By Liam Verster

Small and Medium Enterprise Relaunch Grant

Alberta’s small and medium business grant applications now open

Apr 23, 2021 | 10:04 AM

Applications are now being accepted by the Alberta Government for the Small and Medium Enterprise Relaunch Grant (SMERG) program.

The program is being launched in response to the Alberta Government’s return to Step 1 restrictions in early April in an attempt to slow the spread of COVID-19 during the third wave.

Grants of up to $10,000 will be distributed to businesses, cooperatives and non-profit organizations with fewer than 500 employees and have faced restrictions or closures due to public health measures. They must also have experienced revenue losses of at least 30 per cent.

Hotels, taxis and ride-sharing services are also now eligible for the SMERG program.

The funds can be used to cover costs of items that help prevent the spread of COVID-19; pay for rent, employee wages or inventory; or help expand the business online in order to continue to serve customers.

“We have to be there to help small businesses in Alberta get to the other side of this pandemic. With the expansion of the relaunch grant, we are helping small businesses make it through the third wave of COVID-19,” says Minister of Jobs, Economy and Innovation, Doug Schweitzer.

“We know the past year has not been easy and are grateful for what all small businesses in Alberta have done to help protect the lives of Albertans in their communities.”

This is the second round of the Alberta Government’s SMERG program, and the government has allocated $350-million to be used for the grants. This round is only providing up to $10,000 for successful applicants, whereas the first round provided up to $20,000 in grants to eligible businesses.

Applications for SMERG are open on the government’s website, the deadline to apply is May 31.