Manitoba received least from federal COVID-19 business-support program
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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 30/07/2020 (2060 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
OTTAWA — Manitoba got the least cash out of a federal COVID-19 business-support program for Western Canada, though officials say local businesses asked for less help.
On Tuesday, the federal granting agency Western Economic Diversification unveiled its first portion of funding through the Regional Relief and Recovery Fund, meant to support businesses who couldn’t tap into other pandemic-relief measures.
Manitoba businesses took just $7 million from the announced $95 million in funds, split between British Columbia and the Prairies.
Despite a slightly smaller population, Saskatchewan received more than one-third more cash than Manitoba, supporting slightly more than double the number of jobs.
The funding protects 354 Manitoba jobs compared with 769 in Saskatchewan, according to WED figures published Tuesday.
Federal officials said that’s because Saskatchewan businesses submitted double the amount of applications than Manitoba.
Analyses by the Parliamentary Budget Officer and RBC Economics show Saskatchewan will likely be harder hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, in part because its energy sources have falling commodity prices.
Of the national $962-million funding package, $300 is earmarked for Western Canada, $95 million of which has been announced so far.
The funding is split between allocations of up to $40,000 for small businesses, and grants of up to $1 million for businesses to hire staff, change supply chains and upgrade their technology.
“Small businesses throughout the West are in acute need, and their recovery is critical to Western Canada’s recovery,” wrote Winnipeg South MP Terry Duguid, who helps oversee WED.
“The Government of Canada recognizes that, and has listened closely about how we can best support western entrepreneurs.”
Officials say they intentionally published the Western Canadian funding in a press release, in part because they don’t have ministers across the Prairies to make announcements, and want to respect physical distancing.
A similar funding package for business in various Quebec regions has been announced through a steady drop of Liberal ministers making announcements, in a province that has been key to recent federal elections.
dylan.robertson@freepress.mb.ca