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By David Opinko/LethbridgeNewsNOW

Digital Economy Program

Provincial funds to help businesses launch online stores

Oct 28, 2021 | 5:02 PM

Well into the pandemic, two out of five small businesses in Alberta do not have a way of selling their products online.

The Alberta Government hopes their latest funding announcement will result in more companies reaching new audiences.

Minister of Jobs, Economy, and Innovation Doug Schweitzer says they are funding $10-million over two years for the Digital Economy Program (DEP).

“We want to provide Alberta’s small business community with easy-to-use tools and resources to grow. This program will not only support Alberta’s small businesses but will also provide employment opportunities for post-secondary students and recent graduates looking to apply their technology skills and gain valuable experience.”

Small businesses employ more than 623,000 Albertans and account for more than 98 per cent of all companies in the province.

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In a survey of small business owners in Alberta by Business Link in April 2021, 40 per cent said they do not have a website or any other form of e-commerce, 61 per cent lack the technical expertise to create a website, and 60 per cent believe that costs for creating and running a website were too high.

DEP includes two program streams:

ShopHERE, powered by Google program

Allows eligible small businesses to create and operate online stores.

Business owners can access help through Digital Main Street to create their digital storefronts and receive training in how to manage it.

Applicants must be registered in Alberta and have fewer than 50 employees.

Digital Service Squad Grant program

This stream provides funding to organizations to hire post-secondary students and recent graduates in Alberta for a regional digital service squad.

Eligible organizations include non-profits, economic development agencies, business improvement associations, chambers of commerce, Indigenous organizations, and municipalities that work with small businesses in the province.

Squads will provide services and technical support to small businesses in their region at no cost, such as developing digital transformation plans, and setting up websites, social media, and more.

NDP Economic Development and Innovation Critic Deron Bilous issued the following statement in response to the UCP government’s announcement of funding for businesses to move operations online:

“Once again, the UCP government’s pandemic response is too little, too late.

“It took the UCP over a year and half to provide this support to struggling businesses. On top of this, many small businesses still haven’t received the financial support they were promised up to six months ago, and the UCP still hasn’t acted on capping fees for third party delivery apps.

“We have stood with small business owners to call for support to move online, a cap on third party delivery app fees, and for quicker distribution of funding throughout the pandemic. We will continue to do so until the UCP government finally delivers the support small businesses deserve.”

More detail, including how to apply, here.