Support for Local Businesses

• Online Business Directory
• Tourism Recovery Grant
• A-Frame Sign Pilot Program
• Queen Street Pilot Program
• Extended Patio Program
• Numerous Gift Cards to Local Businesses Offered as Prizes to Social Media Campaigns

Business Owners and Operators: Please see the list of programs below, along with some helpful links in the column to the right for available support.

• Canada Recovery Hiring Program - The Canada Recovery Hiring Program (CRHP) is a hiring subsidy which will support employers with a subsidy of up to 50% on incremental remuneration paid to eligible working employees (I.e. the portion of remuneration exceeding the remuneration of the baseline period). It will be offered from June 6, 2021, to November 20, 2021, to qualifying employers who have seen a drop in revenue due to COVID-19. During the periods where applicants are eligible for the CEWS, they will have the choice of benefiting from either the CRHP or the CEWS with a declining rate.
• Ontario Tourism and Travel Small Business Support Grant - The Ontario government is providing one‐time payments of $10,000 to $20,000 to support eligible small tourism and travel businesses struggling to recover from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic through the new $100-million Ontario Tourism and Travel Small Business Support Grant.
  
• Canada Recovery Benefit - Income support to employed and self-employed individuals who are directly affected by COVID-19 and are not entitled to Employment Insurance (EI) benefits. If eligible, you can receive $1,000 ($900 after taxes withheld) for a 2-week period. If your situation continues past 2 weeks, you will need to apply again. You may apply up to a total of 13 eligibility periods (26 weeks) between September 27, 2020 and September 25, 2021.
• Canada Emergency Rent Subsidy - Canadian businesses, non-profit organizations, or charities who have seen a drop in revenue due to the COVID-19 pandemic may be eligible for a subsidy to cover part of their commercial rent or property expenses, starting on September 27, 2020, until June 2021.
• Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy - 75% of employee wages
• Canada Emergency Business Account - Interest-free loans of up to $60,000 to small businesses and not-for-profits impacted by COVID-19 (increased from $40,000). Applicants who have received the $40,000 CEBA loan may apply for the $20,000 expansion. All applicants have until March 31, 2021, to apply for $60,000 CEBA loan or the $20,000 expansion.
• Ontario Small Business Support Grant - Starting at $10,000 for all eligible businesses, the grant provides businesses with funding to a maximum of $20,000 to help cover decreased revenue expected as a result of the Provincewide Shutdown.
• COVID-19 Energy Assistance Program (CEAP) - CEAP is a one time, on-bill credit for eligible residential electricity and natural gas customers - delivered directly by Niagara-on-the-Lake Hydro and Enbridge Gas, further to rules laid out by the Ontario Energy Board (OEB) - to help customers catch up on their energy bills and resume regular payments. A maximum credit of $750 is available. See application for eligibility and credit details.