The City of Wetaskiwin has introduced a COVID Recovery Grant Program in partnership with the Leduc & Wetaskiwin Regional Chamber of Commerce.
The new program will connect locally based businesses to legal, human resource, or accounting service providers for up to five hours of consultation, or up to a maximum of $500, to assist with, understand and prepare documentation to apply for the current Government COVID-19 financial assistance support programs.
The grant program launched Monday Jan.18, 2021 and is based on a first come, first serve process for up to 40 businesses. At least 10 businesses have already been approved. The deadline for the grant application is Friday February 12, 2021.
“Many of our local small businesses have been struggling through this pandemic. The City of Wetaskiwin’s economic development team presented Council with a way that we could help—by offering businesses some support through legal and accounting expertise while they navigate the grants available to them through the provincial and federal governments,” says Wetaskiwin Mayor, Tyler Gandam. “After seeing the success our Chamber of Commerce was having by offering a similar grant in partnership with the City of Leduc, we felt our businesses in Wetaskiwin would find value in it as well.”
The applicants for both the grant as well as the service providers must be located within the City of Wetaskiwin and hold a City of Wetaskiwin business license.
Although the program is administered through the Chamber of Commerce, businesses do not need to be Chamber members to apply for the grant.
“Our Chamber knows that businesses are overwhelmed with costs and uncertainty, changing programs, and regulations. Connecting them to professional help is one way we can support them getting back to what they do best,” says Jennifer Garries, Executive Director of the Leduc & Wetaskiwin Regional Chamber of Commerce. “We commend the business community for their resilience and the City for acting to help our employers be sustainable throughout this trying time.”
For more information and to apply for the grant you can visit the City of Wetaskiwin COVID portal at http://covidwetaskiwin.ca/index.php/business-supports.