdown. The business must demonstrate they experienced a revenue decline of at least 20 per cent when comparing monthly revenue in April 2019 and April 2020. This time period was selected because it reflects the impact of the public health measures in spring 2020, and as such provides a representation of the possible impact of these latest measures on small businesses.

Businesses will be able to use the support in whatever way makes the most sense for them. For example, some businesses will use the support to pay employee wages, while others will need support maintaining their inventory.

Eligibility

To receive the grant, a small business must:

Be required to close or restrict services subject to the Provincewide Shutdown effective 12:01 a.m. on December 26
Have fewer than 100 employees at the enterprise level
Have experienced a minimum of 20 per cent revenue decline comparing April 2020 to April 2019 revenues

Businesses that are not eligible include those that were already required to close prior to the introduction of modified Stage 2 measures, and essential business permitted to operate with capacity restrictions (e.g., discount and big box stores selling groceries, supermarkets, grocery stores, convenience stores, pharmacies, and beer, wine and liquor stores).

For small businesses not in operation in April 2019 or April 2020, eligibility criteria will be announced in January 2021.

Further details about the grant, including how to apply, will be available in January 2021.

What you’ll need to apply

Business and banking information

You will need your business and banking information to apply, including:

general business information (for example, CRA business number)
banking information (for example, banking institution, account number, branch code)

Receipts for PPE

You will need to submit receipts or proof of costs for PPE purchased since March 17, 2020.

This includes:

gloves, gowns, face shields, eye protection, masks, sanitizer, sanitizing wipes
thermometers, temperature monitors or cameras
physical changes, including the installation of hand sanitizer stations and plexiglass dividers
signs to guide or inform customers and employees

Bills and/or invoices

To apply, you will have to submit proof of costs.

For property tax rebates, this includes your property tax bills (or proof of costs associated with property taxes).

For energy cost rebates, this includes a digital copy of the first energy bill (including electricity, natural gas, propane or other) you received on or after the day modified stage 2, , control or lockdown restrictions were put in place in your region. You can also submit other energy bills if your business is heated by propane or heating oil.