ELIGIBLE bars, breweries, wineries, gyms and fitness centres can apply for the Circuit Breaker Business Relief Grant to help support businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic, the province announced on Tuesday.
The grant will provide affected businesses with one-time funding to help with expenses like rent, insurance, employee wages, maintenance and utilities. It can also help cover unexpected costs, such as the purchase of perishable goods, that resulted from COVID-19 restrictions.
Businesses affected by the March 30, provincial health orders will be eligible to receive between $1,000 and $10,000 in grant funding.
The Circuit Breaker Business Relief Grant is open to eligible businesses of any size that have been in operation since February 1, 2021.
To be eligible, a business is required to:
* confirm it has been affected by the recent provincial health orders;
* provide electronic banking information;
* confirm it is registered as a B.C. business;
* produce a business validation document, such as a business licence, liquor licence, notice of assessment or lease agreement; and
* confirm majority ownership and operations and payment of taxes in B.C.
Businesses that were closed or had their licences revoked due to provincial health order non-compliance are not eligible for this grant.
Application information and eligibility criteria are available here: www.gov.bc.ca/business-relief
Applications will remain open until June 4 or until the grant funds are disbursed.