Manitoba premier Brian Pallister speaks to media prior to the reading of the Speech from the Throne at the Manitoba Legislature in Winnipeg, Wednesday, October 7, 2020. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/John Woods)
WINNIPEG — The province is coming to the table with additional business supports as a result of new public health orders enacted in Manitoba last week.
A fourth round of payments of up to $5,000 is being provided to eligible businesses and organizations through the Manitoba Bridge Grant program beginning as early as Friday, May 14.
“We delayed the third wave coming into Manitoba and now we have to shorten the time it is here. That is why on Friday we introduced new, strict public health measures to curb the spread of the variants and reduce the strain on our health-care system,” Premier Brian Pallister said on Monday.
“We recognize this quick closure for many businesses will have a significant impact on their operations, particularly the restaurant industry who we know were preparing for a busy Mother’s Day weekend. Our government remains committed to delivering the right programs at the right times to help individual Manitobans and businesses through these challenging times.”
The latest round of payments account for $71 million in funding, bringing the total Bridge Grant program investment to $286 million.
The province is also offering restaurants an additional $2,000 on top of the grant to help cover the costs of food waste, employee wages, maintenance or insurance. Approximately 1,800 restaurants will benefit from this assistance, totalling $3.6 million.
An additional $2 million will funnel through the Dine-In Restaurant Relief program, helping restaurants transition to a delivery model, whether that be directly or through a third-party delivery service.
Eligible businesses that received prior bridge grant payments will automatically receive a fourth payment and will be notified of the deposit via email.
