WINNIPEG — The Manitoba government has made changes to its Manitoba Bridge Grant program, including extending the application deadline until January 31 and expanding eligibility.
“As expanded public-health restrictions are necessary to protect Manitobans and reduce COVID-19 cases, we are extending the Manitoba Bridge Grant to help more businesses make it through this critical time and ease some of their financial pressures,” says Premier Brian Pallister.
The program’s expanded eligibility includes hotels, resorts, lodges and outfitters, travel agencies, janitorial-services companies and owner/operators of licensed passenger transportation businesses that have seen demand for their services impacted by the public-health orders.
The Manitoba Bridge Grant program was originally announced in November to provide $5,000 up-front to businesses, not-for-profits and charities directly impacted by the #RestartMB Pandemic Response System and temporarily ordered to close their storefronts to the public. The province later expanded the program in December to support home-based businesses and committed to providing an equal second payment if public-health orders remained in place past Jan. 1, 2021.
Beginning January 12, new applicants to the Manitoba Bridge Grant that were ordered to close their premises will be entitled to a one-time payment of $10,000, while eligible home-based business applicants will receive a maximum payment of $10,000.
To date, the program has paid approximately $104 million to 10,740 eligible applicants.
