New ON COVID-19 Small Business Relief Grant

• Restaurants and bars;
• Facilities for indoor sports and recreational fitness activities (including fitness centres and gyms);
• Performing arts and cinemas;
• Museums, galleries, aquariums, zoos, science centres, landmarks, historic sites, botanical gardens and similar attractions;
• Meeting or event spaces;
• Tour and guide services;
• Conference centres and convention centres;
• Driving instruction for individuals; and
• Before- and after- school programs.

The Ontario government is also providing electricity-rate relief to support small businesses, as well as workers and families spending more time at home while the province is in Modified Step Two. For 21 days starting at 12:01 am on Tuesday, January 18, 2022, electricity prices will be set 24 hours a day at the current off-peak rate of 8.2 cents per kilowatt-hour, which is less than half the cost of the current on-peak rate. The off-peak rate will apply automatically to residential, small businesses and farms who pay regulated rates set by the Ontario Energy Board and get a bill from a utility and will benefit customers on both Time-of-Use and Tiered rate plans.

Online applications for the previously-announced Ontario Business Costs Rebate Program will open on January 18. This program will provide eligible businesses that are required to close or reduce capacity with rebate payments for up to 100 per cent of the property tax and energy costs they incur while subject to public health measures in response to the Omicron variant.

Read the full News Release HERE. 
Read Ontario's "Businesses: Get help with COVID-19 costs" for more information HERE. 
For updated information as it becomes available, visit the Government of Ontario website HERE. 

Reconnect Ontario supports festivals and events that have a tourism economic impact and motivate visitors to rediscover Ontario, reconnect people with local experiences and increase tourism spending. The program aims to support innovative events in Ontario that will:

• offer safe experiences that encourage people to travel locally, participate and rediscover the beauty and diversity of all that Ontario communities have to offer; 
• draw tourists and local visitors, whether in-person or virtually, through innovative programming, and generate positive economic impact for the local community, the region and the province;
• provide job opportunities for Ontarians, particularly in the tourism, culture and entertainment sectors; and
• increase Ontario’s profile through media and/or social media exposure to generate interest in future travel to the province.

The deadline to apply is February 2, 2022 by 5:00pm EST.

Read more HERE. 
View more funding opportunities HERE.