Small businesses encouraged to apply for COVID-19 relief funding

NEWS RELEASE

SIMCOE COUNTY

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MIDHURST – The County of Simcoe in partnership with Regional Tourism Organization 7 (RTO7), Grey County, and the Cities of Barrie and Orillia have introduced a non-repayable relief fund ranging from $2,500 to $20,000 to support small and medium tourism businesses. This fund is intended to help offset the high cost of keeping patrons and staff safe while adapting to the changing health and safety requirements and the increasing safety demands during COVID-19. 

All small to medium tourism businesses with between 1 and 99 employees in Simcoe County, Grey County and the cities of Barrie and Orillia are encouraged to apply, including not-for-profit organizations that support tourism. Businesses are required have a 20 per cent cash contribution.

For the purpose of this program, Tourism Businesses as defined by and according to Tourism HR Canada include: 

• Accommodation (hotels, motels, resorts, campgrounds, and recreational vehicle facilities)
 • Recreation and Entertainment (zoos, museums, theatres, sports facilities, amusement parks, government parks, heritage sites, hunting, fishing or outdoor adventure outfitters, and casinos)
  
• Food and beverage services (restaurants from fast service to fine dining, as well as pubs, nightclubs, cruise ships, and convention centres)
 
• Travel services (retail travel agencies, wholesale tour companies, or corporate offices with their own booking divisions)
  
• Transportation (companies that provide transport by air, land or water, and include airlines, bus companies, taxi companies, ferry services, and cruise ships)
  

Examples of Eligible Adaptation include:  

• Addition or expansion of restaurant patios
  
• Plexiglass barriers at counters or between tables
  
• Touchless payment systems
 
• Reservation systems
 
• Sanitization stations
  
• COVID-19 sanitizer fogging equipment, etc.
  

To learn more about the eligibility requirements in both French and English and to download the application form, visit www.RTO7.ca.  

Applications due by Sunday, Jan. 31, 2021, 11:59 p.m.

County of Simcoe is composed of sixteen member municipalities and provides crucial public services to County residents in addition to providing paramedic and social services to the separated cities of Barrie and Orillia. Visit our website at simcoe.ca.

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