BC Liberals: Changes to business recovery grant program a day late and a dollar short

TODD Stone, BC Liberal Critic for Jobs, Economic Recovery and Innovation, said on Thursday he is pleased to see that the NDP has finally taken the Opposition’s advice and extended the deadline for its botched Small and Medium-Sized Business Recovery Grant program.

“I’m glad the NDP government is making these changes which the BC Liberals have been advocating for since last year,” said Stone. “Unfortunately, this has taken so long that many small businesses have already closed down, and it might be too late for many others. Countless businesses could be in a better position today had the NDP not stubbornly refused to budge on extending the program deadline.”

While the changes have once again relaxed some requirements of the program, Stone is urging the government to make further adjustments, including:

* Eliminating the requirement for applicants to have been in business for 18 months from the date of application;
* Reducing the red tape associated with the program by speeding up the application and approval process — recognizing government already has most of the information it is requesting from these businesses.
“[Premier] John Horgan and the NDP have fumbled this grant for six months. Now that they’ve finally extended the grant deadline, it’s my hope that money can get out the door in a more timely and efficient way to businesses who need it most,” said Stone.