People's Alliance leader Kris Austin (Photo credit: Tamara Steele)
The People’s Alliance is calling out the Provincial Government’s efforts to help small businesses.
The New Brunswick Government recently announced grants that could supply up to $5000 to relieve the financial impact of COVID-19 on small businesses. The People’s Alliance Caucus expressed dissatisfaction with the grant calling it “nothing” and raising concerns over its eligibility requirements.
- Must operate full-time in New Brunswick.
- Must be a for-profit business.
- Must have been open prior to February 2020.
- Must employ between 2-99 people full-time.
- Must have experienced a year-over-year sales drop of 30% or more for the months that your business was under Orange and/or Red Level Public Health restrictions.
- Must have faced elevated Public Health measures in either Orange or Red alert levels in New Brunswick for at least one week from October 10, 2020, to March 31, 2021.
- Must be physically located in a Zone that was subject to Orange or Red alert level Public Health measures for at least one week from October 10, 2020, to March 31, 2021.
People’s Alliance leader Kris Austin said “That’s unfortunate because thousands of small business owners who are working hard to keep their doors open are not receiving any help.
Business owners have flooded the People’s Alliance emails and telephones with the hope of getting help before it’s too late.
“If the government doesn’t act quickly, many of the men and women who are working hard to keep their businesses open won’t make it,” Mr. Austin said.
The Canadian Federation of Independent Business released data that suggested 181,000 Canadian small business owners are seriously contemplating permanently closing, placing over 2.4 million jobs at risk.
A recent transition to the red phase of recovery has forced small businesses to close their doors to the public.
