Saskatchewan restarts pandemic emergency grants for small business hit by COVID rules

REGINA — The Saskatchewan government is reviving an emergency grant program for small businesses that have been hit by restrictions aimed at stemming the spread of COVID-19. 

The province will begin accepting applications for its small business emergency payment program next week until the end of January. 

Businesses with fewer than 500 employees can apply to receive a grant of 15 per cent of their monthly sales revenue recorded before the pandemic arrived in March, to a maximum of $5,000. 

Eligible businesses are ones that have had to change how they operate to comply with the public-health rules in place this month and have lost revenue.

Premier Scott Moe says he expects the new payments to cost his government $8 million. 

The program was first introduced in the spring to support non-essential businesses that were forced to close to curtail the virus’s spread.

It’s restart on Thursday comes as the province battles the most widespread transmission of COVID-19 it has seen to date and a sharp rise in hospital admissions.

 Public venues, such as movie theatres and bingo halls, have had their capacity capped at 30 people and all team sports were suspended. 

Public health has also ordered that no more than four people sit together at a restaurant or bar.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 3, 2020

The Canadian Press