January 14, 2022
Chamber urges expedited processing of applications for Covid-19 Closure Grant
The Kamloops Chamber of Commerce also expresses its dismay at the delay in the B.C. government’s Covid-19 Closure Grant application process and criteria.
The grant, which was announced on Dec. 23, 2021, is supposed to provide for a one-time payment of between $1,000 and $10,000 based on certain criteria for businesses affected by the public health orders announced on Dec. 22, 2021.
However, the application process was only opened on Jan. 12 – a full 21 days after the announcement of the orders – and the grant criteria is restrictive, with a very large gap between businesses receiving a $5,000 grant (5 to 99 employees/contracted staff) and those receiving a $10,000 grant (100 or more employees).
Businesses that have been affected by these orders are suffering not only from loss of income at a critical point, but also uncertainty. The inability to apply for the funds available and the restrictive criteria on those funds has only made that uncertainty worse.
The Chamber urges the provincial government to expedite the application process for those businesses that apply to ensure immediate payment, and to reduce the criteria for the maximum grant from 100 or more employees to 20 or more to provide greater support to more affected businesses.
Acacia Pangilinan
Executive Director
Kamloops Chamber of Commerce
P: 778-257-5900
E: acacia@kamloopschamber.ca