By Cecilia Nasmith
Northumberland-Peterborough South MPP David Piccini announced this week that a $57-million Federal-provincial partnership has resulted in 20 local small businesses receiving Digital Transformation Grants, while many others accessed help from hired local students to go digital and increase their e-commerce sales.
Ontario's Digital Main Street Program and Student Digital Service Squads, which help connect tech-savvy students, provide $2,500 in government grants and on-line training with local small businesses who need help launching and expanding on-line commerce platforms. A total of $89,000 in funding was provided by the Government of Ontario to help transform these local small businesses.
That includes $26,000 in support of eight businesses in Trent Hills, $37,500 for nine Port Hope businesses and $25,500 for three Cobourg businesses.
Piccini's announcement said Digital Service Squads are already helping thousands of small businesses across Ontario, meeting a critical need to transition to on-line storefronts. This is a vital element of the Digital Main Street platform that is expected to assist up to 22,900 Ontario businesses and generate jobs for more than 1,400 students.
“Ontario’s small businesses are the backbone of our economy and our community,
“The Digital Service Squads are helping our businesses transition online, allowing them to access new customers safely and reliably. I encourage all Ontarians to support local, by buying goods virtually from local small businesses today and into the future.”
At a time when only about 60% of Ontario's small enterprises have a website and only 7% accept on-line payment, Digital Main Street can provide new tools to help them reach a wider customer base and better weather the economic impacts of COVID-19.
Main Street Relief Grants provide up to $1,000 to help eligible small businesses afford personal protective equipment, the press release continued. And Ontario's Small Business Support Grants provide $10,000 to $20,000 to eligible small businesses that have had to restrict operations due to the province-wide shutdown.
As well, eligible businesses can apply for support through the Ontario Small Business Support Grant Ontario Main Street Relief Grant, PPE support and temporary property-tax and energy-cost rebates through a single on-line application portal.
