The Manitoba Bridge Grant will provide an immediate one-time
payment of $5,000 to small and medium-sized businesses, not-for-profits, and charitable organizations that were directly ordered to
temporarily cease operations or close their publicly accessible
physical locations by Manitoba COVID-19 public-health orders in
effect on Nov. 12, 2020.
When does the program come into effect?
The new Manitoba Bridge Grant application portal can be found here:
www.manitoba.ca/supportsforbusiness.
The deadline for applications is Dec. 15.
What if the restrictions continue for longer?
The Manitoba Bridge Grant has the capacity to be extended
automatically Jan. 1, 2021, to provide an additional $5,000 to each
previously approved organization if these public health orders
remain in place.
Will I have to apply again?
If required, the province would automatically process the second
payment at that time with no further actions required from
applicants. A January payment would increase the program total
up to $200 million for impacted businesses.
How can someone apply for this program?
The new Manitoba Bridge Grant application portal is at
www.manitoba.ca/supportsforbusiness. The deadline for
applications is Dec. 15.
If I received funds through the Manitoba Gap Protection Program,
do I still have to pay it back?
The Manitoba Gap Protection Program has been converted from a
forgivable loan to a grant, meaning recipients no longer have to
repay the province if they received federal COVID support. This
frees Manitoba businesses that received this grant to apply for the
wide range of federal support programs currently available
including the federal wage supports and commercial rent assist
programs.
Are any wage subsidies available?
Since the spring, the province also announced three wage subsidy
programs and is currently reviewing applications worth an
estimated $46 million. The Back to Work This Summer and Summer
Student Recovery Jobs programs concluded in September, while
the Back to Work in Manitoba Wage Subsidy Program has an
application deadline of Dec. 1. You can apply for the Back to Work Manitoba program here: https://manitoba.ca/covid19/programs/btwmp.html