The province of Ontario is now accepting applications for the Business Costs Rebate Program.
The program is designed to support businesses that have been impacted by closures and capacity limits in response to the Omicron variant, with rebate payments up to 100 per cent of costs incurred while subject to these restrictions.
The rebate program supports businesses by providing a portion of the property tax and energy costs incurred during the measures.
Eligible businesses with capacity limits can receive up to 50 per cent of their costs, while businesses that had to close qualify for 100 per cent of their costs.
The payments will be retroactive to December 19, 2021 when the measures first came into effect.
“We recognize that these necessary public health measures are impacting businesses, and as we have been since the beginning of the pandemic, we are there to support them,” said Peter Bethlenfalvy, Minister of Finance, in a press release. “With the opening of applications for this new rebate program, our government is putting money directly into the hands of impacted businesses during this critical time.”
To apply, businesses must provide proof of costs associated with property tax and energy bills. All businesses looking to receive the rebate must submit an application on the Government of Ontario website.
Local businesses looking to receive more information about the program or for help applying can contact the County of Brant Economic Development team or visit the Ontario website.
Premier Doug Ford imposed stricter precautionary measures in Ontario on January 5 to reduce the spread of the Omicron variant. The new measures included the closures of restaurants and bars, event spaces, gyms and indoor recreation facilities.
Other types of businesses that are eligible for the program include personal care services, retailers, places of workshop, casinos, museums, day camps, and more.
The province announced that they will begin to ease restrictions on businesses at the end of the month. The reopening plan is structured in three steps, with public health measures being relaxed starting on January 31, lifting most capacity restrictions in small-medium settings on February 21 and removing all limits on March 14.
