By rdnewsNOW Staff

$2,000 Grant

Alberta announces support for businesses implementing REP

Nov 18, 2021 | 3:10 PM

Eligible organizations participating in the Restrictions Exemption Program (REP) can now apply for a $2,000 grant to help offset some of the implementation costs.

Officials with the Alberta government say the $20-million Restrictions Exemption Program Implementation Grant is now open to all eligible businesses, cooperatives and non-profit organizations. In-scope small and medium-sized organizations may use the one-time funding as they see fit.

“The Restrictions Exemption Program has allowed participating organizations to operate almost like business as usual. We know there is a cost to implement the program so we are responding by providing $2,000 to businesses,” said Doug Schweitzer, Minister of Jobs, Economy and Innovation, this week.

“Because of the Restrictions Exemption Program, organizations have been able to reopen and provide their guests with the goods and services they want and need. We are stepping up to support those organizations by helping them offset some of the costs of verification,” added Martin Long, parliamentary secretary for Small Business and Tourism.

Alberta is said to be the first province to provide funding support to organizations participating in a program that requires patrons age 12 and older to show proof of vaccination, a negative test result or medical exemption.

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Applications can be made online.

Quick facts

• To apply for the implementation grant, organizations must:
  • be on the list of eligible in-scope operators of organizations
  • implement the Restrictions Exemption Program consistently as part of daily operations
  • verify proof of vaccination, a recent negative COVID-19 test or proof of medical exemption for patrons age 12 and older
  • be a permanent establishment in Alberta
  • employ fewer than 500 employees
• Organizations must ensure all of their information is complete and correct when applying. Incorrect or incomplete information may delay receipt of payment or cause the applicant to be denied payment.
• The Restrictions Exemption Program allows businesses, cooperatives and non-profit organizations to remain open without the majority of public health restrictions.
  • It came into effect on Sept. 20.

NDP Critic for Economic Development and Innovation Deron Bilous issued the following statement regarding the announcement:

“It never should have taken this long to release funding that small businesses needed months ago.

“The UCP’s vaccine passport has been in place for almost two months, but they are just opening applications today with no guarantee about how long it will take for funding to be distributed.

“Based on the UCP’s record throughout the pandemic, I’m skeptical this funding will be distributed in a timely fashion. They still haven’t delivered funding for small businesses that was promised this spring.

“For the sake of these small businesses, I hope the UCP can deploy this funding quicker than their record over the pandemic has shown.”