Municipal economic program helps businesses bounce back

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This article was published 19/04/2022 (1426 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A city program meant to help businesses make improvements after the challenges of COVID-19, distributed more than $200,000 and generated more than half-a-million dollars for the local economy.

Brandon’s director of economic development Sandy Trudel and Brandon Chamber of Commerce president Barry Cooper gave a presentation on the “extremely successful” program their organizations ran together at Tuesday’s Brandon City Council meeting.

Started last year as a way to help local businesses invest in themselves and the community, the Brandon economic restart program issued grants of up to $2,500 to non-profits and businesses who paid for professional services, marketing, technology, furniture or equipment.

Eligible businesses had to be operating in Brandon since at least July 12, 2020, needed at least one paid employee, had to demonstrate a negative financial effect due to COVID-19 and couldn’t be a government organization, post-secondary institution, health authority, craft home-based business or an independent consultant. They also had to pay at least 10 per cent of the total cost of the project.

In the end, there were 97 eligible applications from 10 different economic sectors under the program, of which 72 have already received their grant. A total of $233,711 will eventually be paid out, representing 93 per cent of the $250,000 set aside for the program.

“Those businesses employed just under 1,100 employees,” Trudel said. “We are just having the end of the business applications wrapped up and those grants will probably go out within a month.”

A total of 115 applications were submitted, with 13 volunteers at the chamber helping to vet them.

The category that most of the applications fell under, Trudel said, was for marketing costs.

Under the program rules, investments must be made by April 30, with case-by-case exceptions potentially available.

The city estimates the total projected business investments in the city stemming from the program will be not quite double the total amount of grant money paid out at $550,850.

Reminiscing about the program’s creation, Cooper said when he pitched the idea to council, it was to help businesses transition from defence to offence. While the money that went out might not have achieved any touchdowns, Cooper believes it did garner some first downs.

While there are still challenges that local businesses are facing, like supply-chain shortages, Cooper said the program did a good job of targeting businesses and sectors that needed a hand up.

With businesses spending on things like computers, setting up e-commerce systems and consultants, Cooper said it gave them a rare chance to ask for help and focus on bettering themselves.

“People got kicked in the face, got up and said, ‘we’re not done yet,’” he said.

Speaking after the presentation, Mayor Rick Chrest praised Cooper and the chamber for coming up with the idea and helping council and the city bring it to fruition.

He expressed hope the services and improvements made will be a long-term benefit to participants and not a short-term Band-Aid.

Coun. Jeff Fawcett (Assiniboine) praised the program as a good example of community groups working together.

For more stories about Tuesday’s Brandon City Council meeting, visit brandonsun.com.

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