Applications open for #CanadaUnited business relief fund

Thank you to all who participated in #CanadaUnited this past weekend.  The Peterborough Chamber of Commerce has been proud to support the campaign and combine it with our #LoveLocalPtbo campaign.

Supporting local is the backbone of a recovery from the impacts of COVID-19.

Part of the campaign was to build a Small Business Relief Fund.  Here are the details of the fund:
The Canada United Small Business Relief Fund is managed by the Ontario Chamber of Commerce on behalf of the national Chamber network in support of other chambers and partners to help small Canadian businesses with their recovery efforts as a result of COVID-19.

If awarded, a relief grant can be used for any of the following activities:

• Purchasing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) such as masks, face shields, and latex gloves.
• Renovating physical space to adhere to local, Provincial or Federal reopening guidelines.
• Developing or improving e-commerce capabilities for your business.

Eligibility
Eligibility criteria includes:

• One application per ownership group
• Applicants do not need to be a member of the Ontario Chamber of Commerce (OCC) to qualify
• Small to medium-sized (SME) companies from all sectors and all regions of Canada
• For greater clarity, both For-Profit and Not-For-Profit organizations are eligible to apply but Government organizations, municipalities, charities and the chamber of commerce network are not eligible to apply
• Be incorporated, or operating as a sole proprietor, in Canada as of March 1, 2020
• No more than 75 employees
• Have minimum annual sales of $200,000 and not more than $3,000,000
• Have $1,000,000 of commercial general liability insurance
• Not receiving any other contributions from public funds towards the specific activities contained in the funding application
• Be in full compliance with all applicable government laws, rules, regulations, guidelines and other legally binding measures (Laws)
• Be in operation after September 1, 2020 (grant recipients must sign a declaration included in the approval letter to confirm)
• Must attach all necessary invoices and receipts with the application.
• Failure to do so will result in automatic disqualification.
• Must submit one of the following documents (dated prior to March 1, 2020):
• Proof of business registration:
• Sales tax (GST/HST) registration
• Recent sales tax (GST/HST) filing

FAQs on the Canada United Small Business Relief Fund
Q: I am a franchisee can I apply to the program?
A: Yes, individual franchisee owners can apply.


Q: What counts as an eligible renovation?
A: Renovations are defined as any alterations, temporary or permanent, made to your business specifically to reduce the risk of customers or staff contracting the novel coronavirus, referred to as COVID-19.  These can include:

• The building or purchase of physical barriers
• The creation of signage or floor markers
• The building or purchase of sanitizing stations
• The building or purchase of materials used to create a structure to facilitate curbside pickup or contactless payment, or to otherwise move aspects of your business outside 
• The alteration of a building’s windows and doors
• The installation of touchless devices such as doors or waste containers
• Third party labour costs associated with any of the above, provided there is no conflict of interest with such third party

Q: If I am a sole proprietor can I apply?
A: Yes, sole proprietorships are eligible to apply.

Applications are open.

Apply Now