Dynamic Training Centre in Fredericton / Image: Ron Squires
Small business owners and sole proprietors across the province ineligible for the NB Small Business Recovery Grant are upset by the restrictions on the grant program.
The grant of up to $5,000 available through Opportunities NB was introduced by the provincial government to help small businesses regain lost revenue due to “red” and “orange” phases of the pandemic recovery.
A major benchmark that many small businesses are failing to meet in the ONB grant is the requirement of 2-99 full-time employees or the equivalent of 1,560 work hours per year. Sole proprietors like Melissa Hebert, who rents a chair as a hairstylist, are ineligible for the funding.